So here are ten ideas on how you can start (or re-start) a youth group whilst hopefully avoiding the pitfalls.

1. Take the church family with you every step of the way. This does not mean endless hours of meetings or your services being dominated by notices or sermons just on youth engagement. It just means inclusion and showing that the young are valued by inclusion in prayer letters and meetings, small notices that show progress on a Sunday, praying and talking about ideas and groups at small groups/Bible study groups etc.
2. Regularly talk about the young people (in a positive way) at PCC and other leadership meetings. Set milestones you are aiming at. Steep the future and continuous work in prayer in these meetings.
3. Identify people in church that have a heart for young people and speak life into them and their ministry. This starts often with prayer and sometimes leads to volunteering. Do this plenty and continuously. The aim is to have at least 5-6 leaders before you start anything.
4. Identify prayer warriors who will commit to regularly and fervently pray for the youth group, its leaders and for Jesus to break in, as well as for protection and identify regular church family members who would be happy to be standbys if one of the leaders can’t make it. It would be amazing if they could be happy to host occasional ‘special events’ such as a meal at their house, a craft evening or a BBQ for the young people. It is all these normal engagement times and relationship building that will to lead to young people coming to church. Ideally all members of the church family will be engaged in youth provision by either praying, championing it or engaging in practical ways (or a mix thereof). See also Ben’s blog expanding on this.
5. Think through as a leadership team and with the wider church why you are hoping to do youth work/a new project. Does it fit with your vision and is it just to get bums on seats or is it to help develop a church family of all ages or a discipleship program for all? These questions and answers will lead and guide you in the way you set things up and give a real purpose.
6. Make resources available even before the start of a group. Money for treats, spaces in the church buildings, time set aside by different leaders in the church to come and teach or just be there and have fun with the young people.
7. Plan for bigger events and services that are focused on young people 6 months ahead – right from the start – and invite the young people to join and possibly contribute (but in small and safe ways). It should be more of a treat then a chore. Something they will want to invite their friends to. Do this regularly and do not lose hope if it doesn’t work so well the first time around.
8. Make sure that youth leaders are feeling valued, know what is expected of them, are well trained and feel like they have a clear line of communication with and the backing of the PCC and are not overloaded.
9. Identify an overall leader or couple of leaders who are safe hands, approachable and well respected in the church for both character and theology. If no one is standing out in this way the minister or curate might have to step in for a short time, while aiming to train and encourage someone else into this role.
10. Treat people who serve in this capacity as co-ministers. This might look slightly different in every church but essentially this means you acknowledge that God has called this person to lead in the youth ministry. This might include a commissioning but also ongoing valuing as a co-minister and a certain respect by the leadership. It might mean that you clearly give titles and make multiple levels of service available in the youth leadership, e.g. youth pastor, youth helper, youth supporter… Maybe talk this through with the Diocesan Youth Team.