A GENERATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE CHANGING THE WORLD THROUGH FAITH IN ACTION
Through intentional and thoughtful Coordination, Collaboration, and Connection, the programs of Youth Mission Co are making an impact… in the lives of young people, and in the communities where they serve both in the short term and the long term
Need
Homelessness, poverty, food insecurity, and an ever widening economic disparity are all symptoms of a society that is in deep need of compassion and systemic change. Gen Z (and the emerging Gen Alpha) are longing to make a lasting difference and fashion a better world But how, when the problems of our society seem so big and so pervasive? What does their faith have to do with how they choose to live in the world around them? Young people feel an urgency to make an impact, but need knowledge and guidance to make moral and lasting changes.
per email 9/20 ... too wordy, stats? as bullet points...
Mission
Youth Mission Co is dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering young people to serve those in need, inspired by the ethics of Jesus. Through intentional coordination, collaboration, and connection, we make a tangible impact in the lives of young people and the communities they serve, both in the short and long term
ENGAGE, EDUCATE
Lifetime Value
Young people who participate in the programs of Youth Mission Co do more than simply “give back.” They engage in the community to see first hand the experiences and challenges facing our neighbors living in poverty, homelessness, and marginalization. Through direct engagement in the community our youth participants learn from our neighbors, build empathy for the difficult situations some of our neighbors are facing, theologically and ethically reflect on their service experiences, and discern their call to live a life that helps fashion a more just and moral world.
Youth Mission Co coordinates with groups of young people, often from churches or campus ministries, who come to spend a week or weekend with us at one of our program locations in Asheville, NC, Raleigh, NC, Charleston, SC, Memphis, TN, and Dallas, TX. Our staff collaborates with a variety of agencies and ministries in these communities to arrange for our groups to volunteer, doing both tasks that are both interactive in the community and “behind the scenes.”
Debriefings: In the evenings our staff lead our mission immersion groups in debriefing programs, making connections between what they have seen and experienced at agencies and the larger problems of our society that keep making this work necessary. Our programs are times of theological reflection that include simulations, Bible study, group discussion, and creative expression.
Simulations: In our debriefing programs, participants engage in simulations we design to help youth understand the situations of those living in poverty For instance, the group might be divided into three “families” of different socioeconomic levels Then they must make tough decisions about their family’s future based on the limited options available to them. In another simulation they might have to work a job that isn’t paying enough and then watch as the bills rack up and their situation gets more and more tenuous. Our simulations help to bust the myths about why people are poor, and highlight the realities of cycles of poverty.
Bible Studies: Our Bible study time is designed to engage the ethics of Jesus and the prophets into our reflections. Given that Jesus calls us to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31) and that the prophets call us to let justice roll down like water (Amos 5:24), our faith requires that we make changes in our personal lives and in our society when we see that some of our neighbors are struggling to survive.
Group Discussions: Given these difficult realities, and the lens of our theological reflections, what are we then to do? In our debriefing programs young people and their adult leaders are guided in discussions that lead to discernment, both for the individual youth, and for their group How will they live differently when they return? How might this affect their vocation? What actions do they want their congregations to take in their home communities?
Creativity: Often there are creative elements included in our debriefing programs. This includes activities like visual arts. In addition to offering way experiences, we hope these creative e interpretation of their time with us wh
What an incredible week we had! The program was excellent, and the care and concern to each detail and each participant makes the week flow so smoothly In an environment that could potentially be so frustrating, hot, and exhausting, (their) organization and attention to detail creates instead an environment of hospitality where hearts are opened and lives transformed.
-Beth Burton-Williams, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Smithfield, NC
PROGRAMS Internships
As our programs have grown, so has our need for more staff support. During our busy summer seasons, we engage college aged interns to implement much of our programming. Summer interns take our groups to agencies to volunteer. They are trained in the debriefing program curriculum and take the lead in implementing them in the evenings. Through the course of a summer, these interns grow tremendously, in leadership, in knowledge of societal issues, in their faith, and in vocational discernment.
(quotefromanotherintern)
Curricula
The pandemic of 2020 caused our programming to stop abruptly. No groups were able to come and visit us or engage in volunteer work in group settings. However, this gave our staff an opportunity to write curricula that will empower youth ministry leaders for years to come We believe that this work with young people requires more than an annual “mission trip ” We want to help youth engage in this work of action and reflection year round Therefore we have created over a dozen curriculum units centered around service, justice education, and theological reflection Whether a youth group leader needs an activity to explain gentrification, or a comprehensive year long process to cover a variety of faith and justice issues, we are providing what our colleagues in youth ministry need
(quote from a youth leader who has used our curriculum?)
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In the 16 years of our existence we have done so much and grown tremendously
Number of participants: over 10,000
Number of agencies: around 60
Number of service hours: 140000*
Number of interns: 50
Number of curricula: 13
*The financial equivalent of those service hours, calculated at a living wage: over $2,500,000
National Reach
Starting in 2008 in Asheville, NC we have expanded into several other locations, including Raleigh NC, Charleston, SC, Memphis, TN, and Dallas, TX. Our visiting groups have come from the following states: Georgia, Idaho, West Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, California, Nebraska, North Carolina, Virginia, South Carolina, Minnesota,
Ecumenical
Our inclusive, open and affirming, biblically based, and justice centered approach to mission immersion has made us an appealing option for groups of several denominations Starting from Presbyterian (PCUSA) roots, we have grown to include church groups that are United Methodist, Episcopal, Lutheran, United Church of Christ, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, Disciples of Christ, and more
Church Name, Location
Church Name, Location
Church Name, Location
Church Name, Location
Our vision is a generation of young people who understand the difficult situations our most vulnerable neighbors are facing. It's a vision of a generation that not only gives generously to alleviate food insecurity, homelessness, and poverty, but also addresses root causes and societal systems that perpetuate economic disparity.
Our vision is one of growth, with a national impact. Over the next two years we seek to expand our mission immersion program from five locations to six, and from 700 annual participants to 1000. Likewise, we want to get our curriculum in the hands of more youth ministry colleagues, going from a few units annually to 50.
GRAPH HERE
Church
Curriculum
75% of our annual budget is based on participant registrations for our programming, resources, and congregational sponsorships.
25% of our annual budget will come from donations made by individuals, groups, and foundations. This allows us to keep our costs as low as possible for participants across the country, and keep scholarship fund for our programming so that no participant is turned away because they cannot pay the registration fee, and no church group is turned away because of lack of resources.
