A Year in the Life of a Youth Group

Working with youth groups is weird.  Where you left off in June
of last year is never where you get to pick it up in September.
Every year, you have to start from scratch (or you should);
youth graduate and new ones come in every year, which means
that you have to treat every year as a brand new group, even
though YOU may know all the players.

Here's a sample group development calendar for WUSYG:

EARLY FALL: Group orientation: what is this group? What has is it meant to people in the past? Story-telling and covenanting to establish goals and objectives (who and how do we want to be together? what do we need from this group and each other?). Conflict and cliques/subgroups are usually absent. Individual need to “fit in” is strong. Positive and constant reinforcement of group and its goals is necessary. Getting aquainted, team building, and skill building activities.


LATE FALL: Social cliques or subgroupings may have formed. Individual meetings with group members. Evaluation of activities and discussions about the group’s development. Re-evaluation/re-iteration of group goals and covenant. Social activites such as potlucks, movies, field trips. Simple, flexible leader-led meetings to encourage deeper sharing.


WINTER: Group energy, creativity, and productivity very high. Fundraising begins for week-long service projects over February and April vacations. Subgroups or individuals may have emerged as leaders, but watch for efforts to wield power and control. Offer small group (leader-chosen) and individual (leader-chosen) opportunities to plan and lead meetings, overnights, worship, all-church events, fundraising. Numerous leader-led activities to motivate and recognize group’s accomplishments; events to showcase individual talents and interests such as Open Mike Nights. Wide range of meeting topics possible; keep it relevant.


SPRING: Activities, meetings, and large-scale service trips underline group interdependence and common interests. Loyalty to the group and group morale extremely high. Provide ample opportunities for youth to create, plan, and organize activities, and share their feelings about the group and its members. The year’s culminating event (youth service, retreat, service trip) occurs by end of May or first week of June, before youth drop out due to exams, graduation, etc.