Meeting the Needs of Young Teens 🤲🏽
by Ranjana Kami, Youth Ministry Apprentice
Meeting the needs of young teens starts with understanding their view of the world. We all struggled when we were younger - some problems were big and some were small. Teens nowadays have the unique challenge of technology, and so they are growing up in an age where they can see the world in their hands. Most parents buy phones for their kids thinking it'll keep them quiet and happy, but young people really need attention. At times, parents do not give attention to their children which is a missed opportunity for them to show they care for them. When a child is not able to get attention from their parents, they will try to get the attention from their parents by acting out. Support from the parents is a big part of young people’s lives and is a major need for teens.
The demand needs to be met so that they can have the opportunity to engage with others and learn new skills. Youth clubs give teens the chance to learn, grow and develop to adulthood. Confidence and character are built when the right opportunities are given!
Mission Adelante has opened doors for many young teens with different backgrounds and cultures. Wyandotte County has a community with a variety of people with all kinds of backgrounds and cultures, and many came to the United States to give their kids a better opportunity and life. Coming to the United States, they had to face many challenges, struggles, and confusion. Most parents are working full time and don’t really know how they can help their children, and so teens end up following their friends’ footsteps or just get lost on what they want to do. That’s why Mission Adelante is a great place for teens to come, to learn, and to grow as a person. Mission Adelante helps build leaders and shows teens the value of God and helping others. It’s a place they can call home.
It is great to have a community with diverse people. Great things are built and great solutions are solved when different ideas come together. Whenever there are problems or things that need to be fixed, it is great to have teens come up with ideas that you never think of. Each teen at Mission Adelante represents their family, culture, and country. We have teens from Congo, Uganda, Thailand, Mexico, and Nepal. Youth clubs are great opportunities for youth to become leaders and to build their character. Each teen is kind and wonderful but most importantly they have the heart to work with one another, and nothing beats teamwork. Teens are unique and very talented but with the right guidance they will grow and give back to the community.
It is a learning experience for us as leaders but it also is a learning experience for the teens and for their parents. Since English is not their first language, they often feel a lack of confidence. They are always the last one to talk in a group and always worry what others will think about them. They don’t have the confidence to share what they think and feel shy to share due to the lack of English they speak. Youth clubs really give them opportunities to stand out and help build their confidence. Leaders at youth clubs let the young people lead the programs, activities, and be involved in group discussion. They might not feel confident at first, but the more they are involved, the more they learn. I am also focussed on letting the parents know what their children are learning and helping them understand the importance of giving time to teens when they can.
I’m on a mission to help teens to grow into leadership. Youth club is just step one toward developing their skills and learning to be a leader. We have young and smart leaders in Wyandotte county. If we help them take their first step towards leadership, they can help the community more effectively later on. Spending time with teens has taught me many things. Parents do the best they can to help their kids. Parents can’t understand what their kids are in need of, so youth club help teens find their weakness and turn them into strengths. Mission Adelante gives the parents confidence that their kids are learning great things. Mission Adelante youth club is definitely a great place for teens to attend.