RESOURCE - Youth Development - Assets

Ever wonder what youth ministry and construction have in common?

What we do in comprehensive youth ministry provides not only an understanding of our Catholic faith and Christian call to discipleship but also promotes healthy youth development.

From the National Federation of Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM)...

"...Imagine a building under construction or renovation, especially one whose inner structure has been severely damaged. Often, the construction company will erect a scaffold around the building to support it and "hold it up" while the internal pieces are strengthened. Then, when it can stand on its own, the scaffold is removed, piece by piece, a little at a time. As the building develops more of its internal structure, the external scaffolding is slowly removed.

In many ways, adolescent development should take the same course. Each young person is developing an internal support structure—the other image here is "backbone" or "spine," as in describing a person of strong character as someone with "real backbone." But that construction cannot happen in a vacuum. He or she needs the support (scaffold) of family, school, church, and community for that development to take place..."

Many of you have probably heard of the Search Institute and their list of 40 assets. They have a number of good resources for those of us working in youth ministry, even as entire faith communities to help us understand youth development better and create more effective ways of supporting youth and their parents during this important time of adolescence.