Life Long Learners

-
As Young Life leaders, we always want to be students of the teenage culture. It’s easy for us to consider this when it comes to songs for club, movies, musicians and sports but we often don’t consider the other elements of culture.  What language is being used around disability? How are schools progressing with students with disabilities?  What trainings are being offered in the community around topics that are sensitive or specific in the world of disability?  Let’s not just be learners of iTunes top song picks but of our friends as a whole. 

One of the places that we see this the most is in language.  It’s also the area where we get asked the   Here’s what we are learning- it is dignifying to say “teenagers with disabilities”, “teenagers with differing abilities” and “teenagers with diverse abilities”.  It is not dignifying to use the term “special needs”.  And also, we always want to speak in person first language.  An example of this would be, “our friends with diverse abilities” or “my friend with a disability”.  We are always God’s child before we are a label of any sort, so let’s show our friends the dignity of who they are in Christ- fearfully and wonderfully made- when we speak about them and with them!
most number of questions- maybe other than how to pronounce Capernaum!


As you’re learning more about your friends and the culture around them, please share your thoughts with us!  We want to learn alongside of you!  We’re always better together!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Great Visual for Club Talk on Sin

-
Image
During club recently, Katey and her friends were talking about sin and the cross during their club talk. They created this great visual that ended up being so helpful for their friends to understand how sin effects us and how the cross offers us such a beautiful way to live instead! They had 5 boxes- one large box named “SIN”, one large box named “GOD”, one medium box named “ME”, one tiny box named “SIN” and one tiny box named “GOD”. They explained how God created us to live in perfect relationship with Him where we live in Him (put the “ME” box in the large “GOD” box) and where He lives in us (put the tiny “GOD” box in the medium “ME” box). Then, take everything out. They then explained how because of sin (with explanation of sin) it looks like this: put the tiny “SIN” box in the “ME” box and then put the “ME” box in the large “SIN” box. They explained how there is nothing that we can do on our own to get sin out of us and there is nothing we can do on our own to get ourselves out
Read more

Christmas/Winter Club Game Ideas

-
Image
  Mixer Q-tip war: Split room in half with tape down the middle. Pass out straws and Q-tips (make sure you test that the Q-tips fit before hand). You will shoot the Q-tips across the line via placing the Q-tip in the straw and blowing. Keep this going for a while and then stop the music and pick a winning side (one with the least amount of Q-tips). 12 days of Christmas: divide the room up into 12 groups (numbers in group vary based on size of club) Each group is a day of the 12 days. Give them some time to think of a motion/dance move that represents their day. Then perform the whole song! Dice Doubles: Have prepared a gift (candy from dollar store goes over great!). Wrap it in MANY layers, including tape! Sit the group in a circle. If you have more than 20, it’s best for multiples circles to play the game. Place the wrapped gift, gloves, a Santa hat and dice in the center (from playing this game with Capernaum many times, I’ve actually learned that one dice with each side
Read more

Valentine's Day Club

-
Image
Mixer Couple Match-up: You will need stacks of two different colored sticky notes (let’s say one green stack and one pink). You will write couple pairs that your friends know on these. For example, on a green write Minnie Mouse and on pink Mickey Mouse. Place the pink on the backs of your friends and greens on the back of leaders/buddies…no cheating! Don’t let them see who is on their back. Once everyone is ready inform them that they are to find their “couple pair.” They will do this by walking around the room and having friends describe their character WITHOUT saying the name! Once you know who you are you can find your pair. The reason it’s important to have the buddies and leaders be the matches is so they can help their friends out! Once you find your match sit down! Game Heart Target: Place heart shaped paper on the floor, walls, or wherever you want. The person playing the game will be handed a balloon, not tied off! They will release the balloon trying to get it to land on one
Read more