A YOU sponsor serves in a variety of spiritual roles that assist in empowering teens to discover and express their inner Divinity by co-creating learning environments that empower all to explore and practice higher spiritual principles. A sponsor always speaks, acts and behaves in a manner appropriate of a spiritual adult.
Facilitator and Teacher
- Prepares and teaches engaging spiritual lessons that bring forth personal experience and thought
- Encourages and assists YOUers to facilitate all or a portion of a lesson
- Is fully present and prepared ahead of class time
- Helps to develop organizational and planning skills in youth desiring leadership
Administrator
In conjunction with the youth director, manages paperwork such as:
- Roster
- Attendance chart
- Permission slips
- Medical releases
- Event flyers
- Newsletters and newsletter articles
- Budget requests
Chaperone
- Accompanies youth to local, regional and/or international YOU events
- Depending on event, makes travel arrangements in conjunction with youth director
- If hosting, provides event coordination oversight
- Oversees group agreements
- Processes the experience
Youth Advocate and Liaison
- Points out the needs of the youth to the congregation
- Constantly speaks to the highest vision of the entire youth ministry program
Mentor and Coach to Teens
- Always sees their highest potential and their Christ light
- Is willing to be their role model
- Coaches YOUers to:
- Stretch and grow
- Communicate authentically and compassionately
- Use their spiritual tools
- Make commitments with intention
- Develop leadership skills of officers/youth leadership team
Mentor to Parents
- Always sees their highest potential and their Christ Light
- Be willing to partner with parents in helping to understand their teen
- Coach parents to keep learning about their teen’s development
- Coach parents to accept and respect that that they no longer have a “child”—but a teen with a mind, beliefs, consciousness, values, likes and dislikes of their own
- Encourage them to never “give up” as a parent