Program Design for the Internship- Based Youth Ministry Program

Transcription

1 Program Design for the Internship- Based Youth Ministry Program Youth ministry is both an ancient and modern phenomenon, where strong Biblical patterns regularly collide with changing cultural and ministry models. Current studies show shocking attrition in post- graduation church attendance and measurable decreases in key spiritual indicators in young people. Yet the youth ministry "industry" that includes local churches, growing para- church organizations, residential Christian camps, spiritually- oriented adventure programs and missions trip agencies continues to press into the challenge of reaching youth for the Kingdom. The platforms for engaging youth ministry are diverse and plentiful. This program is designed to prepare students to enter the fray, armed with a passion to make disciples and the tools to engage that effort in a local church or para- church ministry organization. Purpose. The purpose of PER s Youth Ministry program is to provide a high quality educational experience for undergraduate students interested in pursuing a career in professional youth ministry in the local church or in a para- church ministry organization. Vision. Our vision is to prepare men and women who are passionate about making disciples and who are empowered to serve with excellence in youth ministry, whether in the local church or in a para- church organization. Targeted Students. Experience based educational offerings delivered by PER are designed for maximizing the useable learning of students. It is understood however that not all students are in a position to take advantage of an approach that involves immersion in an internship environment. While the youth ministry program is designed with considerable flexibility, the design is primarily focused on two groups of students. College students looking to pursue their education in the context of an internship environment being mentored by accomplished professionals. Individuals already involved in youth ministry roles desiring to enhance their effectiveness through mentored study directly related to their organizational environment. Program Description. The youth ministry program is designed to provide up to 36 credit hours of undergraduate coursework within the context of an internship environment. The program is designed with maximum flexibility to accommodate the specific needs of individual students and with the necessary structure to assure that all coursework will fit the course design standards of all participating colleges and their accrediting agencies. Students who enroll for the entire program will engage in intense hands on examination of youth ministry and of theory and practice pertaining to a range of issues that are fundamental to the successful operation of youth ministry organizations. For most students, optimal interaction with this program of study happens within a focused internship equivalent in length to two academic semesters. This laboratory setting allows students to learn the concepts and skills of ministering to adolescents in the context of a functioning youth ministry environment mentored by people who are doing what the students are learning to do. Program Goals. Upon completion of the youth ministry program interns should be equipped to minister with effectiveness within a youth ministry organization environment. Success will be demonstrated in the exercise of the following competencies: 1. Actively shepherd individuals toward God, helping them grow in faith and mobilizing them as productive Christ- followers. 2. Create programming that is driven by a clear sense of mission and purpose. 3. Apply group and team theory for recruiting, developing, mobilizing and mending teams for maximum effectiveness. 4. Understand structural models for governance of non- profit organizations and how they shape and empower practical ministry. 5. Demonstrate a working knowledge of financial stewardship, including basic budgetary principles and procedures for non- profit organizations. 6. Apply a working knowledge of legal issues and loss control strategies to the delivery of ministry organizations and their programming. 7. Establish a Biblical foundational philosophy for ministering to youth and develop basic skills and competencies for effective youth ministry. 8. Understand modern youth culture and its impact on adolescents and their worldviews. 9. Establish a comprehensive strategy for effective communication in youth ministry. 10. Effectively train teens to influence their world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Program Strategy. The youth ministry program is delivered in an internship environment that employs the following key strategy components: Experiential learning. PER provides education in the context of real experiences. This is not simply a set of experiences in which the student is expected to extract practical learning but rather a purposeful blending of theory and practice in which theory informs the experience and the experience fuels further inquiry. Integrative learning. Nothing can be fully understood in isolation from its context. All PER courses are designed to facilitate investigation of particular subjects in the context of their relationships to the total curriculum, other classes, and the student s professional PO Box 538, Factoryville, PA 18419, Ph: , Fx: Copyright 2012 Version 1.0 Updated 10/12

2 environment. Proactive learning. Every student is unique in his/her learning style, frame of reference, existing knowledge, and motivations. Students who take initiative for, and control over their own learning process gain most from their education. PER courses are designed not only to accommodate such initiative but to teach students proactive learning skills that will enhance life- long learning. Cooperative learning. The world in which learning must be applied is made up of people with widely varying perspectives, capabilities, and frames of reference. Key to successful leadership is the ability to value that diversity and to leverage the multiple perspectives and varied capabilities within a group to produce higher levels of learning. PER courses are designed to facilitate the acquisition of cooperative learning skills. Courses of Study Core Courses (18 credits) Dynamics of Discipleship (3 credits) The core of ministry leadership is the business of shepherding individuals toward God, helping them grow in their faith, and mobilizing them as productive parts of the body of Christ. This course is designed to introduce students to concepts of spiritual development, a biblical understanding of what it takes to be a shepherd, and approaches for growing people of various age groups through each stage of growth. Principles of Ministry Strategy (3 credits) This course is designed to introduce students to practical competencies and skills for the effective development and use of a wide range of programming as tools for accomplishing biblical ministry objectives. Developing Dynamic Teams (3 credits) Organizations are increasingly realizing the need for a team orientation yet, despite the rhetoric, there remain significant cultural impediments to team development and maintenance. This course leads students in an application of group and team theory for recruiting, developing, mobilizing, and mending teams of employees and volunteers for maximum effectiveness. Governance & Administration of Non- Profit Organizations (3 credits) This course will examine structural models for governance of non- profit organizations. It will also introduce students to principles and practices employed by boards and administrations for the management of such agencies. Key topics will include board structure, finance, publicity, program planning, strategic planning, and consultants. Financial Management of Non- Profit Organizations (3 credits) This course will introduce students to basic budgetary principles and procedures for not- for- profit agencies. Key topics will include budgeting, reporting, financing, cost analysis, fundraising, stewardship, and donor management. Risk Management of Non- Profit Organizations (3 credits) This course will introduce students to situational analysis of the legal systems impacting the delivery of recreation and leisure services. Emphasis will be placed on applied legal understanding and loss control strategies. Key topics will include insurance, release forms, record keeping, risk transference, signage, and supervision. Discipline- Specific Courses (12 credits) Youth Ministry Philosophy (3 credits) This course is designed to help students to establish a Biblical foundational philosophy for ministering to youth and to introduce students to basic skills and competencies necessary for effective youth ministry in any culture. Emphasis will be placed on understanding non- negotiable Biblical principles, exploration of characteristics unique to youth and youth culture, and applying ministry principles to the specific needs of adolescents. Adolescents & Youth Culture (3 credits) This course is designed to help students understand modern youth culture and its impact on adolescents, then engage them from a biblical worldview. Communication in Youth Ministry (3 credits) This course is designed to help students establish a comprehensive strategy for effective communication in youth ministry. Emphasis will be placed on engaging the various stakeholders in student ministry with relevant, timely and clear communication across various contexts and channels. Youth Ministry Evangelism (3 credits) The goal of this course is to help students develop ministries which will enable them to train teens to influence their world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. A secondary goal is to help students develop a personal plan to have an effective outreach ministry themselves. Cross- Discipline Electives (6 credits) PO Box 538, Factoryville, PA 18419, Ph: , Fx: Copyright 2012 Version 1.0 Updated 10/12

3 Students will choose at least two experience- based courses from alternative disciplines (i.e. urban ministry, missions, camping and recreation) to compliment and customize their learning experience in context. Curricular options. Students involved as interns in the youth ministry program may take up to 36 credit hours of coursework. Students desiring to receive academic credit may do so through participating regionally accredited client institutions, toward various degree programs offered by those institutions. Credit may also be transferred into other programs in other institutions. Advisement is available to help students determine how many credits and which courses will transfer into their particular program of study. Course structure. The courses of study offered in the youth ministry program are designed to be pieces of a whole. Each of the course designs is consistent, making it possible to integrate all of the courses into one pursuit. All assignments fit together so that coursework from several or all of the courses may be merged into one large product that involves the student in learning related to each course. Such integration produces higher levels of learning with greater efficiency. Instructional personnel. A national faculty facilitates all coursework, guiding students theoretical inquiry, coaching their integration of theory with practice, and providing both formative and summative evaluation. Faculty members are accomplished professionals with academic credentials appropriate to the level and subject area of the courses that they facilitate, with expertise and experience in the particulars of their courses, and certified by PER as proficient in the use of experience based instructional methodologies. On site mentors are individuals with professional skills, who can guide students through the experiential aspects of their study. Mentors, students and faculty interact throughout the process to provide maximum learning benefit to students. Internship sites. Pilgrimage works with students in internships with a variety of sites. While Pilgrimage works with students to locate quality internships, it is the responsibility of the student to effectively market him/herself to organizations at which he/she would like to intern. Our network of learning sites provides an array of roles, responsibilities and opportunities that serve to customize a student's learning path for the type of ministry they plan to pursue professionally. Evaluation and grades. Evaluation is an integral part of the educational process. Throughout the program students interact with self evaluation, peer evaluation, and evaluation from faculty and mentors. All evaluation is formative in nature until the course is finalized. Formative evaluations often involve issues which surface that are not directly related to course objectives in order to help students gain maximum benefit from available feedback. The course objectives, however, are the basis of all evaluation that is translated into a grade. Student progress toward those objectives will be tracked with the student throughout the duration of the course. A rubric is attached to each course syllabus identifying which grades are assessed for what levels of competency. Philosophy of Student Learning Evaluation In the context of this program of study, student learning evaluation will be seen as a significant part of the learning process. Each course of study is designed to assist students in gaining competencies related to one of the program goals. In pursuit of that goal, each course is built around a set of learning objectives. Those objectives together define the specifics of the goal. All student learning evaluation is aimed at determining the degree to which a student has achieved the specific course objectives and thus the program goal addressed in that course. Evaluation will happen in a variety of forms throughout the student s interaction with each course, including peer evaluation, evaluation of student designed products by consumers of those products, formal and informal performance evaluation provided by the student s mentor, and formal and informal academic evaluation provided by the instructor. Informal evaluation will cover a range of issues complementary to the course objectives, designed to be helpful to students as they pursue the learning process. All formal evaluation will be tied directly to the course objectives. While it is necessary for students to do all course assignments or alternative exercises agreed upon with the instructors, evaluation will be based on what those assignments demonstrate regarding student s mastery of the course objectives. An evaluation rubric is attached to each course syllabus indicating various levels of competency against which student performance will be measured and the grade that will be assigned at each level. Results of all formal evaluation will be indicated on the appropriate course rubric along with the rater s identification. A comprehensive evaluation rubric (attached below) is provided as an instrument for tracking student competencies related to the entire program by combining assessment information from individual courses. Evaluation should be seen as primarily formative in nature. Students are encouraged to interact with all forms of evaluation, using it as an aid for improvement. Accordingly no evaluation will be seen as final until the student chooses to finalize the process of improvement and resubmission of work. Grades are submitted at the appropriate time based on current level of achievement. Those grades may be changed at a future date as students demonstrate continued advancement in their competency related to the course objectives. It should be further noted that while the instructor may take into account the results of peer evaluations and product consumer evaluations, grades are based on assessment by the instructor, and the mentor of the level of competence displayed in a student s performance. Course grades are an average of grades assessed for each course objective as designated in the sample rubric attached to the course syllabus. It will be noted that there is room for performance beyond the expected level of achievement for the program. Instructors and mentors are committed to helping students take the learning process as far as they are capable of taking it. PO Box 538, Factoryville, PA 18419, Ph: , Fx: Copyright 2012 Version 1.0 Updated 10/12

4 Develops new applications Explain group development and dynamics in determining needs for building effective ministry teams. Evaluate the effectiveness of existing ministry teams in engaging group needs. Identify potential team members that align with organizational values and vision. Identify methods and tools for evaluation of skills, abilities, spiritual giftedness and personalities of team members. Design targeted personal ministry strategies and development plans for team members. Assess ministry environments for effectiveness in mobilizing dynamic ministry teams Articulate various ministry team models along with their strengths and challenges relative to modern ministry environments. Teaches others / reproduces Articulate the core principles of mission- driven strategic thinking in ministry environments. Discuss the relationship between the Biblical mission of the local church and the activities employed by the church and by modern para- church ministries. Exercise careful, aggressive strategic thinking in evaluation, problem solving and ministry planning. Discern the appropriateness of a method for moving a given target group toward the goals. Adapt existing programs for usefulness in the pursuit of an organization's mission Determine the types of programming that he/she will be most effective in using. Create effective programming as vehicles for reaching mission goals. Competency 3: Apply group and team theory for recruiting, developing, mobilizing and mending teams for maximum effectiveness. Helps others improve Explain the Biblical implications of being a fully committed follower of Jesus Christ. Articulate a Scriptural understanding of how people grow and develop in their walk with God. Identify spiritual strengths and weaknesses in his/her own life and in others' lives. Evaluate a ministry approaches for effectiveness in meeting target group needs. Design effective personal spiritual growth plans. Demonstrate the love of God and the power of God s Word in their personal life in relationships with others. Competency 2: Create programming that is driven by a clear sense of mission and purpose. Evaluates for effectiveness Competency 1: Actively shepherd individuals toward God, helping them grow in faith and mobilizing them as productive Christ- followers. Performs w/ proficiency Comprehensive Student Learning Evaluation Name Program: Youth Ministry Date Cumulative Grade Demonstrates clear understanding A comprehensive student learning evaluation instrument is included below to help students track their progress toward the objectives in their various courses of study. The instrument is intended as an aid to students in determining where his/her focus should be, planning internship projects, and chronicling progress. C B B A A A C B B A A A C B B A A A PO Box 538, Factoryville, PA 18419, Ph: , Fx: Copyright 2012 Version 1.0 Updated 10/12

5 Competency 4: Understand structural models for governance of non- profit organizations and how they shape and empower practical ministry. Explain the difference between policy and operation boards. Identify the organizational model of a ministry and its engagement with the various constituencies of the organization. Articulate principles of board governance theory and identify how they relate to various organizational ministry leadership models. Evaluate existing ministry administrative team approaches for mobilizing, equipping and empowering employees and volunteers. Discuss the missional effectiveness of the relationship between the governance of a board and the administration of the production team. Describe the organization s compliance responsibilities, including applicable laws and ordinances and relationships with relevant regulatory agencies. Competency 5: Demonstrate a working knowledge of financial stewardship, including basic budgetary principles and procedures for non- profit organizations. Discuss the legal responsibilities of non- profit organizations pertaining to fundraising, reporting, and disbursement of funds. Build effective program and event budgets based on solid forecasting, reporting and analysis. Identify potential sources of program funding and effectively communicate needs to those sources. Articulate the role of and systems for accountability in the raising and disposition of funds based on sound ethical standards. Design a program plan that identifies potential consumers, determines appropriate cost to consumers, and communicates effectively regarding the value to the consumer of the service or product. Communicate the principles of financial risk management, including the role of policies and insurance protections, that facilitate the organization s productivity while protecting its resources. Competency 6: Apply a working knowledge of legal issues and loss control strategies to the delivery of ministry organizations and their programming. Discuss potential legal standards and precedents pertaining to issues of organizational liability in various ministry contexts. Describe current industry standards as they apply to the operations of the organization. Articulate the role of accrediting agencies pertinent to various ministry organizations and their ability to interact with the process of certification or re- certification with those agencies. Explain the role of insurance and insurance providers in securing the appropriate coverage of organizational risks. Identify and explain the fundamental components of a ministry organization's risk management policy. Formulate a Biblical philosophy of fundraising. Recognize the need to gain assistance with donor management. Competency 7: Establish a Biblical foundational philosophy for ministering to youth and develop basic skills and competencies for effective youth ministry. Identify unique traits of adolescents and young adults. Articulate a philosophy of ministry founded on clear Biblical foundations. Determine the general needs of individual adolescents and groups of adolescents based on Biblical discipleship goals. Apply effective ministry principles in formal and informal ministry to adolescents. Integrate knowledge acquired in Bible, Theology, and General Studies courses with ministry to adolescents. Move adolescents toward aggressive growth in their pursuit of God and His world. C B B A A A C B B A A A C B B A A A C B B A A A PO Box 538, Factoryville, PA 18419, Ph: , Fx: Copyright 2012 Version 1.0 Updated 10/12

6 Competency 8: Understand modern youth culture and its impact on adolescents and their worldviews. Articulate a biblical view of culture. Describe the historical development of modern youth ministry in the local church. Evaluate current trends in youth culture and develop appropriate methods to engage them with a biblical worldview. Describe the impact of modern media and technology on current youth culture. Develop methods of contextualizing Biblical truths in current youth culture. Identify modern generational assumptions, including the effect of "post- modernism" on spiritual concepts in current youth culture. Competency 9: Establish a comprehensive strategy for effective communication in youth ministry. Identify the key target audiences in the modern youth ministry environment and assess the unique communication needs of each. Effectively apply and blend interpersonal and professional writing standards to ministry communications. Articulate the challenges and opportunities for intergenerational communication, both in the professional environment and in discipleship relationships. Demonstrate a practical familiarity with current electronic communication methods and trends. Apply modern youth culture awareness and technology to facilitate relevant Biblical teaching. Create comprehensive communication protocols that facilitate program and discipleship initiatives. Competency 10: Effectively train teens to influence their world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Understand the difference between individual and institutional Biblical mandates. Develop the ministry around those differences. Present the Gospel to teens with clarity and simplicity. Create an effective evangelistic strategy for mobilizing students to reach their worlds with the Gospel. Integrate an understanding of the Scriptures with the creating of approaches to evangelism. Evaluate a wide range of outreach methods for effectiveness and Biblical consistency. Develop a regular pattern of evangelistic praying. Pursue outreach with confidence and passion. C B B A A A C B B A A A C B B A A A PO Box 538, Factoryville, PA 18419, Ph: , Fx: Copyright 2012 Version 1.0 Updated 10/12