A new youth group in Ashburton is starting to make a difference for some often-difficult preteens.
St David’s Union minister the Rev Rachel Judge says that at the start of 2009, she felt strongly it was time to provide something for the intermediate age group. The church put a notice in the local school newsletter and issued some personal invitations.
The new group, Wednesday Wonders, attracted about 10 girls, some of whom have issues with bullying behaviour. Nearly all the girls were previously unconnected with the church.
While Rachel started off as the sole leader, another four women joined her to make up a supportive team, which has proved crucial.
“Bullying is a real issue for this age group. They can verbally abuse, and can come close to blows.”
Having a good ratio of leaders to attendees is one way to manage this; another has been “learning to be firm”.
The girls keep coming “because it’s fun,” Rachel says, with good food and variety of activities. “We do the God stuff in a fun way”.
Highlights have included inviting a beauty therapist along to do their nails; a treat that had been postponed from a previous term because of behaviour issues.
Last November, the girls held a special dinner for their families and people who had helped during the year.
Girls have invited others along, Rachel says. “Friends come and sometimes their enemies come.”
She says the group offers “something they don’t get anywhere else”.
The leaders have noticed a growth in the girls’ awareness of other people.
“One of our goals is that they see a world existing outside their own.”
They have made prayer journals, and usually have a circle prayer before they leave every week; “there’s less giggling now”.
“We’re trying to put some really positive goals in their lives. And some wisdom about how vulnerable they can be.”
Other activities have included the 20-hour famine, which involved a sleep-over at Rachel’s house, the Kids Friendly Transformers leadership training event and follow-up service, and listening to a teenager speak to them about her own journey with God.
The girls sang in the church concert and have done some studies on basic values, including trust and respect.
Issues they struggle with include a need to be noticed, loved and special, while still being “normal”, Rachel says. “Peer pressure is a big thing.”
Rachel says the group has opened the leaders’ eyes. “It’s helped us not to write off a group that we often put in the too hard basket.”
“We try to be a bit of a role model and show God’s love to them.
“And they do keep turning up.”
By Amanda Wells