“At Risk” youth are young people who are at risk of a variety of things. They risk perhaps facing dangerous circumstances posed by the family environment they are in, or circumstances out of their control. Or they risk missing out on opportunities for their life which normal people would receive or even expect.
Three ways we can help youth at risk are?
- Learn more about them
- Model it in my/our own life
- Manage difficult behaviours
Learn more about them
Taking the time to understand youth in general, and also individual youth will help me to be able to help them. Understanding leads to a greater compassion which is important as a motivating factor. Also, whilst help can be given in situations as a choice knowing its important, without understanding, or without compassion, these qualities help to make it more genuine to the youth themselves.
Undertaking this YMIS course for me is actually a process in learning more about at risk youth. Even though this course is only at the beginning for me, already I feel challenged and am learning many things which will be helpful in my schools.
Model it in my own life
I’m probably surrounded by many at risk youth and opportunities to help them that I’m not aware of, but trying to take the opportunities that do present themselves helps reach out to other youth, as well as make a difference for those already being helped.
Two years ago my wife and I fostered a boy at the Primary School we work at. His mother was unable to care for him due to drug and alcohol problems and we took him into our home for 9 months. As a result of this, his results in school picked up, he began to get a handle on reading and writing, his anger problem settled down and he came to know Jesus through attending church with us, and our example at home. This is an extreme example, but we do try to help and model help when we can.
Manage Difficult Behaviours
Discipline (the right kind) provides security and when difficult behaviour is managed well, it gives at risk youth a feeling of being cared for, and they feel safe. Whilst this seems counter intuitive at first, it makes sense. This is an area I would like to understand more and work better in.
