Youth Steering Committee Pt. 2

(If you haven’t already read part 1, do that first here)

How often, where, and for how long does a steering committee meet?

The steering committee should meet monthly for the first 3 months. After that, they can meet every 2 or 3 months. It is essential to get all of the meeting dates on the calendar at the first meeting so that everyone knows what they have signed up for. This is a working group, not just an advisory group.

Make the meetings a little more social, fun, and creative. Consider meeting at people's homes. In my experience, people are more likely to attend, when the meeting is at someone's home rather than at the church. The person who is hosting can provide some snacks and drinks. People tend to look forward to these meetings more than other committee meetings because they are a little less formal and we enjoy each other's company.

It is also essential to plan term limits for people in this group. I always hope for 3 years with a plan similar to most vestry plans. However, teenagers' lives and commitments change often, so be flexible.

What do you do at the meeting?

Here is a sample agenda for a steering committee meeting:

• Open in prayer

• Old business

  • Go over any items left over from the last meeting

  • Close them or carry them on to new business

• Calendar

  • Look at the past month—how have things been going?

• New business

  • Calendar: what's coming up over the next 2 months

  • Volunteers: are we sufficiently supported over the next two months?

  • New people: has anyone new come into the community that we need to invite in or send a thank you for coming?

  • Thank you's: send a thank you email, facebook message, or card to everyone who volunteered anything since your last meeting.

• Next meeting

  • Make sure the following meeting’s dates, times, and locations are known by each person.

This group can be the most helpful group to a thriving youth ministry.

It is crucial that they see themselves as a working committee and not as an advisory group. Please make sure, even on the first night, that items are completed, and jobs are delegated to people.