RATIONALE
LOCAL CHURCH EMPHASIS
The one ear-Mickey Mouse model depicts a strange placement of youth ministry. It seems to suggest that the youth department is a standalone unit when in fact, it is at the heart of the local church. The aim of this curriculum is to strengthen this reality so that the operations of the youth department are understood in the context of the local church.
MENTOR
The subject of mentoring has become popular within youth circles. The curriculum addresses and makes use mentorship concepts from the beginning to the end. Each candidate shall formerly be accepted into the program through the local church board and assigned a mentor who will walk them through the course.
TECHNOLOGY/MEDIA
This new proposed curriculum will integrate training with the use of technology to bring together the natural inclination of ambassadors and young adults towards media. It also includes the latest terminology and programs/initiatives of the department. Candidates are at liberty to choose between digital (video or audio) recording or physical filing.
RELATIONSHIP TO MASTER GUIDE
Both the Master Guide (Junior Youth) and the Senior Youth Leader (Senior Youth) curriculums have some similar requirements and pre-requisites. Candidates can attend some lessons together though each curriculum will dictate the emphasis (junior or senior) thus effecting specialization. Those who already completed the Master Guide program may be exempted from some SYL requirements. The diagram below shows the Youth Ministries structure. Please remember that the SYL and MG are not new levels of the department, they are leadership curriculums for Senior Youth and Junior Youth respectively that complement the structure.