YoungLives West Oak Lane offers support to local teenage mothers

Shout out to YoungLives in Philly! Check out the news article below...



WEST OAK LANE — It might be called a support system or perhaps a lifeline for girls and young women in need. But however it is defined, YoungLives West Oak Lane is making inroads in the community by assisting teenage mothers who find themselves raising children, often in difficult circumstances.

The group was launched last year as part of YoungLives Delaware Valley, a nonprofit Christian organization that, since 2004, has provided support to young mothers in three other communities in Philadelphia (Olney, North Broad Street and Kensington) and an additional six outside the city (Norristown, West Chester, Chester, Coatesville, Phoenixville and Sharon Hill).

The organization is an offshoot of Young Life, which has offered support and mentorship to teenagers since 1941.

Pam Canty oversees the program in West Oak Lane. She has a team of approximately 10 working with her and the teens. Canty, who has a degree in social work and Bible from Cairn University in Bucks County, leads the women’s ministry at the Great Commission Church on Eastburn Avenue in Germantown, where YoungLives meets on the third Thursday of each month.

Canty said the YoungLives effort fills a need in the community. [Read More...]

Lunch Club Resources

Supporting teen moms by hosting a lunch club in their school is a great way to meet tangible needs, serve the school, show love, and build relationships - all at the same time. But what should you teach during that time? If you're hosting lunch club every week of the school year, you need what feels like an endless supply of material! Well don't despair... we've collected an almost endless supply of fantastic suggestions for you!

Got another great tip or suggestion? Comment below so we can share in the wealth!

 

• Discipline from Birth to Three - This parenting book was specifically written for teen moms, with easy-to-read chapters, plenty of pictures, lots of quotes from teenage moms, and helpful tips for parenting, living with multiple generations, making your home safe, and encouraging curiosity. 

• Dreams to Reality: Help for Young Moms - Start fresh without starting over! By rethinking options for money management, relationship issues, and funding higher education, young mothers can learn to integrate their new families into their plans for themselves. Study guide also available.

• HELP! I'm Moving Out on My Own - This "How-To" guide will help prepare teens for essential life skills like developing healthy relationships, opening a bank account, taking care of their car, interviewing for a job, and much more.

• Partnering with Teen Parents by Parents as Teachers - Extensive downloadable curriculum that includes more than 1,100 pages of resources for you, teen parent handouts, and activity pages specifically geared for young parents. Topics focus on development of life skills, parallel development needs of teens and their infants/young children, the important role of the father. The only downside of this is the price tag - $315. It's digital, though, so you can go in on this with a other areas in your region and share the material. 

• We Teach FACS has free printable worksheets, lesson plans, and activities. Topics range widely, and include everything from Child Development and Newborn Care to Reading and Independence. 

• Youth for Christ Parent Life Curriculum - Youth for Christ has produced several sets of downloadable lessons for teen parents. They are available for free on their website. Search for Lean in, Going Viral, Road Trip, Mom Manual, or Green Means Grow, or just search by Category within Parent Life. Although they are clearly written from a Christian standpoint, many lessons can easily be adapted for a school audience.

Here's EVERYTHING You Need to Get Started in YoungLives!

Feeling confused about where to find a YoungLives resource? Can't remember where you found that helpful handbook or video? Look no further - here are links to many of the essential YoungLives tools for camping, mentor training, discipleship, childcare, staff training, supervisor training, and pretty much anything you could possibly need.

CLICK HERE FOR LINKS

College Resources for Teenage and/or Single Mothers

College is not for everyone. And even for those single/teenage mothers who want to explore options for higher education, it doesn't always make sense to leave home. Often a community college or online program will offer the most cost-effective and flexible option for post-secondary education. 

But for those moms who want to get a more "traditional" four-year university experience, here are some leads on colleges and scholarships that are especially friendly to single parents!

OPEN PDF HERE

So Many Ways to Connect with YoungLives!

Looking for a way to connect with YoungLives staff, volunteers, or resources? Look no further!

Sample Junior Leader Program

Looking for a way to call your older teen moms into something deeper, maybe with a little more responsibility and a little more opportunity for growing as leaders? Mandy Shyers, YoungLives Regional Coordinator in the Cimarron Region, has put together this handy sample how-to sheet - complete with questions for your area to consider as you personalize a plan for your own area.

Free download available here: "Developing Young Leaders"

-shared by Mandy Shyers, YoungLives Regional Coordinator

Volunteermatch.org

Need mentors or childcare volunteers? If you live near a metropolitan area, www.volunteermatch.org might be able to help! Check this out:

"I recently posted an ad on VolunteerMatch.Org asking for help, and received eight inquiries right away! Of course you always have to be careful finding help on the internet, so make sure to set up an interview in person. I usually only respond once to their inquiry and pray that it actually goes somewhere. I also asked a woman if she was a Christian before meeting with her. She wasn't offended at all and actually was happy that it was a concern of mine! 

Our post said this:  We are looking for Christian women who have a desire to see pregnant and parenting women in their teens meet Jesus. This ministry is just getting started, so we need lots of helpers! We will need mentors, childcare workers, food help, baby donations, committee, prayer partners, and financial support! If interested, please respond so we can set up a meeting to get to know you! 

Now we have three new mentors because of an ad that I posted and it only took five minutes to sign-up!”

-Erin Kennedy, YoungLives Coordinator

Note: You will need our Young Life 501-C3 number (available on Staff Resources) in order to qualify for free postings.

In the News: Thanksgiving 5K Helps Teen Moms and Their Kids

HAMILTON — When Katie Farr Powers lived in Cincinnati, she enjoyed running in Thanksgiving Day events there.

But there were no running events in Hamilton, so she started her own, and combined it with another passion — helping teen mothers and their children thrive despite the obstacles they face.

“We started four years ago, and we had 30 people sign up for a 5K,” said Powers, 37. “We ran around Highland Park, starting in our driveway. My husband (Mark Powers) and I started it at our house.”

“We partnered with YoungLives, which is a local ministry for teen moms, and their kids,” Powers said. “It’s a mentorship program. Our aim was just to gather some people and raise support and awareness for YoungLives, and start a new tradition on Thanksgiving morning in Hamilton.”

Continue reading story here...