Supporting a Sense of Belonging
Young people want to belong before they believe.
Springtide’s work on belonging shows that young people want to feel seen, heard and valued by a group before they’ll subscribe to that group’s beliefs. They want to first know that they matter. Cultivating this sense of feeling valued and included starts with building relationships.
While belonging starts with getting to know young people – names, grade levels, interests, etc. The leaders we interviewed focus on developing spaces where meaningful relationship can take root – both between adults and young people and among the young people themselves. Both of these require intentional processes that unfold over time; real relationships aren’t manufactured or rushed.
Sparking a Mindset Shift
Some leaders believe that building belonging sometimes begins with a mindset shift among the adults. To make spaces where young people feel they belong, the adults must adopt a posture of making space for young people in new ways.
In their work at Together Lab, Ron and Chris emphasize the importance of bridging, or adopting a posture where adults see the possibility of co-creating across difference.
In his intergenerational work with congregations, Ron from Generation Spark recalled supporting a faith community by helping them to integrate their young people more deeply into the worship experience.
Deep Knowing Shapes Spaces for Belonging
Once the mindset shifts, adults can authentically step forward into action. As a result of building relationships and getting to know young people deeply, these leaders are able to craft spaces where those young people will feel like they fit.
Sometimes the first step is meeting young people where they are - literally. Chandler and Eric use this as a strategy to start building meaningful relationship.
In working with their youth, Melissa and Marshela learned that many of their young people were neurodivergent. This realization shaped not only how they designed their offerings, but also informed how they trained youth leaders.
Juan and his team knew that the Latinx teens coming to Engaging Stories were not only at different places in their faith journeys, but also in their discovery of their Latinx identities – and they wanted to make space for young people to develop both.
It was important to Trevor and his team that people felt they could come to The Place and just enjoy the experience without pressures of membership or commitment, something they knew their young people have often experienced in other faith spaces.