Welcome to this 26 part course where we will look at youthwork. The course is based on the following A to Z list and we will look at 1 letter per edition.. If you want to comment or ask anything at any time just drop me an e-mail - Nigel@YouthworkerCoach.com

Youthwork A to Z

Accountability is essential
Balance spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social
Challenge them to change their world
Disciple your young people
Everything flows out of your relationship with God
Freedom within boundaries
Games are fun and can be learning experiences
Help them to discover their gifting
Individuals need treating individually
Joint ventures with other youth groups
Keep short accounts
Love can never be in excess
Memory building experiences
New people need easy access and quick integration
One man bands don't work as well as teams
Parental involvement and partnership
Questions, be prepared for the regular ones
Relationships are more important than programs
Support teams for yourself and the young people
Take time for yourself
Use the young people and their talents
Vision, strategy and goals
Weekends away
Xpectations influence outcomes
Young people are tomorrow's leaders
Zzzzs sleepovers are popular and memorable

Accountability is essential

The dictionary definition of accountable is:

Adjective: liable to account, responsible, explicable.

My first experience of youth group leadership (in the late 1980's) did not give me a good example/experience of accountability in action. The theory was good in that I was accountable to the senior pastor of the church. The weakness was in the practical outworking of the theory. In the three years I led the youth he (the senior minister) didn't attend the youth group once. Now I realise that attending the meeting wasn't the only way the minister could find out what I was doing (his daughter attended the youth group!) - but it was one of the ways that he could show that he cared about what was going on.

So, three questions for you:

1. What does/could accountability look like?
2. Who are you accountable to and how is it working?
3. Who are you accountable for and how is that working?

What does accountability look like?

As the dictionary states, it is being liable to account. In a church setting you are responsible to someone (if you are a volunteer or staff member) and you should be able to provide an account of what is happening in your ministry and in your life.

Don't see it as a negative thing or a task to be avoided but more of a positive experience, a safeguard, a protection, a covering that you should not be without.

In a Christian sense we are keeping each other accountable to our actions according to God's law.

The way accountability works [beyond just a work setting] is that you have a partner that you meet on a (preferably) weekly basis and ask questions about the week. The only way it works is to be completely honest - you have to want a steady, deepening relationship with God. If you are weak in a certain area then it would be great to talk about it with someone you can trust.

For a suggested list of accountability questions go to www.aocentral.com/questions.html (The site also has a list of recommended resources www.aocentral.com/recommendedbooks.html )

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 'Two are better than one .. For if they fall one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.'

Who are you accountable to and how is it working?

Of course we are all accountable to God (Romans 14:12 - Each of us will give an account of himself to God) and to the leaders of the church/organisation we work in (Hebrews 13:17 Obey your leaders and submit to them). Although accountability, in the sense we are talking here, can be wider than that.

It would be good to form an accountability partnership or group if you are not already in one. It would also be good to regularly review how things are going.

Who are you accountable for and how is that working?

Many of us will have team members that we lead or work with, volunteers that give their time to work with young people and of course, the young people themselves. We need to make sure that we are proactive and show them that we are interested in what they are doing and how they are progressing --both in the work they do and generally in life.

How often do you meet with your team?
Do you only talk about the work?
When was the last time you asked them about their relationship with God?
Have you developed a structure where people can form accountability partnerships and groups? Is it working?

Summary

Let's take accountability from a theory that should be there to something that IS there. Then let's take it from something that is there to something that is actually working.

Youthwork Ecourse is produced by YouthworkerCoach.com

Nigel@YouthworkerCoach.com

www.YouthworkerCoach.com