‘Lunch & Learn’ Program Develops Youth Leaders
During their past appointments at National Headquarters, Majors Matt and Jamie Satterlee, now territorial youth secretaries, took note of an innovative decision by Captain Mike Hanton and the Central Territorial youth department. Captain Hanton and his staff moved to conduct regular meetings with divisions and local leaders via Microsoft Teams, ensuring things were operating smoothly while staying time effective. In the Southern Territory, that idea helped lead to a new initiative which was launched in August: Youth Down South Lunch & Learn.
The Lunch & Learn resource is open to any Salvation Army leader, ranging from officers and employees to soldiers and local officers. The initial launch is set for 12 scheduled sessions, once per month, and sessions are intentionally held during the lunch hour in the Eastern Time Zone for flexibility and convenience for attendees.
“One of the things we hear all the time is that people are having challenges with either finding enough leaders or training the leaders they do have,” says Major Jamie Satterlee. “This is a pairing of the need and a concept that we think can help with that. We don’t want people trying to wait for EQUIP every two years for leadership training.”
“We really want it to be practical. Information-driven. 45 minutes. In and out,” Major Matt Satterlee comments. “We know we can’t hit it all in 45 minutes, but we’re giving a big overview, and we’re always going to linger around at the end if people have questions. That can be another way to set up personal interactions and get feedback.”
Individuals pre-register for the next session each month to avoid “spamming” attendees who may not seek to participate in every session. This also allows invitations to be targeted to interested parties, and there is a wide range when it comes to subject matter.
The first session held in August was an overview of the Corps Cadet program. September focused on a follow-up from the camping season with special guest instructor, Orange specialist Jackie Raihl. The 12-session run will also focus on mental health, how to teach kids about Lent and Easter, Vacation Bible School, Summer Day Camp preparation, and many more topics.
Major Matt Satterlee also notes the territorial youth department has a revamped staff of subject matter experts to utilize as instructors and facilitators in the Lunch & Learn discussions, referring to the endeavor as a “total team effort.”
Each session begins with prayer before pivoting to the topic at hand and attempting to manage time effectively. Department leaders are monitoring the chat option during each session and providing real-time support with answers to questions and the ability to share links to existing resources. Sessions are also captured for use after the fact for anyone interested who cannot attend in real time, and conversations can be taken offline for more depth.
“We really think of this as a logical way to help and resource the field,” says Major Matt. “It’s another touch point, and that can help.”
Registration for each session is available until the discussion begins, and this is also a no-cost, no-travel way to share best practices within The Salvation Army. Beyond the ability to distribute information and educational resources, Lunch & Learn also acts as another way to establish and continue valuable relationships.
“We’ve seen that the Lunch & Learn can be a way to build community between youth leaders,” notes Major Jamie. “Even in the first session, there was a good back and forth between relatively new employees in different divisions that had similar questions. That seemed to put them at ease and remind them that they aren’t alone in this ministry.”
“There is really a dual focus and goal for us,” she continues. “One thing is asking how we can alleviate the pressure the field is feeling. They need leaders, but leadership development takes time. So how can we help to take some of that burden away in leadership training? And then we also really believe in youth ministry. We want people to be as equipped as they possibly can be. Youth ministry is not easy, so how can we equip people to feel empowered to do this? It can be intimidating sometimes, and we want to come alongside leaders and empower them.”
The next session is scheduled for October 17 with a focus on the newly created family Advent material. Further details and registration information can be found at www.youthdownsouth.org/lunch-and-learn.