Why We Do Contact Work

You don’t have to hang around Young Life for long before you begin hearing some of these C-words: Contact Work, Club, Camp, Campaigners and Committee. So today, we’re beginning a five-part series highlighting the 5 C’s of Young Life and why we do them.

To start, we’re talking about Contact Work. And Ron Hedgcock—Mission Staff from Northeast Grand Rapids Young Life—is going to tell us more about why Young Life leaders do contact work.

Western Great Lakes Region (WGLR): People in Young Life talk a lot about contact work. For anyone new to the ministry, can you explain what it is? 
Ron: Contact Work is any interaction between Young Life leaders and kids outside of official activities. If kids and leaders are together, but it’s not a club, campaigners, or camp, then it’s contact work. This is not something extra we do on the side of our other ministry. It is a vital component of Young Life, perhaps more so than any other.

WGLR: Why is contact work so vital to ministry to youth?
Ron: Because it’s what Jesus did! We also believe it is important with today’s youth to “earn the right to be heard.” Without doing so, most kids won’t listen. And contact work helps us to get there.

WGLR: You mentioned that contact work is what Jesus did when he walked the earth. Tell us more about how the Bible speaks to this type of relational ministry.
Ron: The Bible talks about how Christ entered our world. We as leaders hope to point to Jesus by doing the same. He spent time with every kind of person—male, female, young, old, religious, agnostic, healthy and sick. To do this, he usually physically went to where these people were. Similarly, for us to be available to all types of kids, we need to go where all types of kids already are.

WGLR: How do you train volunteer leaders to do contact work?
Ron: Before leaders are even placed on teams, we talk about the importance of doing contact work so that they can understand the ‘why’ behind it. We then try to send them out into kids’ lives with a more experienced leader who can help get them acquainted with a school, meet kids, etc. We also try to revisit the topic of contact work during various leadership meetings, listening to struggles, sharing advice, and giving encouragement.

WGLR: What happens when contact work is difficult for some leaders?
Ron: Many leaders forget that pretty much every struggle they have had with contact work is something that other leaders they know probably have experienced or are experiencing currently. If you keep this in mind, it can help you remember that challenges during contact work are normal. It is also important to discuss struggles with other leaders. Encouragement, success stories, and advice from other leaders can go a long way.

WGLR: What are some of the places that Northeast Grand Rapids leaders spend time with kids?
Ron: School cafeterias are a prime location. Sporting events are great, both for watching kids play and hanging with students in the bleachers. Leaders also interact with kids in restaurants, during 1-on-1 hang outs, at sleepovers (this is usually girls), through movie nights and video game nights, during rounds of frisbee golf, and at pictures before homecoming.

WGLR: If you could give other leaders your Top 5 Tips to doing the best contact work, what would they be?

Ron: In no particular order:

• Keep track of the names of kids you meet. There is nothing worse than continually meeting a kid and never knowing his/her name.
• Don’t ignore administration, teachers, coaches and parents. They are important allies with kids, but we also can make an impact on them as well.
• Pray! This is super important. Praying can help leaders remember God is with them, that God is already working in the lives of students, that he is the one that guides us to which kids we need to connect with, and he is the one who gives leaders the ability to actually connect with kids in order to make a true difference.
• Be strategic. Don’t focus on too many or too few kids. Have a specific group you can focus on, while also continuing to look for ways to meet new kids.
• Be consistent. Many kids need more consistency in their lives. We can offer that by continuing to show up. Contact work schedules or committing to seeing kids a set number of times each week can help with this.

WGLR: Do you have a favorite contact work story?
Ron: I am a bit biased towards this story, because it happened to me, but I think it is really cool so I’m going to share it anyway. I had a teacher who saw me in the lunch room several times a week and appreciated my interactions with kids. He was also teaching a class on different religions. They were currently in their Christianity unit and he wanted to have me come in and discuss my faith. A few weeks later I found myself in a classroom with a bunch of high school seniors, most of whom I had never met, proclaiming the Gospel message and sharing my testimony—and this was in a public school! While this is far from being a typical instance of contact work, I think it shows the importance of going to where kids are at, being consistent, building connections with adults, and saying ‘yes’ when doors are opened, even if they are scary.