I recently had one of my former coaching clients send me a video he did to communicate the youth ministry to his existing parents or in house parents. This video could be converted to an outreach communication that could draw in new parents but more on that later.
Right now I want to share the 10 critical pieces of parent information Jyles shares in his video, that is only 10 minutes long, that you should totally steal.
Meeting Agenda
From the get go Jyles is telling parents what he is going to share and he sticks to the script. If you are someone who has a habit of running down rabbit trials having a script will keep you on task.
What is a youth group?
This may seem like a “Duh” kind of thing to cover but this is where you get to brand your youth ministry to share why it exists and why it’s important. My slide would likely say, “We are not the church of tomorrow but of today” to reinforce my idea that their is only one church versus a major league (adults) and minor league (students and kids).
Monthly Rhythms
Jyles let’s parents know what they can expect on a monthly basis so parents, mostly moms who run the calendar, can what is available for their students.
Youth Connection Center
This is such a great idea for a couple of reasons, the first being, it’s a stop by station which means you, the youth pastor, or anyone really, has to man it. Second, parent just drop by and pick up forms, students and parents can sign up for upcoming events.
How We’ll Communicate
Jyles breaks down the way information will be shared with parents and he narrows it down to the church’s app, Sunday morning bulletin and videos and again mentions the Youth Connection Center. I like the streamlined communication but If I were to add one thing, it might be an option to “Sign up for the parent newsletter” In doing this you can communicate more than just events, you can share articles, links, prayer requests, etc.
Classes
Jyles breaks down not only the classes that are offered but who they are for an what kind of format they follow. You may not think parents care about the format, and many don’t, but this is good information parents can give their shy student or a parent who is new can decide which group might be best for their child to start with.
Next Gen Support/How can you help serve?
These two go together, inviting parents to volunteer for a couple of months in an area they feel comfortable in.
Camps and Mission Trips/Other Yearly Events
Parents, particularly moms, keep the calendar, so giving them the dates of your biggest events up front is a smart move.
Annual Release Forms
Having release forms readily available is a pro move but Jyles includes release forms not just for events but for behavior, permission to publish photos and baptism.
I break down what shines in his video
If you want to get better at planning your program, allow me to recommend My Youth Ministry Playbook and My Youth Meeting Playbook (included in My Youth Ministry Playbook) and if I can help you through coaching, as I helped Jyles, check out my Catalyst Coaching Program.