We’re surrounded by urban myths that shape the way we view the world. How about this one: the average lifespan of a youth worker is three years. Found any evidence to back this up? Nope, neither have I. That’s why in early 2013 Café Leadership launched a national survey about retention rates for Christians in paid youth work. I hope the answers will encourage you:
40 per cent had been in their current placement for over six years.
70 per cent wanted to stay for another ten years in their current placement.
80 per cent wanted to remain in Christian youth work until retirement.
The data communicated that, with the right conditions, paid Christian youth workers are blowing the urban myth of three years well and truly out of the water. So what is needed for youth workers to stay the distance, and to keep retention rates high?
ADJUSTMENTS TO TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS LIFE CHANGES
This is characterised as: the older I get, the more my financial outgoings don’t match the average youth worker’s salary. While no one goes into youth work to make their millions, employers need to recognise that financial outgoings increase over time and salaries need to reflect that. Limited finances put a significant strain on family life. With the antisocial timetable of youth work, often tolerated by younger youth workers, quality time with family and friends is impacted. This isn’t a great advertisement for a faith which promotes family. There is a need for greater flexibility to promote a healthy lifework balance.
Equally, emotional health needs to be recognised as many youth workers take on roles around the UK, leaving family and friends behind. Isolation and loneliness can lead to overworking as a form of compensation, which can be spiritually, emotionally and physically disastrous. Leadership which sees them as a person, and not simply a paid employee who’s there to produce outcomes, is required in order to support and enhance the work of our youth workers.
A STRONG DESIRE TO DEVELOP AS A YOUTH WORKER, A DESIRE FOR CHALLENGE AND GROWTH
There are two headline figures here: 45 per cent said that they would want to stay in their current context but deepen their knowledge and expertise and 32 per cent said that they would desire to move into management and leadership roles. This sends out loud positive noises: youth workers want to develop and the majority want to do that in their current organisation. The fear is often, ‘if we train them up they’ll leave,’ but what’s actually being said is, ‘train me up and I’ll stay, as I want to be even more effective.’
EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT
Our research said that effective management looks like: freedom, space, and trust; honest and constructive communication; support of the person as well as the role; a role with purpose and meaning. What a great commission to us leaders and line managers. Once our youth workers are in place they don’t want to be micromanaged, and therefore excessively impact on your time. Their desire is to be empowered, trusted, accountable and affirmed.
So why isn’t this the reality? The professionalisation of Christian youth work is a modern phenomenon, so maybe in time Soul Survivor will be filled with blue rinse youth workers with degrees and stories of the good old days when we were devoted to caffeine and iPads. Yet even within that, it’s safe to say that not all 80 per cent will remain in youth work.
My concern isn’t for those who hear that clear call to pastures new. My concern is for those who creatively use the term ‘being called on’ to explain an employment breakdown. Christian youth work then loses exceptional individuals, and the young people of the UK miss out on the engagement of seasoned experts. If we don’t implement ‘excellence in leadership’ then the reality of both long-term and highly relational youth work is undermined. Changing youth workers as frequently as we change our smart phones is relationally counterproductive. Think of the young people who have to form new, trusting relationships every couple of years with a new worker. Think especially of those for whom it’s taken time to trust the now outgoing worker.
Think also of all the key stakeholders whom you partner with. In reality people partner with people. Replacing a youth worker every few years, or moving on after only a few, will damage trust and mission opportunities. You may find doors that were once open, now closed simply because the stakeholders don’t connect as well with new workers and traction is lost.
If you’ve offered a youth worker a short-term contract which provides short-term vision and security, the effect will be little focus on long-term strategy and implementation, as well as a natural lack of investment due to the knowledge that they won’t be here for that long. My prayer is that Christian youth work is the go-to vocation. Not simply because of the transformational impact it makes, but because it’s a vocation where youth workers flourish. Ultimately, whether down to retirement or calling-on, all in Christian youth work must leave our churches and organisations stronger, more alive, than when they arrived.
