Why is team building activities for youth important? Youth is a challenging age for the majority of teenagers. This is a critical time for personal development. They routinely face mood swings and intense hormones that make it difficult to interact with their peers in addition to adults.
4 Statistics about the Challenges Facing Youth
- 5% of teens claim to normally have low self esteem
- 66% of teens say that they feel most people do not see them for who they really are
- 50% of teens struggle with mental illness
- 46% of teens have contemplated suicide
Statistics courtesy of Stageoflife.com
Failure to provide youth with activities that are geared toward them will lead to sadness and depression. A continuation of the negative emotions builds upon one another day in and day out. The inability to address these emotions can result in tragedy. An already staggering 46% of teenagers contemplate suicide because they perceive themselves as have little to no self-worth.
For this reason, remember that any teen can feel important and valued when engaging in team building activities for youth, because it offers them an opportunity to interact with their peers and feel connected to something greater.
As teenagers grow out of this stage, they begin to apply the lessons they learn in adulthood. For this reason, it is vital to create a positive environment that delivers opportunities for experiential learning, allowing them to build relationships with their peers.
Directions for Team Building Activities for Youth
One method to provide developmental opportunities is through team building activities for youth. Youth activities should follow these steps:
- Start with the big picture
- Help teenagers connect with their peers
- Offer adult support and guidance
- Demonstrate different opportunities and encourage participation
- Talk about potential rewards from acquiring new skills and how they apply to life
It is time to get started with an activity!
Team Building Activities Roundup
The activities from this site focus on the importance of teamwork. The site offers a range of activities with varying degrees of teamwork. These varying degrees will allow you to make adjustments based on the cohesiveness of your group members.
Teambuilding is used in a variety of settings. This site is particularly good for individuals searching for games that can be applied in different settings. Some of these settings include youth groups, camps, meetings and events, as well as parties.
This is site is especially good for leaders who are searching for icebreakers. Icebreakers offer the benefit of allowing teens an opportunity to get to know each other. These types of activities are also useful to getting group members talking.
You have now learned why team building activities for youth should play a prominent role.
Additional Resources:
http://recapp.etr.org/recapp/documents/theories/ydapp.pdf
http://www.myd.govt.nz/working-with-young-people/youth-development-approach.html
