Encouraging YOUTH participation in discussions
Youth can be hesitant to open up about heavier topics. Remember, they are going through an intense period of change and growth, and their social world is extremely important to them. There are many ways to make space for reflection on these topics that don’t require spoken responses:
In person
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Hang large pieces of chart paper or butcher paper around the room along with printed questions, one per sheet. Play some instrumental music as youth walk around the room, answering the questions. Talk about the responses after everyone has had a chance to answer.
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For a seated activity, print questions at the top of separate sheets of paper. Give each youth a paper to start, and pass the papers around the circle, allowing youth time to answer each question.
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Have youth pair up and find a place to talk somewhere quiet in the building. Give each pair a list of questions or a broad topic to discuss and a time to return. When everyone re-gathers, ask the youth what they learned from their conversations that they would like to share. Alternatively, youth can spend time journaling instead of talking in pairs.
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Use a live polling app such as Slido to solicit anonymous responses or questions from youth. Results are updated live on the presenter’s screen, which could be projected to show all the responses. This is also a great tool for anonymous responses during online discussions.
Online
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Encourage youth to utilize the chat feature on Zoom, YouTube, Facebook Live, or whatever other platform you are using.
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For anonymous answers on Zoom, share your screen, presenting either a blank slide or a slide with the question and lots of empty space for annotation. In the presenter settings, turn off “Show names of annotators” so youth can type their answers as annotations on the screen anonymously. See this help article on Zoom for additional information.
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Create breakout groups on Zoom to share in pairs on a given topic or question. When everyone re-gathers, ask the youth what they learned from their conversations that they would like to share.
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Consider utilizing asynchronous discussion avenues (such as social media platforms, GroupMe, Slack, or Discord) where questions can be posted throughout the week for youth to answer.
Discussion questions
The discussion questions in our guide can be used as a supplement to the Seeking: devotional booklet and Seeking: daily devotional cards for youth in middle and high school, approximately ages 12 to 18, as more specific topics of conversation relevant to teenagers’ lives. We encourage you to utilize the commentary, art, poetry, and daily devotional cards alongside these questions.
