Beating out Boredom: What are young people to do on the Westside?

TEENS NEED to have FUN or they’ll find it all in the wrong places.

And instead of putting the blame on teenagers for their crazy parties, messed up relationships, and the fallout that takes place emotionally, physically, and educationally in their lives, I think we have to look at ourselves and offer adolescents the opportunity to beat out boredom.

Beating out boredom is DEEPER than offering events or venues BUT offering adolescents PURPOSE. Beating out boredom needs to be about purpose AND events.

But WHY?

Well… studies show:

• Adolescents NEED positive environments (home, school, work place) as they have a higher chance to succeed in life. In fact, when social and interpersonal relationships are healthy, their grades and self confidence grow.
• Adolescents make WISE choices when their self confidence is strong and don’t stoop to the lows of under achievement and “I-only-think-in-the-moment” choices.
• Adolescents WORK in their strengths and have goals when they are engaged in practical skill strength methods and strategies.
• Adolescents DEVELOP a moral compass to guide their lives by when they have positive relationships and build strong interpersonal skills for TODAY.
• Adolescents RESPECT life and others when they are provided safe and clean places/venues to have fun.

My conviction is, in response to a grade 12 student who wrote an article in the Capital News, if we don’t offer PURPOSE, then we have done an injustice to the adolescents in our communities.

And, as the church, we are responsible to offer PURPOSE to beat out boredom. If we don't, not only have we caused an injustice in our community but have chosen to be disobedient to Christ; who has offered life to the FULL.

How are you beating out boredom in your community? More importantly, how are you beating out boredom in your church?