By: Helping Hands TV
The many pressures and expectations being faced by young people today makes it harder than ever before for them to find motivation, according to Brett Ryan from Focus on the Family.
Whether the pressures from the people around them, their social media feeds, or self imposed, the fast paced nature of modern life juxtaposed with the slower pace of emotional, physical, social and spiritual development can impact a young person’s desire to reach their potential.
Joining Brett Ryan on this Helping Hands panel discussion about young people is Jon Owen, from Wayside Chapel. Also joining is Emmylou Brasser, from the Salvation Army’s Oasis Youth Services. Together they explored how adults can help young people to overcome their challenges and find motivation.
“Purpose is the seed that drives motivation,” Jon begins.
Knowing our place in the world can help us succeed
Inspired by his experience as a parent and through his work at Wayside Chapel, Jon says motivation stems from knowing one’s place in the world. And that’s a constant that hasn’t changed.
Even though the pressures young people face today are different to previous generations, love and support is the key.
“One of our core philosophies at Wayside Chapel is to say, ‘No one is a problem to be solved, they’re a person to be met’, and if people can feel ‘met’ rather than ‘worked on’, they’ll often find that they are amongst a community … all of a sudden, they can find that sense of meaning and purpose, and a lot of intrinsic motivation just flows quite naturally.”
Working with young people who are carrying the burden of family breakdown, neglect and abuse, Emmylou says the first step to helping find motivation is to break the negative cycles. Second is to show them that they have someone in their corner. Cheering them on, celebrating even the smallest of victories as significant steps in the right direction.
The importance of a Mentor
“It’s really giving them the voice and the driver’s seat for getting to the future that they picture for themselves. Not putting any kind of expectations on them. Until they’re ready to achieve those goals how they see themselves doing it.”
This is true for all young people, Brett adds, regardless of their individual circumstances. Knowing that someone else believes in them is a wonderful motivator. Knowing our place in the world helps us all succeed.
“Having a significant adult speak into their lives, like a mentor or a coach – someone to actually say, ‘You matter, you’re really important,’ – that is just an incredible thing, a gift. And I think we all need to have people to be our cheer squad.”
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About the Author: Helping Hands is an Australian produced TV program. It airs on 9GEM, Channel 9 and 9NOW, and showcases people and organisations who make the world a better place.
The post The Positive Impact of Cheering on Young People appeared first on CMAA Syndication and has been reproduced with permission.
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