Everybody likes having their own space. Youth specifically like knowing that there is a place in the church that they can call their own. This can be difficult in a church that has limited space and uses most of their space for multiple tasks. But if it is possible, carving out one room in your church that is specifically for the youth is a great investment.
Once you have set aside that special place for youth, you should encourage the youth to truly make it their own by having them paint it in colors that they appreciate and allowing them to decorate it with posters, pictures or other things that are meaningful to them. Be sure inform other groups within the church that this is sacred space for the youth of the church and should be respected as such. As you think of that sacred space, encourage the youth to come up with a way to tell the history of the youth program at their church. Having one wall in this space where each youth member gets to put their handprint and name on the wall with the years that they participated in the youth program is one way. Another way is designating one youth or youth worker to take pictures during youth events throughout the year and then make a collage that can be posted in this space from year-to-year, highlighting the many accomplishments and experiences that each group had.
The reason it is so important for youth to have their own definable space in the church is to make them feel valued and important to the life of the church. It may seem like a little thing, but it goes a long way to encouraging the youth to continue to explore their faith even after they graduate from the youth program.
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