A youth group is an organization of young people for social purposes usually sprouting from the intervention of a political force or in most scenario’s a church.
Youth groups in most cases are defined by an age bracket ranging from age 14-21years. Youth groups have been existent within the community for the longest time. Unfortunately, most of the youth are not involved in these groups. As a result, they do not realize the numerous benefits that are accompanied by being a member of a youth group.
Being part of a youth group helps a person to work with others as a team. It is from the youth groups that there are a lot of team building activities, where people are assigned tasks that require everyone’s participation. Activities such as these require coming up with ideas from which they are all integrated to work as a unit. This ensures everyone’s idea is equally represented and no one feels locked out. Such activity can boost self-confidence along with the esteem of a young person. Apart from this, teamwork prepares the youth for the future in their education, sports activities or even at their eventual workplaces.
A youth group gives a young person a sense of identity especially with the mere fact that the people in the group are of his/her age. Group members have a lot in common and even have a better understanding of each other with respect to challenges they face in their day-to-day lives. Youth groups create a conducive atmosphere for the young people who struggle with being part of the wider community. Instead, they are incorporated in an even smaller community of people who they more affiliations to what affects them as a group.
Youth groups provide an ambiance for young people to let go of struggles and issues disturbing their peace especially family disputes and life struggles. A youth group offering dancing classes may be therapeutic for a dancer. Some youth groups offer to counsel while others are support groups for a particular set of people. Such youth groups allow expression and relief from stress.
For a young person who is part of a youth group or a youth program, they get exposure and gather experience. These qualities become useful throughout their life. In an instance where one is accorded a leadership post within the group, they can be nurtured with leadership skills and the ability to empathize with the various needs of the people he/she is serving. It is still through this that one learns to observe the discipline of time management alongside other basic skills.
The community is a beneficiary of youth groups especially resulting from organized projects like clean-ups. The youth groups in the community are usually helpful in maintaining the well-being of the community through the identification of problems affecting the community. The young people come up with solutions and spearhead projects in a bid to fix problems facing their community.
It is also important to mention that being part of a youth group can be a way of acquiring fitness and health resulting from games organized by the group and even other activities like hikes and excursions which moreover increase interaction amongst the youth hence building a more social life.
Idleness is a cause for most socially unacceptable activities like theft. Through youth groups, police forces have managed to reduce the crime rate by involving the community in policing. Youth groups offer a valuable pool of information on crimes. It is clear there’s a need for young people to be proactive and this is well-achievable by joining youth groups.
