1. SMALL GROUPS
Small groups are an exciting part of the Youth Alpha course. They have just heard a talk, and now it’s time to allow them some space to view their opinions.
However before we look at the more practical aspects of leading a small group, we just want to spend a moment looking at some of the basic principles of youth ministry, so that we frame the context in which our small groups are run.

2. “On us particularly rests the responsibility of reshaping with boldness and wisdom the means that are most suitable and effective for communicating the Gospel message to the men and women of our times.”
Pope Paul 6th
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3. WHAT’S GOD UP TO?
Provide opportunities for people to respond to the Gospel message
Respond to potential ‘God moments’
Pray eg healing
Provide eg giving a ride
In a youth culture that cries out ‘prove God exists’, we need to demonstrate faith
Some of the ways we can demonstrate this unconditional love is by being aware of what God is up to, and responding to these moments.
Provide opportunities for people to respond to the Gospel message
Respond to potential ‘God moments’
Pray eg healing
Provide eg giving a ride
In a youth culture that cries out ‘prove God exists’, we need to demonstrate faith

4. Size Safe WHAT IS A SMALL GROUP?
Firstly we will explain what we are talking about when we say ‘small group’ on the Youth Alpha course.
The size of a small group is between 6 and 10 people. This will obviously depend on how many young people you have on your course, and how may leaders you have to help you.
A safe place for honest sharing.
Size
Safe

5. WHY SMALL GROUPS? Opportunity to voice what they believe.
Ask any question
Discover truth for themselves
Teach them how to think, not just what to think
Build relationships
Why should we have small groups?
The small group gives an opportunity for our young people to voice what they believe. This is made possible when we foster an environment where our young people feel comfortable and at ease, there is no question too simple or too hostile
There is no better way to encourage learning and discovery than through discussion. When young people are talking about a given subject, they are most likely thinking seriously about it and trying to understand it better. Discussion helps truth to rise to the surface. This makes it easier for young people to discover it for themselves.
Our young people are not always actively encouraged to think for themselves. It is our task to teach young people how to think, not just what to think. We must equip them to make the right decisions for themselves.
The small group discussion also allows our young people to get to know one another better, as they discuss what they think and believe. It is common for the guests, especially at the beginning of the course, to stay on it because of the small group not the talk.

6. SMALL GROUPS Leadership Who? Use young people
   It is useful to have young people leading the small groups. It not only helps to stretch and grow your core youth, but helps the discussion so it naturally becomes peer to peer rather than youth to adult.
Remember that the role of the small group is not so much to answer people’s questions as to facilitate discussion. It has been said that ‘our main task as leaders of Youth Alpha is to light fires rather than fill buckets’.
 In that respect, the small group leader needs to think of themselves as group facilitator rather than as an instructional guru.
 A facilitator is simply another member of the group who is helping to make the discussion happen. We are not sitting in judgement on young people or their responses. We are looking to guide and steer the group rather than dictate terms or indoctrinate.
Remember – the young people have already heard a talk – they don’t want to hear another one.
Leadership
Who? Use young people
Role of facilitator, not guru
Encourages, guides and steers discussion
Look for opinions
Don’t take sides
Briefly summarise main points

7. GET PEOPLE TALKING Prepare questions Ask the right questions
Open ended vs Closed - ‘what do you feel?’ ‘what do you think?’
Simple vs Complicated
Specific vs Vague
Direct questions back into group - ‘what does everyone else think?’
Give encouragement
To have a great small group discussion we need to encourage people to talk. There are a few things you can do to assist in this;
Firstly you want to have some questions prepared before the session starts. Thankfully there are some questions already done for you in the Leaders Guide. However it would be helpful to have a few others ‘up your sleeve’ before going into the session.
Asking the right questions is key to having a good discussion. One tip is to ask open ended questions rather than closed questions. So ask people what they think about…? Or if they don’t quite know what they think because it is all so new, how do they feel about…? Another tip is to ask simple questions rather than complicated, eg….. Ask specific questions versus vague questions, eg…. Finally in asking the right questions, directing questions back into the group can be good way to continue the discussion further, this can be done by asking ‘what does everyone else think?’ this is also a good method because as a small group leader we don’t want to be answering all their questions.
We also want to give encouragement when our young people contribute, this not only thanks them for their input but it also encourages others to contribute to the discussion.

8. BE PREPARED FOR DISCUSSION GROUP QUESTIONS
Team Training Resource:
Searching Issues
by Nicky Gumbel, A must read for your team:
The seven issues most
often raised on Alpha
Searching Issues is a wonderful resource.
The seven most commonly asked questions on an Alpha course
Most commonly asked question : Why does God allow suffering?
Second most commonly asked question : What about other religions?
And although as leaders we are not there to give the answers, it is great to know what to say when people ask