1. \ TEEN PARENTS Who’s footsteps will they follow?

2. \ The “world” says Teen Parents are more likely to... Drop out of school. (Only 1/3 teen parents finish high school.) Be in the welfare system; most for the rest of their lives. Have more sexual partners than their peers. To remain a single parent until 35. To have been born to a mother who was a teen mom. To have grown up in poverty. To have been physically or sexually abused. To experience abuse during and after pregnancy. To abuse and/or neglect their own children. The have the father of their baby be at least 4 years older than them. Get pregnant again with 18 months of giving birth. Get an abortion. (About 1/3 teen pregnancies end in abortion.) To neglect pre-natal care.

3. \ Who’s footsteps will they follow? The “world” says children of teens are more likely to... Become pregnant as a teen. Have sex before age 16. Have a low birth rate. End up in prison. Be abused and/or neglected. Perform worse in math, reading and writing. Be impulsive, overactive. Suffer from anxiety, loneliness and low self-esteem. Grow up poor and undereducated. Show strong gross motor skills and strong social adaptation skills.

4. \ YFC’s Teen Parents... we believe they don’t have to follow those footsteps. While sharing the hope, love and forgiveness Jesus offers, we embrace, educate and nurture pregnant and parenting adolescents in important life decisions. Comprehensive, holistic (evangelical AND social) ministry to reach teen parents to increase potential for long lasting fruit. 42 Ministry Centers with 54 Staff. Breaking the Cycles...

5. \ Effective = 5 Essentials Collaborative community partnerships are a must. We partner with ministries and agencies already doing great things in our communities to increase effectiveness. We cannot “do it all” and need to help our teen parents get the services they need by being a part of a community team. Training adults who empower results in reaching more teens and children, as well as meeting more intensive needs. Widespread prayer is necessary to open hearts for the Truth and fight spiritual battles. Loving relationships is what this ministry is all about. Too often, the reason teens seek us out is because they have been unbelievably hurt beyond our imaginations. Faithful Bible teaching is important to see life-long followers of Christ.

6. \ Teen Parents: Current Models serving young moms up to the age of 21 and young fathers up to the age of 25 Club: Community-based groups outside of school. Similar to traditional YFC club model with games, crowd-breakers, crafts and a “talk”... usually a parenting or life skill. School-based: Abstinence or parenting skills groups right in the classroom during school hours. One-on-one mentoring: Individual goals (“treatment plan”) “Big-Brother / Big-Sister” friendship Educational: GED Program Tutoring College prep and application assistance

7. \ Teen Parents: Strategies Relational: building trusting relationships through which we disclose our stories, discover their stories and invite them to experience God’s story, all the while teaching important life lessons and skills. Educational: teaching parenting, life, health, safety and independent living skills to increase well-being, academic success and economic literacy and to decrease dependance on public assistance and the potential to repeat negative cycles like abuse and teen pregnancy. Spiritual: teaching moral and spiritual values through faithful Bible teaching and role modeling. Social awareness: teaching and role-modeling an other- centered lifestyle. Emphasis in social involvement, community service and missions trips.

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