Advice

LIFE AFTER UNI

I've graduated … now what?

New graduates face a lot of big changes and major decisions. MIKE SHAW of Joshua Generation outlines how churches can provide practical help to young people during this time of their lives

A few years ago, to increase my marketing skills, I took a course in ‘people management'. I discovered ‘change' is a big issue for managers, and managing change – helping people to cope with changes – is considered an essential skill. This is because change is a major cause of stress, particularly in the workplace.

But change in itself is not the only fear; it is the result of change that causes anxiety – what happens next after a big shake up?

Imagine this: you are in your early 20s, you just finished university, don't know where you will live long-term and need to decide what to do next. Find a job, start a career, go travelling or settle down – the next five years are up in the air – the choice is yours. But one thing is for certain: there will have to be changes and that means a lot of stress.

In the coming six months many thousands of students will face that situation. Remember this is alongside the enormous pressure of final exams and dissertation deadlines.

This is something which the Church needs to recognise and respond to. Churches, youth groups and Christian organisations play an invaluable role supporting and encouraging students. But to be successful, not only do these groups need to help students cling on to their beliefs at university, they also need to build their faith so that they continue serving and leading in their congregations, workplaces and communities. It is long-term work.

Student organisations cannot offer support indefinitely – they have next year's intake to worry about. It is up to local churches to offer continuing support to graduates, giving them vital stability in this stressful time and providing them with a spiritual home, for the immediate future and sometimes the rest of their lives.

At Joshua Generation, we want to see our culture transformed through developing leaders – and recent graduates are high on our agenda. We've put together a list of 10 practical things that a local church can do to support and encourage graduates:

1 Provide a small group that is appropriate to recent graduates.

I've heard many stories of young people, fresh from university, finding themselves the youngest member – by a long way – of a church small group. It's either that or they are dumped back into the youth group, another inappropriate gathering for people in such a different stage of life. People in their 20s need groups appropriate to them, and if there isn't such a place in your church, maybe they'd be better going to a church where there is one?

2 Recognise that graduates have built up skills that need developing.

The worst things for a young person at church are to be pigeonholed or underused. At university there are many opportunities to teach and lead, and these are skills that need to be nurtured. But don't make the mistake of limiting young people just to youth work – the whole church can benefit from their skills, vision and enthusiasm.

3 Help them to find jobs – and a career.

Among your congregation there will be a surprising range of people with varying skills, experience and careers. So why not use this knowledge base as an instant network? Find out what your young people are interested in as a career and connect them with members of the congregation doing something similar. I found my first job as a direct result of a good friend's recommendation. From there my career has grown – but it needed that first step.

There are other practical ways you can assist, such as helping them with CVs, covering letters, or interview techniques. If you, or the leadership team, don't have these skills, maybe there's a careers adviser or HR manager in your congregation who does.

4 Get graduates involved.

Graduates, sometimes uniquely, have time and energy on their hands. So don't miss the opportunity to use them before careers, marriage, family and other responsibilities rob them of their time. But don't wait for them to volunteer, ask them if they want to help with church activities, such as stewarding, small groups, or with an Alpha Course.

Young people are often eager to help, but like to be asked. Responsibility has to be given over to what may be perceived as ‘inexperienced' people, and that takes a risk – but it has to start sometime. In my experience, it's a risk worth taking if you want your young people to develop into the church leaders of the future.

5 Encourage graduates to find prayer partners.

Small groups are essential in spiritual growth, but they can't replace a direct, accountable relationship – someone to turn to, share problems with, discuss issues, and be an encouragement. In this time of change, a prayer partner is a lifeline that every graduate needs.

6 Encourage them to attend conferences such as New Wine, NFI or Keswick.

Young adults are social animals and university is full of groups, societies and activity opportunities. The social side of university is arguably as life-shaping as the study. When they come back, this social circle may have vanished. So make sure they are alerted and encouraged to go to Christian activities and breaks, such as Bible conferences and worship events. There they can keep up their enthusiasm and faith among a group of peers.

7 Develop mentoring relationships with young graduates.

The first thing I ask a young person who wants me to be their mentor is: "Are you prepared to be totally honest with me?" Then I have to ask myself if I'm prepared for them to be totally honest with me! But without a completely open relationship mentoring will fail. It is a relationship of trust and vulnerability, so make sure their honesty is met with grace, not judgement.

Another vital thing to remember is that mentoring is about drawing great things out of a person, not putting greatness in. You can't make someone into your idea of a model citizen, you must recognise the emerging talent in the person you are mentoring and nurture it.

Anyone in your congregation can be a mentor to a young person, so long as they are open, honest, committed and prepared to give time – looking to find the best in a graduate.

8 Develop leaders by empowering and giving opportunities.

You can't do one without the other. You can't empower someone without providing opportunities to use that power. Conversely, there is no point giving someone an opportunity to lead but no authority to do so.

So build young leaders by giving them both. Graduates have proved themselves to be bright and talented – don't waste these skills! Give them opportunities and the authority to lead, but don't be surprised if they make mistakes. Allow them the freedom to fail, but make sure you help them to learn from their mistakes. By modelling leadership in this way you will not only develop one leader, but generations of leaders.

9 Develop a creative church.

If you want young adults to take an active part in your congregation this may mean your church has to change. Traditional Sunday services (with 30 minutes of sung worship, notices, and a 40-minute sermon) may not be attractive to a younger congregation.

Be prepared to put aside some of these traditions and embrace alternatives – if you want your church to exist in 10 years, time. You may need to broaden your definition of ‘Church' to encompass any gathering where Christian believers meet to worship, praise, and understand God better. ‘Church' can take place in a home, a pub, or workplace. So long as there is leadership and accountability.

10 Equip young graduates with appropriate resources.

A few good suggestions to think about:

Transition is an excellent handbook from Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, and Graduate Impact. It examines a number of issues that recent graduates often face, such as jobs, unemployment, relationships, power and money. Visit: www.uccf.org.uk/resources/transition
Fusion is a group of people working together to help catalyse and resource a radical movement for Christ among students and within their culture. Its website has a brilliant graduate section, full of useful and practical information for young people moving from university to the workplace. Visit: www.fusion.uk.com
Joshua Generation also have excellent free resources on our website, including Foundation, a study course for small groups of students in their final year or for recent graduates. Visit: www.joshgen.org
The Heart of Success, a book by Rob Parsons, and also Destiny and Manifesto for Life by Matt Bird, offer excellent advice for young adults looking for direction.

We all know why banks give extraordinary deals to students – free gifts, special offers, extended overdrafts – because they know in 10 years' time they are likely to want a mortgage, large loans, and invest lots of money. Banks know and value the potential of graduates.

In the same way churches must invest in young people through youth and student groups. It is a sad fact that many young adults drift away from church after university.

Churches and church leaders must view young adults not simply in terms of their work but also how they live in their community, how God affects their household, and how much they can be equipped in leading their life by the church. If we can grasp the full picture then churches will see a growth in numbers of graduates, rather than stagnate or decline.

Mike Shaw is a student associate at Joshua Generation

EXAMPLES

When two great friends of mine, Olly and Reuben, graduated this year I was surprised when they asked me for some advice. They had got hold of a van and decided to set up a removal business. I offered them my help, with reservations. I was convinced that these two brilliant young graduates wouldn't stick it out – they'd soon give up and work for a big business in the city. I was wrong.

Three months later I saw them again and they had a small success on their hands. Work was going well and they seemed incredibly happy. I'm convinced these two young entrepreneurs will go far, and it taught me a lesson not to underestimate young people.

Dan, 22, a young friend of mine recently moved into a flat with three friends. They decided that God wanted them to use the place for his kingdom. Each week, as a household, they invite different friends round for dinner.

Through their generosity – time, money and effort – they hope that these friends will see something of Christ through them. The result is that they often don't have enough money or food for themselves because they've used it for their friends.

But, in all this, they testify that God has honoured them and somehow, they never go without food or money.

© Christian Family Network
is run by CPO, supported by
Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting,
Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.


		LIFE AFTER UNI I've graduated … now what? New graduates face a lot of big changes and major decisions. MIKE SHAW of Joshua Generation outlines how churches can provide practical help to young people during this time of their lives A few years ago, to increase my marketing skills, I took a course in ‘people management'. I discovered ‘change' is a big issue for managers, and managing change – helping people to cope with changes – is considered an essential skill. This is because change is a major cause of stress, particularly in the workplace. But change in itself is not the only fear; it is the result of change that causes anxiety – what happens next after a big shake up? Imagine this: you are in your early 20s, you just finished university, don't know where you will live long-term and need to decide what to do next. Find a job, start a career, go travelling or settle down – the next five years are up in the air – the choice is yours. But one thing is for certain: there will have to be changes and that means a lot of stress. In the coming six months many thousands of students will face that situation. Remember this is alongside the enormous pressure of final exams and dissertation deadlines. This is something which the Church needs to recognise and respond to. Churches, youth groups and Christian organisations play an invaluable role supporting and encouraging students. But to be successful, not only do these groups need to help students cling on to their beliefs at university, they also need to build their faith so that they continue serving and leading in their congregations, workplaces and communities. It is long-term work. Student organisations cannot offer support indefinitely – they have next year's intake to worry about. It is up to local churches to offer continuing support to graduates, giving them vital stability in this stressful time and providing them with a spiritual home, for the immediate future and sometimes the rest of their lives. At Joshua Generation, we want to see our culture transformed through developing leaders – and recent graduates are high on our agenda. We've put together a list of 10 practical things that a local church can do to support and encourage graduates: 1 Provide a small group that is appropriate to recent graduates. I've heard many stories of young people, fresh from university, finding themselves the youngest member – by a long way – of a church small group. It's either that or they are dumped back into the youth group, another inappropriate gathering for people in such a different stage of life. People in their 20s need groups appropriate to them, and if there isn't such a place in your church, maybe they'd be better going to a church where there is one? 2 Recognise that graduates have built up skills that need developing. The worst things for a young person at church are to be pigeonholed or underused. At university there are many opportunities to teach and lead, and these are skills that need to be nurtured. But don't make the mistake of limiting young people just to youth work – the whole church can benefit from their skills, vision and enthusiasm. 3 Help them to find jobs – and a career. Among your congregation there will be a surprising range of people with varying skills, experience and careers. So why not use this knowledge base as an instant network? Find out what your young people are interested in as a career and connect them with members of the congregation doing something similar. I found my first job as a direct result of a good friend's recommendation. From there my career has grown – but it needed that first step. There are other practical ways you can assist, such as helping them with CVs, covering letters, or interview techniques. If you, or the leadership team, don't have these skills, maybe there's a careers adviser or HR manager in your congregation who does. 4 Get graduates involved. Graduates, sometimes uniquely, have time and energy on their hands. So don't miss the opportunity to use them before careers, marriage, family and other responsibilities rob them of their time. But don't wait for them to volunteer, ask them if they want to help with church activities, such as stewarding, small groups, or with an Alpha Course. Young people are often eager to help, but like to be asked. Responsibility has to be given over to what may be perceived as ‘inexperienced' people, and that takes a risk – but it has to start sometime. In my experience, it's a risk worth taking if you want your young people to develop into the church leaders of the future. 5 Encourage graduates to find prayer partners. Small groups are essential in spiritual growth, but they can't replace a direct, accountable relationship – someone to turn to, share problems with, discuss issues, and be an encouragement. In this time of change, a prayer partner is a lifeline that every graduate needs. 6 Encourage them to attend conferences such as New Wine, NFI or Keswick. Young adults are social animals and university is full of groups, societies and activity opportunities. The social side of university is arguably as life-shaping as the study. When they come back, this social circle may have vanished. So make sure they are alerted and encouraged to go to Christian activities and breaks, such as Bible conferences and worship events. There they can keep up their enthusiasm and faith among a group of peers. 7 Develop mentoring relationships with young graduates. The first thing I ask a young person who wants me to be their mentor is: "Are you prepared to be totally honest with me?" Then I have to ask myself if I'm prepared for them to be totally honest with me! But without a completely open relationship mentoring will fail. It is a relationship of trust and vulnerability, so make sure their honesty is met with grace, not judgement. Another vital thing to remember is that mentoring is about drawing great things out of a person, not putting greatness in. You can't make someone into your idea of a model citizen, you must recognise the emerging talent in the person you are mentoring and nurture it. Anyone in your congregation can be a mentor to a young person, so long as they are open, honest, committed and prepared to give time – looking to find the best in a graduate. 8 Develop leaders by empowering and giving opportunities. You can't do one without the other. You can't empower someone without providing opportunities to use that power. Conversely, there is no point giving someone an opportunity to lead but no authority to do so. So build young leaders by giving them both. Graduates have proved themselves to be bright and talented – don't waste these skills! Give them opportunities and the authority to lead, but don't be surprised if they make mistakes. Allow them the freedom to fail, but make sure you help them to learn from their mistakes. By modelling leadership in this way you will not only develop one leader, but generations of leaders. 9 Develop a creative church. If you want young adults to take an active part in your congregation this may mean your church has to change. Traditional Sunday services (with 30 minutes of sung worship, notices, and a 40-minute sermon) may not be attractive to a younger congregation. Be prepared to put aside some of these traditions and embrace alternatives – if you want your church to exist in 10 years, time. You may need to broaden your definition of ‘Church' to encompass any gathering where Christian believers meet to worship, praise, and understand God better. ‘Church' can take place in a home, a pub, or workplace. So long as there is leadership and accountability. 10 Equip young graduates with appropriate resources. A few good suggestions to think about: Transition is an excellent handbook from Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, and Graduate Impact. It examines a number of issues that recent graduates often face, such as jobs, unemployment, relationships, power and money. Visit: www.uccf.org.uk/resources/transition Fusion is a group of people working together to help catalyse and resource a radical movement for Christ among students and within their culture. Its website has a brilliant graduate section, full of useful and practical information for young people moving from university to the workplace. Visit: www.fusion.uk.com Joshua Generation also have excellent free resources on our website, including Foundation, a study course for small groups of students in their final year or for recent graduates. Visit: www.joshgen.org The Heart of Success, a book by Rob Parsons, and also Destiny and Manifesto for Life by Matt Bird, offer excellent advice for young adults looking for direction. We all know why banks give extraordinary deals to students – free gifts, special offers, extended overdrafts – because they know in 10 years' time they are likely to want a mortgage, large loans, and invest lots of money. Banks know and value the potential of graduates. In the same way churches must invest in young people through youth and student groups. It is a sad fact that many young adults drift away from church after university. Churches and church leaders must view young adults not simply in terms of their work but also how they live in their community, how God affects their household, and how much they can be equipped in leading their life by the church. If we can grasp the full picture then churches will see a growth in numbers of graduates, rather than stagnate or decline. Mike Shaw is a student associate at Joshua Generation EXAMPLES When two great friends of mine, Olly and Reuben, graduated this year I was surprised when they asked me for some advice. They had got hold of a van and decided to set up a removal business. I offered them my help, with reservations. I was convinced that these two brilliant young graduates wouldn't stick it out – they'd soon give up and work for a big business in the city. I was wrong. Three months later I saw them again and they had a small success on their hands. Work was going well and they seemed incredibly happy. I'm convinced these two young entrepreneurs will go far, and it taught me a lesson not to underestimate young people. Dan, 22, a young friend of mine recently moved into a flat with three friends. They decided that God wanted them to use the place for his kingdom. Each week, as a household, they invite different friends round for dinner. Through their generosity – time, money and effort – they hope that these friends will see something of Christ through them. The result is that they often don't have enough money or food for themselves because they've used it for their friends. But, in all this, they testify that God has honoured them and somehow, they never go without food or money. © Christian Family Network is run by CPO, supported by Care for the Family, Marriage Resource, Positive Parenting, Care, Women Alive, Christian Herald and many others.