WARD LEADER & FACILITATOR TRAINING
Youth Conference 2011
Ward Leaders, Facilitators, Bishoprics, Young Men & Young Women Leaders, Stake Leaders
Theme: 1 Nephi 19:23 “…that I might more fully persuade them to believe in the Lord their
Redeemer I did read unto them that which was written…for I did likening all scriptures unto us,
that it might be for our profit and learning.”
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES TO US/NOW
Goal:
We will provide activities in a context in which the spirit can teach to individual souls that which
they need in order to build testimonies.
Objectives:
Youth at the end of Youth Conference will be able to:
 be better prepared to participate in a healthy relationship
 connect scripture studies to their contemporary lives
 articulate how their decisions today are the same as those who came before
them
 articulate a moment in which the Spirit personally taught them
How? Youth experience scriptures through the medium of an activity. Understand scriptures
through the medium of debriefing, and then hopefully apply scripture lessons due to knowledge
of how to liken the scriptures to their personal life.
Organizational Chart
Ward Leaders (WL) are responsible for
Camp area, gear, fire, cleanliness
Ward youth
Helping F with facilitating activities
Ward camp set up Thursday morning
Ward fireside Thursday evening
Service Project?
Cooking Friday breakfast
Listen to debriefs and discussions
Do not verbally participate*
Listen to Title of Liberty debrief
Help your F with Friday rotations
or where you are needed,
food prep, set up, etc.
Help your F with Scavenger Hunt
Cooking Saturday breakfast
Morningside Saturday
Saturday ward camp clean up &
any other needs
Sleep in ward camp
Talk scriptures with youth
Help with meals
Facilitators (F) are responsible for
Facilitating activities
Being with youth at ward campfire
Helping WL in camp when needed
If available help ward set up camp
Attend your ward’s fireside
Service Project?
Friday breakfast hand out papers &explain
Direct debriefs and discussion of activities
Ask questions only, no preaching
Debrief Title of Liberty at ward camp
Facilitate two rotations with help of WL
Facilitate Scavenger Hunt with WL help
Informal debrief of breakfast
Attend your ward’s Morningside
Saturday camp activities clean up &
and any other needs
Sleep near ward camp
Talk scriptures with youth
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Schedule
Ward Leaders
Two Facilitators to a large ward.
When you join an activity/group stay till done, show up when it starts; otherwise it is too
disruptive to the atmosphere and thoughts.
Take part as a spectator, not as a player, WL do not participate in games.
Facilitators are to invite WL to help them with activities.
If a Facilitator has invited you or talked to you about helping with an activity, that is your
assignment. Facilitators need at least one other adult to facilitate an activity.
WL if you don’t have a job to do go to the Info Center/Lean To and let the person there
know you are available to help
Exceptions/Activities you may be a participant in:
Hike, you can hike with group, not participate in debrief or discussion verbally, can
listen and observe
Running Proverb Letters, can walk around and watch all you want if you’re not assigned
to other responsibilities
Messaging Game, you can watch or play the game, you may not speak in debrief
■Freeze Frame as large group, you may participate quietly
Title of Liberty, you may come with the youth and listen, you may not speak in debrief
Chainmail, you may participate in the crafting of it, Ward Leader (Facilitator also)
should be familiar with the scriptures and Harold B. Lee’s talk (listed below) if asked to
participate in the discussion after making chainmail
Ephesians 6:
:12 We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against rulers of darkness of this world
:13 whole armor of God, that may withstand in the evil day, to stand
:14 stand having loins girt about with truth, breastplate of righteousness
:15 feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace
:16 above all shield of faith, to quench all fiery darts of wicked
:17 helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit which is word of God
:18 praying always, watching with perseverance and supplication for all saints (friends)
Talk by Harold B. Lee, “Feet Shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace”,
(Speeches of the Year, 1954, pp. 2-4, 6-7) clearly explains each of the pieces of armor
and what they symbolize.
Note: In the discussion Facilitator & Ward Leader can periodically give
input/instruction. The input specifically should be giving truth from scripture or from
Harold B. Lee’s talk.
Chainmail preparation will be held at Drake Kirkham’s home, 3531 West 3800 South (Burton
area) on Thursday, June 30th at 6:00 p.m. He anticipates one hour of instruction. If more is
needed there will be a second instruction. This meeting is to be attended by Youth Leader
Council members, Facilitators over the Chainmail, and stake leaders over this activity.
Scripture Study workshop, you may participate by listening in on the workshop
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Facilitators & Ward Leaders
Facilitators will be trained in how to facilitate their activities and in debriefing them.
They will run the activities/games and will direct the debriefings after.
WL get to listen, observe, learn from and about their youth, and gather information to use
after camp to extend the experience.
■Plato said: You can learn more about an individual during one hour of play than in a
year of conversation. This is a unique experience for Ward Leaders to learn more about
the youth they serve.
After an activity it is quite common for teens to want to talk. WL & F watch for youth
who may need you to listen to them—one on one (especially if they are uncomfortable
talking in a crowd/group.) Make yourself available so they will approach you. Let them
initiate the conversation. Listen well and ask open ended questions about what they are
talking about. This is one of the most satisfying experiences. They will teach you as
they share with you and themselves what they are thinking. It is a very enjoyable
experience. Don’t expect this; just be ready for it.
Open ended questions=when responding the youth formulates his own response,
opposite from a yes or no question
Example: When you were pulling on the rope what were you hoping
would happen? In what ways was the outcome as you expected? How
do you feel the game was helpful to you? What will you change in your
life because of this experience?
When youth ask a question, answer with a scripture or a scripture story. Or say,
“Let’s see what the scriptures say.” Or ask them, “What do you think?”
Old Indian once told me: Answer with scripture → God, answer
yourself → you. Who’s going to be there for youth when they leave
here? Who do you want to point them toward?
Whenever you have the opportunity open scriptures, use them to answer questions, refer to
scripture, hold your own set of scriptures, read from them, point to them, inspire youth by your
love for the word of God.
When WL is in a debrief and a youth has a question that can be answered by scripture
please turn to it in your own set of scriptures and share it, without commentary.
Example: Youth says, “That all sounds good but you can’t really know for sure about
things like that can you?” You turn to Moroni 10:5 raise your hand, Facilitator calls on
you, and you say, “Moroni 10:5 might help.”
Note: The reason for this is that in a debrief there is no room for preaching. The idea is
to get youth to think for themselves, AND for our goals, to help them turn to scriptures.
Don’t force or push youth to participate physically in activity nor verbally in debrief—ever!
Charisma and fun count for more than coercion and structure.
Don’t push for answers, wait for them
If youth nervous, explain activity, safety, let change mind if want to
Gather info from youth then invite, encourage
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If you know the answers to puzzles, games, questions, activities, etc. DON’T give them, even
after silence or frustration or puzzled looks. Resist! If it’s difficult for youth there is a good
reason. Difficult is not bad. Let learning/experiencing happen. If you are disrupting the plan you
are interfering with the goals. If an adult is disrupting they will be asked to leave the area.
Spectators & conversing near activity
Scheduled times are our best guess. Be flexible and roll with whatever happens please.
What to do if something goes wrong, equipment breaks, youth hurt, etc.
Equipment--Tod or Troy
Youth hurt—Troy, if emergency
1st Aid kit at Lean To/Info Center
Game goes askew—Facilitator will debrief the “askew”—life seldom is as we plan
?Any of you play an instrument which could easily be taken to YC? You wouldn’t be playing in
front of a crowd, it would be background for an activity in the dark on Thursday evening around
9:00.
?Any one who wil be at YC on Thursday 2:30 to 5:00? We need you for a part in an activity.
Please take this document with you to Youth Conference for a reference.
Please read this again right before Youth Conference to refresh your memory.
We appreciate so much your willingness to help, your flexibility, your strengths and abilities,
your prayers, and all else you do for the youth in this stake. If you have questions or suggestions
that will help us make YC great please contact us.
*We want to inundate youth with scriptures, flood their minds with the word of God
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