I don't know who to ask to mentor!

Let's be honest, it can down right difficult to recruit within the church, especially when the job at hand requires any sort of teaching. The fact of the matter is, the strength of the SALT program rests largely on the shoulders of the mentors. The brave men and women who take up the challenge to come along side a teen for 10 months and love on them.

The best mentors however, may not be the people who readily come to mind. Allow me to offer to you a group of individuals that most every church has, that I believe can make for some of your best mentors.

They are called by a variety of different names; senior saints, gray hairs, old folks, or grandma/grandpa. Whatever title they go by, the truth is, here lies a valuable resource that often times can easily be overlooked. What's so special about this section of our congregations that they would make for great mentors? Well, a couple of thoughts come to mind. The most obvious is that they've lived life, a lot of it in some cases. At the heart of mentoring is the desire to pass on what we've learned to the younger generations. Who better to do this than our older individuals? Not only do they bring a wealth of life experience to the table, but many times they bring the grandma/pa spirit; simply put, they know how to spoil. What teenager wouldn't enjoy this? They have time. Often retired, this group of people has the time necessary to do the work of a mentor. The list really goes on and on.

I would encourage you, as you hunt for mentors, to not overlook those of the gray hair persuasion within your congregation. I think you may be surprised at what they can offer you and your students if given the opportunity to serve as a mentor.

~YAC
(Ryan Smith)

It's Go Time!

Churches, SALT Point Persons, Students...

Now that August is upon us it's definitely time to be thinking seriously about starting up a SALT program within your church/group. Remember that come September the program has begun and it's important to get off to a great start.

The first step in this process is to spread the word; both to students and adults (that could serve as mentors). Once the word is out, it's key to make available the student application, as well as set a date to have the form turned back in. Honestly, at this point in the process it's all about communication with students and mentors alike.

I know it might seem a bit overwhelming, but all the information you need is contained within the manual each church received via conference/mail. Spend a bit of time looking it over and you should be well on your way to getting your SALT program up and running. If after you spent some time with the SALT manual, you still have questions, please don't hesitate to contact us (YAC). Remember, we're here to help and assist you in this new endeavor.

We'll be praying for you all.

~YAC
(Ryan Smith)

Training Materials

Within each level of the SALT program both students and mentors are expected to have their own personal copy of the training material. Acquisition of the material is flexible; students and mentors may choose to purchase their own or churches may choose to subsidize the total cost or partial cost of the materials.

As you may imagine, there are many places in which these training materials can be purchased. In an attempt to help make this easy for individuals and churches alike, we've provide several links to sites that do carry one or more of the necessary training materials. In no way does YAC or the Brethren Church endorse any of these sites more than another, they've simply been provided for your purchasing convince. Please feel free to purchase your materials anywhere you like. Don't forget that many times you can buy direct from our ministry partners as well.

If you find yourself having trouble finding/obtaining the necessary training material, please contact any of the YAC members, as we're here to assist you in this process any way we can.

The training material for the SALT1 program are as follows:

• River Running Leadership In Motion Vol. 1 & 2 (by LeaderTreks)
• Help I'm a Student Leader (by Doug Fields)

The training material for the SALT2 pilot program are as follows:

• The Message Remix 2.0 (by Peterson)

The training material for the SALT3 pilot program are as follows:

• Avalanche Unstoppable Leadership Vol. 1 & 2 (by LeaderTreks)
• Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts (by LeaderTrecks)
  

~YAC
(Ryan Smith)

Welcome

Welcome to the SALT Shaker, the new online home for all things related to the National BYIC SALT Program. As this new program launches this September, we invite you to comment* about your experience, share thoughts, ask questions, whatever is on your mind as it relates to the program. You'll find posts related to the program, tips for mentors and so much more. Please take a moment to visit our partner sites as well; their links are located toward the bottom of the page.

This site is maintained by YAC, and we hope it will become a valuable resource for all involved with the SALT program. Please feel free to email us at any time, for any reason.

Whether you're a student, mentor, point person or guest, thanks for stopping by. We hope you find this site useful during your time in the SALT program.

~YAC
(Ryan Smith)

* All comments must first be approved by YAC before appearing on the site. You do not have to be a member of Blogger to leave a comment; leaving comments is open to anyone, at any time.