Over the last 2 weeks, Matt and I travelled to 10 cities, spanning from Windsor to Ottawa, with the Canadian Youth Network’s Youth Worker Resource Lunch Tour. Along with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship, Power to Change and Ambassadors for Christ, we facilitated a discussion about students transitioning from high school to post-secondary studies.

During our tour, we met with approximately 450 youth pastors who supplied a multitude of ways they are already supporting that transition.Five categories of ideas emerged:

  • Having an adult specifically walk with each graduate for 14 months (October to December of the next year).
  • Ways the sending church can commission and prepare the upcoming graduating class.
  • Helping them to connect with post-secondary campus groups before they go.
  • Connecting them to local churches in their new cities.
  • Helping them to see their campuses as a ministry opportunity (versus just “surviving” to get a degree in the end).

This is just a starting point. We sense that the conversation about transitions will intensify, not just for high school and post-secondary, but over the various ages and stages. Let’s see how God guides us through this to support students as they go into the next chapters of their lives.