Teen Programs

“We are convinced that today’s children and teenagers have never experienced less social capital than they do today, and that they experience more stress than any generation in history. We stand with people who are committed to raising the flag of awareness, conversation and action so that our children, and their children, will grow up where they are known, loved, and cherished as vital and valuable members of out community, nation and the world.” -Chap Clark, author of Hurt 2.0: Inside the World of Today’s Teenagers.

Living Compass has created several resources for teens. These resources help them to look at the myriad of decisions they are making in their lives and to wonder whether those decisions will help them create a life of wellness and happiness, as God wishes for them. Using these materials with teens will help them feel more known, connected, and respected as vital members of our communities.

The Teen Compass Faith and Wellness Notebook was created to be used in twenty-four sessions, (yet is a flexible resource that can be used in a variety of ways, for any period of time), can be used with your eighth grade through high school students. When teens engage in the types of learning and discussion encouraged in The Teen Compass Faith and Wellness curriculum authentic community is created, teens and their adult leaders naturally build a meaningful social connection, and they see how their faith can serve as a compass and guide for their everyday life. The contents of this notebook can be woven into other ongoing programming, such as confirmation, youth group, retreat, or a camp setting. A detailed Leader Guide is available for this resource as well as a PDF file. 

The Teen Compass Wellness Notebook (Secular): This secular version of our notebook is being used in public schools around the country, as well as many faith-based private schools that serve young people from a variety of religious backgrounds. It focuses on the same four point of the Living Compass—Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind—as well as focusing on Spirituality as one of the eight areas of wellness. In this notebook, there is not a specific Christian focus to spirituality, but the teens are given the tools to talk personally about how they define and live out their spirituality. This version of the notebook works well for offering a program or retreat for teens in your community in an interfaith setting, or by partnering with a youth-focussed non-profit in your area.  A detailed Leader Guide is available for this resource as a PDF file. 

The Teen Compass Wellness Circle Program: A Teen Wellness Circle is a committed small group of teens and their adult facilitator who meet for six sessions. They discuss the interrelatedness of eight areas of wellness, complete a self-assessment of their current wellness and balance, learn valuable lessons about change, and then set wellness goals that they work on each week.  

Each participant in the wellness circle needs a Teen Wellness Circle Program Workbook, and the leader needs a facilitator guide to run the group.  It is recommended, but not required that the facilitator be trained before running a Teen Wellness Circle. We also provide tutorials in the training section of this website.