Information for Parents
QUESTIONS FROM PARENTS...
Parents, thank you for your interest in Asian Young Life. Chances are you're a parent who wants the best for your child. If that's true, you'll be glad to know that in Asian Young Life we also want the best for your child!
In Asian Young Life, we seek to be involved in the lives of the teenagers we know. That's why you will find our adult leaders spending time with your sons and daughters, engaging them in positive, life-affirming activities. That's also why you'll find our leaders writing recommendation letters for your children and helping them to do well in school.
WHAT IS ASIAN YOUNG LIFE?
Asian Young Life is a Christian missions organization committed to making a difference in the lives of Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, and other Asian American teenagers. Asian Young Life is a ministry of Young Life, an international youth organization founded in 1941 with the goal of introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them to grow in their faith.
We carry out our mission by training adults who care for young people to enter the world of the Asian American adolescent. These leaders spend many hours each week serving as mentors who build genuine friendships with high school students.
All of our leaders are dedicated Christians who go on to communicate what they believe about God clearly through their words and actions, but they do so with no strings attached. They protect every teenager's right and ability to make his or her own decision regarding faith issues and love all students regardless of their response.
Although our focus is on teenagers, we need the support of parents to help us carry out what we do. If you want to know more about who we are, please visit our About Asian Young Life page. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. We'd love to answer any questions you may have as well as discuss ways in which you can be involved in our outreach to Asian American teenagers.
HOW CAN BEING INVOLVED IN AYL BE GOOD FOR MY CHILD?
Although it may seem we do a lot of "fun things" in Asian Young Life, we strategically use "fun" and "adventure" as ways for our leaders to build connections and trust with teenagers. Our ultimate goal is to help your child to grow academically, physically, socially, and spiritually. Visit our How AYL Can Help Your Child page to learn how we do this.
HOW CAN WE PARENTS HELP ASIAN YOUNG LIFE?
Glad you asked! We welcome parental involvement in everything we do. Visit our How You Can Help AYL page to learn more.
WHO LEADS ASIAN YOUNG LIFE?
Asian Young Life is led by a group of local public school teachers, college students, and other adults who care about teenagers. Get to know these incredible people by visiting our Meet Our Leaders page.
IS ASIAN YOUNG LIFE A RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION?
Asian Young Life is a nonprofit Christian ministry committed to making a difference in the lives of Asian American teenagers. Although our approach to life is guided by our Christian faith, we welcome young people from all religious and non-religious backgrounds, and we never try to impose our beliefs on anyone. To learn more, please visit our About Asian Young Life page.
We believe the best way to make a difference in someone's life is through the power of relationships. By spending time with Asian American teenagers, our adult leaders are role modeling what it means to live life abundantly with integrity and purpose.
We are not a church nor are we affiliated with any particular youth group, but we are funded by a number of churches in northern New Jersey that believe in the goals of Asian Young Life. We are also funded by parents like you and by other donors who want to help Asian teenagers experience life in a whole new way.
KEEPING TEENAGERS SAFE
An important part of our commitment to young people is how we keep teens safe. Our leaders know they are responsible for modeling lives of hope and integrity. As a result, all of our leaders undergo a rigorous screening process that includes a written application, interviews, character references, criminal background and driving history checks, and a comprehensive training course. Our goal is to produce mission-minded leaders who go on to become mentors and adult friends to the young people they serve. If you allow your son or daughter to become involved in Asian Young Life, you can be assured that your child will be supervised by caring adults who take your child's safety and well-being seriously.
Young Life's Human Resources Department has developed missionwide policies and procedures to ensure that teens are protected when they are with their Asian Young Life leaders as well as when they participate in Asian Young Life-sponsored activities. To learn more, please visit the Keeping Kids Safe page on the Young Life website.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page on the Young Life website to see answers to questions you may still have. Another good place for information is our About Asian Young Life page. If you desire any additional information, please contact us. We'd love to hear from you!