When it comes to defining the youth age group, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. The United Nations defines “young people” as those between 15 and 24 years of age, but this is only for statistical purposes. A youth group, or youth ministry, is an age-specific religious group that typically engages young people aged 12 to 18 in activities based on faith and spiritual awakening. However, it may also include people up to 30 years of age who serve as group leaders.
Youth is a time of life when one is young and often means the transition from childhood to adulthood. It is characterized by freshness, vigor, spirit, and appearance. Unfortunately, bullying among school-age youth is increasingly recognized as a major problem affecting well-being and social functioning. Anyone interested in starting or joining a youth group should understand that commitment and coherence are the keys to success.
In much of sub-Saharan Africa, the term “young” is associated with men aged 15 to 30 or 35. Youth church groups are usually organized by someone within the church who engages with young people in relation to their faith and understanding of their beliefs. However, new movements within the church are ensuring that work with young people continues to be an active and fruitful field. Most congregations or places of worship have a strict vetting process for their youth ministers, including background checks, educational requirements, and relevant previous experience. Youth who bully others tend to demonstrate higher levels of behavioral problems and disgust for school, while young people who are bullied generally show higher levels of insecurity, anxiety, depression, loneliness, unhappiness, physical and mental symptoms, and low self-esteem.
The trend in youth ministry is currently moving toward treating it as its own vocation rather than a stepping stone on the path to becoming priests, nuns, and other important vocations. The legal working age is the minimum age required by law for a person to work in each country or jurisdiction. The candidacy age is the minimum age at which a person can legally qualify to hold certain elected government positions. Child advocacy is a form of defense known as an excuse for defendants who fall within the definition of a child to be excluded from criminal responsibility for their actions. Unlike some Protestant churches, a youth minister of the Roman Catholic Church is not a member of the clergy.
