Have you ever heard someone say that someone "fell in with a bad crowd," as if they were wandering aimlessly and one day they were drawn in to the first group that reached out to them? Far too often that is exactly what happens when young people leave the security of high school and move out into the larger world. As a youth leader, you have an opportunity to provide them with some tools to use as they leave the cocoon of youth group and head out to find new communities.

We'll explore ways to encourage our teens to be intentional in their efforts to form new relationships and to ally themselves with new communities as they move into adulthood. Now is the time when our young people need to consider what they want and need from their relationships. How important is it to them that the people they surround themselves with share their values? How important is it that they share Christ's values and expectations? When has this come into conflict for them in the past? Have they ever had to distance themselves from a friend when the friend seemed to be making different choices? As they leave high school, how will their faith be reflected in the decisions they will make?

In this one-session study for youth, through activities and spirited debate, participants will explore the qualities one should look for when connecting to a community, particularly when living away from home for the first time.