Teen Leadership Training (TLT)

The TLT program is designed to challenge and empower the teen Pathfinder with new and increased responsibilities, while allowing them the security of doing so in a place they know and love. The TLT experience will assist the Pathfinder teen to form adult-Pathfinder relationships as an expression of their developing identity as teenagers.

Goals

To help teens experience their developmental needs by making them feel:

  • A sense of achievement
  • A sense of responsibility
  • A sense of respect for authority
  • A sense of acceptance in adult leadership circles
  • A sense of confidence in the development of life skills

Objectives

  1. Encourage TLT members to belong to the church and to actively participate in the organized leadership of the church/conference Pathfinder ministry.
  2. Involve TLT members as associates with Pathfinder adult leadership, holding responsible positions in local and Conference Pathfinder ministries.
  3. Enable TLT in skill-building opportunities through positive communication and friendship networks created to increase resilience to peer pressure, increase self-efficiency, and increase self-confidence.
  4. Challenge TLT members in the mission and ministry of Christ through Pathfindering, making God’s Word meaningful and fruitful in their lives.

The Structure of the TLT Program

The TLT program is a four-year course designed to include all aspects of Pathfinder club management, programming operations, and encourage teens to explore and develop their talents in leadership, planning and social skills. The program gives the TLT member permission to experience Pathfinder leadership under adult supervision with an assigned mentor.

The program uses six major departments of a club as training sections. These include: Administrative, Outreach, Teaching, Activities, Records and Counseling. Within each of these operations are several service areas that must be completed. Some clubs, due to size or location, will not require completion of all optional items under each section

Requirements for Membership

A. Be in grades 9-12 and have completed at least one level of Investiture Achievement and had an attendance record of at least 80% during the most recent active year.

  1. Submit three recommendation forms, to be included with the application, from: a pastor, a teacher, and a Pathfinder staff person.
  2. Submit an application to be approved and signed by the sponsoring Pathfinder club director.
  3. Register the approved application with the conference Pathfinder director.

B. Application to be renewed, approved and registered annually.
C. Actively participate in leadership skill development assignments.
D. Personality traits promoted by Christian ethics, the Pathfinder Pledge and Law, and the TLT Pledge must be an integral part of the participant’s lifestyle.

The TLT Program and the Pathfinder Club

The TLT program is for those in grades 9-12 who wish to advance into leadership positions. The program is optional, and some teen Pathfinders may choose the Master Guide program or not to take part. You must however, be an active Pathfinder to be in the TLT program. 

Additional Information

For more information on the four-year course, please visit our Program Requirements page.

For registration information, please visit our registration page.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Paul Vassell @Paul.Vassell@pleasantstreetsda.org

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