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Well, it finally happened.
When you were recruited as a new Venturer advisor, someone warned you the day might arrive. Now it has; a company member has come to you with a real-life problem.
Of course, at first you might want to send the young adult to his or her family to discuss it. What should you do? What should you say?
Venturers are experiencing a time of life when they must make many hard, lasting decisions. Family members, religious and youth leaders, and peer groups influence these decisions. As a Venturer advisor you may find yourself in the position of having to counsel a youth through a difficult time. If you prepare for this time before it occurs, you'll be more helpful to those in need.
No one expects you to provide professional counselling advice or take the place of a parent. But, if a youth or adult member trusts you enough to share some personal concern, here are a few ideas to guide your thinking.
Though family members are vital, a time comes in teenage years when other adults can make a positive contribution to the growth and development of a young person. In some cases, a Venturer advisor may assume a role as important as a parent's when handling tricky life problems. Many parents will recognize and encourage this role.
Your community offers many youth-oriented counselling resources. If a Venturer doesn't find family members helpful, others can ease the difficulty or offer advice. These include;
Take enough time before answering to allow your own decision-making process to sift all avenues. Ask yourself:
Whatever the choice, always err on the side of safety. This might not win you any popularity medals, but in the end you'll know you made the right decision.
"Reproduced with permission of the Leader magazine
and the author."
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