SU Victoria

Equipping you to Connect Out

This key focuses on connecting with young people in a “shared space” – a space outside of the normal school context, where both young people and the ELEVATE team are on equal footing, it is more relaxed, and there is opportunity to connect with each other in greater depth. Programs, such as a camp or youth group, seek to build experienced-based, engaging, learning opportunities to help students explore life, values and issues from a Christian world view.  Share your  Connect Out ideas in the next quarterly newsletter by emailing Meredith

2011 MAD Camp report

In its second year MAD Camp doubled in size, with 50 young people and leaders from Elevate schools ministries across Victoria spending an amazing week together exploring the theme of ‘Making a Difference’ over the September school holidays.

Games, campfires, and community action projects were all part of camp but what was brilliant was the strong sense of community that was built over the week – this is a great connection point for ELEVATE students and leader alike. Many young people shared deeply about their lives. One of the young people shared with the group that at the start of the week she didn’t believe in God, but now she was drawn to Christian faith! Wow! We prayed for her and could sense God’s Spirit at work in her heart. We gave her a Bible and Elevate leaders will continue to support her back in her school.

Another young person, who has been a part of ELEVATE for about 4 years now, decided she was ready to accept Christ, ringing her leader the day following camp to share the news of her decision and of her families support for her. Praise God!

The lessons learned at MAD Camp continue to impact far beyond the week away, with several teams sharing that their students are still talking about MAD Camp with excitement, and many students are still connecting with each other via Facebook and encouraging one another to continue making a difference in their everyday lives.

A Story from the Whittlesea ELEVATE Team

This year as a Connect Out initiative, the Whittlesea ELEVATE Team has been extending the invitation to students at their lunchtime program to come along to Area 412, a new weekly event organized by the New Horizons Youth Team. The local combined churches shopfront on the main street of Whittlesea, where (by day) material aid and counseling can be accessed by those affected by the bushfires,  is transformed every Friday night, into a cool youth friendly space where local young people can hang out, play soccer in the back car park, play Wii, or just chat and listen to music. It has been very popular with the ELEVATE kids, and has provided a great opportunity to get to know them more, and for them to get to know some other local youth, and youth leaders.

The team was encouraged to read this post on a Year 10 girls Facebook page following one Friday night event!

“HEY EVERYONE. every friday i go to AREA 412 in whittlesea, i have an awesome time so do many others and its a friendly environment where anyone can come and have a great time. i strongly suggest you all come to. if you want to know more just send me a message. pleasae all come its for a great cause .THANKS”