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A push follows a shove, and part of the group jostles to regain its footing. Someone cracks a joke and laughter is heard across the empty cafeteria. Alex, Mark, Balthazar, Allen and Adam are part of a group of high school guys who are loud, like to roughhouse, and constantly trying to make each other laugh. Despite their clear differences in age and personality, they’ve clearly built a solid friendship. How did such a diverse group of teens get so close? YU’s Tombert Chen says it’s what happens when youth invest in volunteering together.
Richmond Area Director and Youth Worker, Tombert Chen, brings youth out of their comfort zones and has done so for over 20 years. Whether to experience life through sports, service trips, or volunteering, he intentionally creates opportunities for youth to connect and grow. This most recent group of guys have become faithful volunteers together. “Teens are so much more capable than they even realize,” says Tombert. “They need growth opportunities to see how competent they already are.”
This particular group of teen boys has been volunteering with Tombert for a few years. Last |
winter, they participated in multiple work weekends at Chilliwack’s Camp Stillwood. “We took down two platforms that needed to be replaced and helped build new ones,” said Balthazar proudly. “We repaired part of the skatepark, washed school buses, and helped build trails,” added Mark and Alex. Unsurprisingly, the young men were empowered by learning new skills and the opportunity to give back their time and energy.
Like any project worth doing, the work weekends were not without their challenges, and Tombert was there to help guide them. According to Mark, the boys collectively snapped eight drill bits when rebuilding the skatepark. “We had to learn to take care of the tools because it wasn’t our stuff,” he says.
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Tombert’s support wasn’t just project-specific; it transferred over to all aspects of their lives. The boys explain: “Tombert taught me that when I face problems, I don’t always have to be locked into doing something a certain way,” says Adam. “He teaches us to think outside the box.” Allen also had a lesson that stuck out to him: “I learned that we need to ask for help when we don’t know how to do something—even if we’re scared,” he says. “There are people who know more than us.” Balthazar added: “If I’m disappointed that something didn’t work out, Tombert says, ‘Don’t make it perfect, make it reasonably good because perfection is impossible.’ Now I think of ways I can improve and not overthink.”
TThese are not only memorable lessons; they are key parts of a mentorship journey supporting young boys to grow into competent young men. These |
youth experience personal breakthroughs, overcoming challenges while a trusted friend walks alongside them. “Being uncomfortable is not bad because it makes you face a challenge,” says Tombert. “Helping these guys see that they are eternally loved by their Creator and have already overcome adversity empowers them to face their current challenges more confidently.”
And while volunteer participation is often needed to compete for school and job opportunities, multiple studies indicate that youth volunteerism deeply impacts teens: it’s linked to fewer depressive symptoms and higher life satisfaction, and it’s associated with increased self-esteem.* This, coupled with YU mentorship, is setting youth up for success in all areas of their lives. Jeffrey Chaters, an expert with young dads at YU says, “Young men don’t want someone to tell them what to do, they want mentors who are willing to walk with them.” At Youth Unlimited, walking alongside youth is a key core value. In the context of volunteering, Tombert has discovered how unbelievably transformative these experiences are. “What youth found in volunteering they hadn’t found elsewhere,” he says. “It’s not uncommon for our youth to keep volunteering even after they graduate. Why? Almost every kid says they feel good making a difference in another person’s life. And this makes sense. God designed us to care for others.” *National Library of Medicine: |
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Left to right: One of Tombert’s many, much-loved, backyard youth BBQs
Youth making care packs for those living on the Downtown Eastside
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I smashed the crowbar into the drywall and pulled back. Massive chunks crumbled at my feet. I tore the bar along the hole as drywall fell. It was exhilarating. It almost made me forget I was sweating from every pore in my body. Despite the hot Louisiana sun, myself and 12 other young 20-somethings were in head-to-toe white coveralls, safety goggles and gas masks. Asbestos and mold were no joke. A week prior, a group of students and I boarded a plane to Southern USA, taking time off work and school to volunteer with Hurricane Katrina clean-up, through Samaritan’s Purse. Seeing first-hand the fridges in trees, boats in streets and upside-down cars abounding was sobering. From the outside, our work to tear down once-flooded houses to the studs looked grueling and difficult. And in many ways it was. We slept on cots in tents and on church floors and sweat more often than we didn’t. And yet, it was the richest and most enlivening experiences. Southern hospitality is unmatched. Despite losing so much, the people we met showed us extreme love and generosity. After our 10-hour work days, we were energized instead of tired, and often still laughing. The once strangers we worked alongside turned into bonded friends; the experiences and opportunities we gained were priceless. Indeed, it is more blessed to give than to receive. In this issue of Connections you’ll read about Area Director, Tombert Chen, who has been supporting youth by making volunteering accessible – unexpectedly, opportunities that teens keep coming back for. Five teenage boys he works with share about these transformative, mentorship experiences. “Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless—cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it.” 1 Peter 4: 9-10 (MSG) Thank you for making opportunities possible for youth to grow, find mentorship and to learn how to love others well. Thank you also to our many volunteers! With immense gratitude,
Keela Keeping Editor, Connections |
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