Affirmation is one of the Life Teen Core Values. We need to affirm each other, especially those in our life which we couldn’t do ministry without- ie. Our core members.

1. 1. Directly give genuine praise and encouragement to your core members. This can come in the form of how much you appreciate them, value them in your life, or just how much you appreciate how they reach out to teens.

Steps to Meaningful Affirmation
Remove insincere phrases. …
Make eye contact. …
Make it about the other person. …
Be honest. …
Affirm the person directly. …

1. Encourage by mail. Create a Card Ministry. Why not send a card in the mail to a core member encouraging them and letting them know you are praying for them. Sending a card for no reason is especially meaningful in a time when handwritten notes are rare. How about a card detailing a favorite memory with that core member?
2. Affirm on Social Media. Retweet, saving, liking, reposting, and sharing someone’s post is an encouragement. Rather than scrolling past, bless the writer of the post, as well as recipients in your timeline with a “like” or “share.” A public post acknowledging one of your core members can go a long way in affirming them.
3. Encourage by text. In a world full of busyness, sometimes a supportive text (sometimes for no reason at all!) can be the most encouraging.
4. Praise It Forward Cards – Handwritten notes of thanks and affirmation are prized by core members and help affirm and recognize them for ways they have helped the team shine. They can post them at work or home on the refrigerator to lift their spirits and remind them of how others value them. You can even design your own kudos cards for your team. Make them fun, with encouraging quotes, graphics, or snappy sayings.
5. Celebrations – How does your core team celebrate success? Celebrations are a way to ensure you stop and are mindful of significant contributions or personal events on your team. Are you on the lookout for things that people on your team are doing well and that is important to celebrate?
6. Core Dinner Nights – Plan a dinner for just your core team. Take them to a local restaurant and thank them for all they do for the teens and families at your parish. These nights build such a great community.
7. Core Awards – Once a year, have a Teens Choice Awards style Life Night to honor the contributions of your core team. Have teens give input on Core Members and present individual and team awards for your core team.
8. Teen Affirmation Notes – The next time you take teens on retreat, have them write core member affirmation notes to be included as a part of the retreat session. Allowing the teens to learn how to affirm is a blessing for their life.
9. At Mass – At the end of Mass, when you get up to invite the teens to Life Night – make special mention of your core team or individual core members and affirm them publicly in front of your parishioners. Core members are vital to our ministry, and who knows, affirming them publicly may get others to want to join the core team.