Emerging Leaders Program

ELP Downloadable Resources

What is the Teen Challenge Emerging Leaders Program?

Emerging Leaders is an extended training program to identify, equip and train leaders who aspire to greater levels of responsibility within Teen Challenge. In order to ensure for success in the future, we must identify and train individuals of passion and calling. The Emerging Leaders Program is an avenue for achieving this goal.

The Need

Teen Challenge continues to grow in the US and around the world. There is no question about the continued need for quality staff.

Purpose Statement

"To identify, equip and train emerging leaders who aspire to greater levels of responsibility within Teen Challenge."

Objective

"To provide an instructional program for enhancing the quality of longevity of leadership within Teen Challenge."

The Emerging Student Leaders Program

There are Three Levels to the Emerging Leaders Program:

  • Emerging Leaders Level I: Emerging Student Leaders Program
    This level is for Teen Challenge students who are enrolled in the residential program and have completed at least 6 months in the program. Students who are interested in becoming interns and possibly eventually serving as Teen Challenge staff members are selected by the Director and/or Emerging Leader Representative. They must first complete the six Core Courses during their remaining time as a student in the program. They will then serve a six month long post-graduate internship and complete six elective courses for their chosen track. The three post-graduate internship track choices are ministerial, vocational, and administrative.
  • Emerging Leaders Level II: Emerging Staff Leaders Program
    This level of Emerging Leaders is for Teen Challenge staff members who have been employed full time in Teen Challenge for a minimum of one year and express and model a long term commitment to the Teen Challenge ministry. This program provides the director with resources to invest in and develop the potential of these growing staff members. This is a one year long training imitative that includes seven core courses and three electives to be selected from the ministerial, vocational, or administrative tracks.
  • Emerging Leaders Level III: Emerging Executive Leaders Program
    This level of training is designed for present and future Teen Challenge executive leadership. Those serving currently as Executive Director, Program Director, or other executive leadership within the ministry and those aspiring to one of these positions will benefit from this training. Any staff member wishing to be part of this training will first have completed ELP level II training and have been employed with Teen Challenge for more than 3 years.

    This is a two years course of training that includes 4 on-site one week long "Intensive" training sessions to be held twice each year. Participants will complete ten - 8 week long training module assignments and participate in an online forum.

    The 10 modules that comprise the ELP Level III are:

    • Organizational Leadership
    • Organizational Management
    • Organizational Stewardship & Growth
    • Professional Leadership Skills
    • The Teen Challenge Program
    • Spiritual Development
    • Character Development
    • Biblical Studies
    • Biblical Counseling
    • Level III Elective
These modules are intended to equip the future Teen Challenge leader with the comprehensive understanding and skills necessary to meet the responsibilities and demands of leading a Teen Challenge center. No program could teach a TC Director everything they'll ever need to know. The intent of the ELP Level III is to give the future leader an initial set of skills, give an awareness of the reality of leading a Teen Challenge center, and minimize the pitfalls for a new Director.