Some quick tips on doing a broadly graded youth group

The basic principle of running a broadly graded youth group is obvious: emphasize similarities and avoid the differences.

• Parties, extended discussions, “party” games, group-mixing techniques tend to emphasize the differences among the ages represented
• Work and service projects and small group studies where the youth choose their own groupings and loosely structured retreats tend to emphasize or at least allow for the similarities.

Another thing that might be helpful is to take advantage of the natural hierarchical structure that will develop within the group.

• Explicitly talk to the older youth about their role as examples for the younger youth. It is by watching the older youth that younger youth learn how a youth group functions and how they are to behave. A corrective instruction from another youth is far more effective than coming from an adult.
• Allow, even encourage, the older youth to provide leadership to the younger youth
• Let the older youth provide the teaching and group discussions with the younger youth
• Assign an older youth to be a mentor for a younger youth

Contrary to common practice, in a heterogeneous group like a broadly graded group, cliques are helpful. The one requirement when breaking into compatible groups is that everyone is to be included without hesitation. Younger youth will not naturally do this but it can be made explicit, or an adult or older youth can insert a youth that is likely to be left out into a group, without saying anything:”Joe, why don't you go over with Ken and Barbie,” or “Jill, why don't you and I go over to this group.”