Posters and other "inspirational" wall decorations in a youth room.

Posters are great but need to be changed regularly as in at least monthly.

There needs to be a youth room media center. Again be careful about accepting hand-me-down. If they were any good they probably wouldn't be available.

• Basics at this point in time are: connector for "music sources" (iPhone, Galaxy, etc)
• Streaming video capability, with NeFlix and/or cable
• one or more video game consoles

A well stocked youth room

Keep the room stocked with arts and crafts, school supplies (including calculators, rulers, colored pencils, etc), board games (throw them out when they lose pieces or get tattered, you'll always get more donated), videos, spare t-shirts, towels, game books, cleaning supplies, snack food, paper goods.

Spills

Quickly establish a policy, both official and in real life,  of “if you spill something you clean it up IMMEDIATELY.” No exceptions. This policy is better than forbidding food and drink, which is generally a bad idea and causes friction and a "food policy" mentality.

Youth room renovation challenge

Something to try in order to stir things up a bit: Make redecorating a youth room or complex a contest.

• If it is a single room have randomly selected teams submit designs to be voted on by the whole group. You can allow or disallow adult help, as feels right
  
• If there are multiple rooms that can be included, have teams assigned to specific rooms and submit designs for those rooms
  
  • If you are really brave, you can, in TV reality show fashion have teams actually do the redecoration in secret and then have one grand “reveal.”
    
  • You might assign an interior decorator from the congregation to each team, with the instruction that they are to advise and help with technical items but the youth must do the actual design.
    
• Control over the projects can be had by establishing in advance spending limits and any out of bounds activities (removing walls, putting in a hot tub...)
  

Simple rule for decorating a youth room

Even though it is best to not decorate in such a way that it becomes dated too quickly, if it is redecorated every few years then “typical youth room” isn't bad. Redecorating a room is a good group building project.

Noisy Youth rooms (or classrooms)

Think about acoustics. If a group of younger youth are in a “live” room the noise can be deafening (literally). Carpets, wall hangings, soft furniture all help behavior by reducing the chaos caused by too much noise, which makes everyone crazy.

Board games

Have a tub of board games in the youth room. Taboo is a popular one because they get to buzz each other. You should never have to actually buy board games. If you even whisper in a back room the need for board games you may be buried in donations.I also kept small versions in the catelog cases I took on trips.

Youth Room media system

A few hints for setting up a youth room media system:

• It needs to include all the options: TV, DVD, CD (remember those things?), external music source, game consoles and inputs
• Mark clearly, with bright nail polish,  a maximum volume setting on the volume control.
• Have an easily accessible clearly marked “portable music player” input to the sound system.
• Have an easily accessible, clearly marked game input to the video system.
• Try to make it difficult to rewire the systems but provide all the various combinations built-in. (Everyone wants to rewire a system rather than take the time to figure out where they are supposed to plug something in.).  The best system is in a cabinet with a back that is screwed on.

Lost and found

Lost clothes and other items accumulate rapidly. Have a policy of periodically advertizing what has been left and then dispose of the items, probably to the area community clothes closet. These things are just clutter.   
Put dishes, equipment, etc into use. 
Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for disposing of an expensive jacket that has been there for six months -- its their problem.
 

Youth room furniture

Turn down hand-me-down furniture. This gives the youth the impression that this is all they are worth. They also will not respect such furniture and it becomes a disaster very quickly. If the youth get to pick out and purchases new furniture (even if it is inexpensive) or be creative in making their own furnishings, they will respect it and it will last many times longer.

Youth room computers

Have at least one decent computer, if not a network of them for the youth to use for homework or games during any “free time” in the youth program.

• Have strong “least common denominator” child protection software on each computer. If you can afford it, there are routers that have such built in so that even wireless computers brought in are under the control of the software.
  
• You can override the child protection software, as needed, for homework.
  
• Homework takes precedence over games, etc.
  
• You may want to consider blocking social networking sites because this takes the youth out of the fellowship you are trying to establish.
  

Room spaces -- basement

Get out of the basement unless...

• Your group has a free hand to make it something spectacular.
• The group can make use of special features like utility chases for tunnels, plumbing for a kitchenette.
• Don't give the youth the feeling that the basement is all they deserve or as far as they are trusted by the powers that be (even if this is true)

Youth rooms and spaces

Take seriously all the advice in the manuals and books to have spaces that are appropriate for the occupants and for the activity. In other words, a room that youth actually will like being in. Don't postpone this for a rainy day.

• Discussion space looks different from a study space which looks different from a recreation space. Either the room needs to be flexible or you need 3 or more spaces (sections).
  
• Approach the room from the view of a new youth entering for the first time – when you have a new youth ask for the suggestions for making the space better.
  
• There is a balance between keeping things the same for the sake of tradition (“we've always had that awful painting in here – we sometimes add a mustache or other decorations”) and dingy, rundown and out of date.
  
• Out of date happens quickly. Every few years you have a new group. Create a new youth room.
  
• Do fill it with leftover hand-me-downs. I've experimented with this and run down furniture, besides being off-putting is quickly destroyed since it is not valued. New furniture will be valued and taken care of.
  
• But do get hardy furniture.