Interview with Michael Brunotte, German Union SDA Youth Director

• Can you share with us the means and the strategy you used to promote the event before the Valuegenesis survey had started? What type of publicity did you use (pamphlets, letters, emails, etc.) in order to encourage youth to participate?

Mainly we used our Germany Adventist Youth website (www.adventjugend-deutschland.de/) to publicize the event, we sent emails (sometimes directly to youngsters), we advertised in youth meetings, we publicized the event in Youth German journal (Youngsta - www.youngsta.rasani.de/) and in the Youth website (Adventecho - www.adventecho.de/), we sent mailing to pastors, youth local leaders and sometimes directly to youngsters, and to help promote the event we also offered in the end of the survey a Valuegenesis mouse pad (only done in some of our conferences).

• What was the general reaction to this event (from youth and church members)?

Generally we had more positive reactions than of any other kind (criticism, refusal, etc.).
The main complaint was related to the questionnaire length and we observed also a bit of scepticism accepting the anonymous condition of the participant. Certainly it was somehow tiring to convince every youngster to participate due to the fact that they don’t have established in their lives the sense of worldly-wise community.

• While collecting the data, what were your higher expectations on the participation to the survey concerning the answers from the youth? Can you give us some pertinent examples (about the answers)?

At the beginning some youth leaders didn’t expected much of this kind of event in their local churches, but they admit that teamwork between pastors, youth leaders and youngster was extremely positive.
Youngsters’ readiness to participate helped youth leaders to feel motivated to continue cooperating with them.
There were some echoes concerning questions’ privacy and a general doubt and suspicion to what good would be to answer those questions and observe no real and specific changes in the future (related to their personal lives inside a religious community).

• What kind of approach are you supposed to use in the future with Youth, based on the Valuegenesis data?

All youth leaders are “anxiously” waiting for the survey results report to be sent to their conferences in order to analyse it and be able to establish future plans to their youth groups.
There’s also a clear concern to develop a more comprehensive approach with youngsters as well as with their families. Establish a stronger link between leaders and members of the church, as a community.

• What do you think are the domains that the youth would like to see changing in the church? (Based on the Valuegenesis survey answers)

They are expecting us to meet their spiritual needs and assure a follow up of their spiritual development. They need some clearness from Youth leaders, in general, concerning their needs. Different forms of service (at church) were mentioned, a different approach from youth leaders and pastors towards their real needs (affection, inclusion, exclusion, etc.). There’s also recognition for the importance of local meetings and activities as a way to make a decision for God.
They also expect the community to be more open and show more warmth towards young visitors.
There’s a desire to engage in social activities outside church in order to offer others different approaches to redemption plan. They are expecting us to include them more often in local and regional programs (believe in them with the capacity they have!).