Our Story

1941 Young Life
begins in the USA

In a town in Texas, at the request of his pastor, a young associate pastor named Jim Rayburn began showing young people how much God cares about them by showing up in their world and sharing the message of God’s love through Jesus in ways and words they could understand and relate to.

2 million young
people reached

Whether it’s in cities or villages, towns or tower-blocks, in countries on every continent, Young Life leaders are working with over 2 million young people, right in their own neighborhoods.

100+ countries
with Young Life

Today, Young Life is a global organization with local focus. You’ll find Young Life leaders from diverse cultures, nationalities, and backgrounds in over 100 countries around the world.

348,000 kids
involved weekly

Since 1941, Young Life leaders have walked with kids and earned the right to be heard in an exhausting and exciting world. In 2018 these 348,000 kids were involved every week all around the world.

2014 Young Life
lands in Hong Kong

Young Life began its story in Hong Kong in 2014, and has established a thriving ministry that partners with schools, churches, and other organizations to impact teenagers, young mothers, and this city with community, mentorship, and the hope of Christ.

Our Mission:
Every Kid for Christ.

Introducing adolescents to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.

Our Vision

Modeling Relational Ministry

Embrace the Lord’s call by knowing young people and inviting them into faith and purpose, making disciples who make disciples.

Developing Kingdom Leaders

Establish a courageous culture of life-on-life development, empowering the next generation of industry and ministry leaders.

Inspiring a Volunteer Movement

Pray for, recruit, and equip volunteers who share the life of Jesus, make disciples, and inspire others.

Going Together

Proclaim the wide and welcoming Gospel that reveals a joyful, diverse, global community on mission.

Modeling Relational Ministry

Embrace the Lord’s call by knowing young people and inviting them into faith and purpose, making disciples who make disciples.

Developing Kingdom Leaders

Establish a courageous culture of life-on-life development, empowering the next generation of industry and ministry leaders.

Inspiring a Volunteer Movement

Pray for, recruit, and equip volunteers who share the life of Jesus, make disciples, and inspire others.

Going Together

Proclaim the wide and welcoming Gospel that reveals a joyful, diverse, global community on mission.

As a mission, we’re uniting around a global strategic plan that will unite us in our mission with the goal of 1 million youth known by name annually by 2030.

Statement of Faith

We the members of the Young Life mission — trustees, staff, instructors at Young Life schools and volunteers — join together in our affirmation of the following articles and our central purpose of proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and introducing adolescents everywhere to Jesus Christ and helping them grow in their faith.

Read our Statement of Faith

Keeping Kids Safe

The safety of kids is a priority in Young Life. Our staff and volunteer leaders know they are responsible for modeling lives of hope and integrity. Young Life has developed mission-wide policies and procedures to ensure that kids are protected when they are with Young Life staff and/or leaders as well as when kids are part of Young Life-sponsored activities.

Read our Health and Safety Policy

How We Are Reaching Kids

Young Life began with a few simple ideas about sharing the truth of God’s love with adolescents. Seven decades later, those simple ideas have become time-tested methods for reaching out to middle school, high school, and university students in friendship and hope.

Contact Work

CARING FOR KIDS

Because kids don’t care how much you know till they know how much you care, teams of Young Life staff and leaders in each school or district show they care by going where kids are, meeting them as they are, believing in who they can be. Within Young Life we call the persistent going out into the world of kids “contact work” — but kids just call it friendship.

Club

A PARTY WITH A PURPOSE

What is it about Young Life club that makes it the best night of the week for thousands of kids every week? We like to think of it as a party with a purpose. It’s controlled chaos that’s almost impossible to describe, but kids know it when they see it. And before the party ends, we share a simple message about God’s love for them. After all, that’s what the celebration is all about.

Campaigners

A TIME TO LEARN AND GROW

Campaigners (a name that points back to the early days when Young Life was referred to as “The Young Life Campaign”) is a weekly meeting for kids who wish to learn more or grow in their faith through study, service, and leadership. Young Life leaders also encourage these kids to celebrate their faith through participation in a local congregation.

Camp

THE BEST WEEK OF THEIR LIVES

Kids consistently tell us that Young Life camp is the best week of their lives. That’s a rousing (and unsolicited) endorsement! But how else would you describe a week where deep relationships are forged in the midst of mind-boggling fun and you experience and listen to what we believe is the greatest love story ever told?

Committee

ADULTS WHO CARE

Young Life is making a difference in the lives of kids around the world because we are supported by adults who care about kids in their community. For every talented Young Life staff person, there is a team of dedicated volunteer leaders which works directly with kids. In each community, the local “committee” — composed of parents, Young Life alumni, and civic leaders — provides a foundation of financial, administrative, and moral support for the local Young Life team.

Student Leadership

EQUIPPING FUTURE LEADERS

We invite select upper-secondary students into a high-bar discipleship program where they will be challenged to grow with a cohort of fellow students. Framed around once-a-month gatherings and one-on-one mentoring throughout the year, we focus on the development of timeless personal skills and our leadership and relationship with those around us. Reinforced with opportunities to practice in community.

Our Team

We are a family from around the world and also here in Hong Kong. We value community, collaboration, and celebration — not only working together, but walking with one another,something we hope to exemplify and instil into the kids we work with.