Leadership Development — Breakaway Outreach

youth leadership development

One of the ministry goals of Breakaway Outreach is to develop next generation leaders. We invest in under-served youth, developing them to grow up and become agents of change. We have seen God take kids who were facing incredible odds and turn them into overcomers—raising them up as young adults who have learned to give back to their communities in generous and compassionate ways.

There is no greater joy than seeing kids grow from hardship to leadership!

One of the often-overlooked leadership stories in the Bible is found in the book of Philemon. Essentially an at-risk young person named Onesimus, steals from his master and becomes a fugitive. He ends up in a prison cell with the Apostle Paul. Paul leads him to Christ and subsequently writes a letter to Philemon advocating Onesimus’s leadership value to the church. Apparently, this former slave, Onesimus, goes on to become a bishop in Ephesus! That’s the short story.

What does this look like in the Breakaway Outreach context? Here is an example (the short story):

A 9-year old child of a prisoner comes to Breakaway camp on scholarship. From this summer camp experience, the child engages in life-giving community and ongoing mentoring opportunities with caring adults throughout the year. This young person gets connected with a Breakaway Life Group. He experiences social resilience and character development through KidVenturez programs and continues to return to summer camp year after year. As a teenager, he starts to serve as an assistant cabin leader and rec coordinator at camp. Back home, he starts volunteering in under-served neighborhoods and service projects with Breakaway. He goes on a Breakaway mission trip to Germany and helps to lead a sports camp. It changes his life and stirs up a passion in him to use sports as a tool to empower other underprivileged kids. He graduates high school and begins taking college classes with a focus on sports management. His story is still being written…

This leadership pipeline is woven into every fabric of our various ministries. Each program gives kids a next step opportunity in the leadership trajectory. The testimonies below are stories of how God uses Breakaway to empower kids with opportunities to grow, serve, and lead.

“Before the first year at camp, it was the lowest part of my life. I had lost my mother and sister in a tragic car wreck. I was being bullied at school and was planning to commit suicide when I received an invitation with a scholarship to attend Breakaway camp. I decided to put off the suicide plan and attend camp. It was the best decision I ever made. I gave my life to Jesus at camp and then Breakaway helped me get involved with a local church. My life still has ups and downs but I know now that God has me no matter what.”

Ryan

“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for Breakaway Outreach. My biological father was always incarcerated and I was sent into foster care. I started camp as a tiny little camper and now I get to serve as camp nurse! I graduated from Lee University with my Bachelor of Science in Nursing and I am currently working as a Nursery and Postpartum Nurse. Breakaway Outreach is exactly what it sounds like. It’s an outreach of family and community that all come together because we truly care about God’s children.”