Board Orientation and Onboarding
Welcome to the onboarding lessons for new Board Members!
In the sections below, you'll watch key videos that introduce the vision, practices, and ethos of the Alongsiders movement. These lessons are a condensed version of the training provided to our Movement Coordinators and Area Reps in the Mobilizer 101 and Mobilizer 201 courses.
If you're interested in reviewing the full training, please contact Hitomi Gray at hitomi@alongsiders.org.
We’ve also included a selection of case studies and stories from Rwanda, India, and Cambodia. For more, visit the Videos section on our website, where you'll find a larger collection of inspiring stories.
Enjoy!
“Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is truly the most terrible poverty.”
OUR VISION
The deepest need of any human being is the need to be loved.
In the world today there are millions of vulnerable and marginalized children. Their deepest, most heartfelt need is to be loved, welcomed into family and community, and encouraged to be all that God made them to be.
Our vision is to see every child welcomed, every youth equipped and every church engaged.
Today, the populations of many Non-Western countries are disproportionately young (under 30 years old) - up to 70% in some nations.
What others see as a problem, we see as an opportunity. Throughout history, young people have been at the forefront of every movement for change.
Coupled with technological breakthroughs that allow us to connect easily and quickly, we believe this is an unprecedented moment in history for mobilizing the church to reach children, and transform communities.
Understanding Alongsiders as a MOVEMENT
Newcomers to the Alongsiders movement often assume that Alongsiders is like the other NGO's or Non-Governmental Organizations they have worked with in the past. They assume we have paid staff, offices, budgets and other trappings of an NGO.
However, from the beginning, Alongsiders has sought to be more like a movement. A movement is a much more grassroots approach to change, that is led and owned by those who participate.
We use the metaphor of a river (movement) versus a swimming pool (NGO) to describe the difference. A swimming pool is controlled, and requires constant inputs and maintenance. A river runs wild and organically grows and flows.
“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.”
Our 4 Core Values
Alongsiders holds four foundational core values that shape our mission to empower and disciple young people, particularly those at the margins of society. These values — Belonging, Ownership, Mastery, and Purpose — address key human needs and are grounded in Biblical principles.
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Every child needs to form trusting relationships. If they don’t find that sense of belonging in their family or church, they may join a gang, cult, or another group that accepts them. As children experience belonging within trusting relationships, they appreciate their own self-worth and learn to form meaningful bonds with others. Ideally, meeting the need for belonging starts in the family, and then it continues as children go on to connect with peers and mentors. Children at the margins, however, tend to be more isolated.
Key Biblical Concept: The Radical Welcome of Christ
When children or young people feel they truly belong, they will be able to say, “I am loved.”
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Mastery means having the ability to work on a task, set goals, solve problems, and get results. We live in a world that demands some level of mastery in exchange for money to live, so it’s a basic need in that sense. Artists and poets, athletes and scholars, and even children climbing trees seek mastery with or without rewards or recognition. The need for mastery is part of being human. We can trace it back to the Genesis story and God’s intention for humans to have a positive mastery over a peaceful creation. But life deals out challenges that can crush a young person’s dreams. Children at the margins often face obstacles to completing their education and learning specialized skills.
Key Biblical Concept: Stewardship.
When a child or young person feels like they can master things, they will be able to say, “I can succeed.”
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Healthy ownership means learning how to make responsible decisions, developing self-control, and finding a sense of direction. Because young people at the margins often lack options, they can get stuck in ruts, settle for dead-end jobs, or set aside work and study to help with one crisis after another. They also face low expectations and the temptation to choose unhealthy forms of independence, such as using alcohol or drugs, or getting into a sexual relationship before they’re ready to support a family. These young people need parents, teachers, and mentors to guide and encourage them when they’re feeling restless and discouraged.
Key Biblical Concept: God’s Authority/Mandate
When a child or young person grows in ownership, he or she will be able to say, “I can make decisions for myself.”
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When we think about our needs, we usually think about receiving, but we also have a deep need to consider the needs of others, and this starts when we’re young. Children need to recognize that other people have needs and then learn to practise generosity. The poor share this basic human need to be generous. In fact, those who seem to have the least to give are often more generous than the rich. We don’t pressure or reward youth to become Alongsiders because they need to choose generosity freely. Without a vision, young people will become aimless, easily influenced, and driven to distract themselves from their empty lives. The church must offer young people a vision for transforming the world.
Key Biblical Concept: God’s Vision for Shalom
When children or young people become passionate about a vision, they will be able to say, “My life has a purpose.”
THE ROAD MAP
The Road Map is a guide for Movement Coordinators as their movements grow. Each stage emphasizes not only numerical growth, but depth and quality of leadership, training, camps and overall sustainability.
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A Sprouting Movement is the first stage of launching your Alongsiders discipleship movement. The hard ground needs to be broken up to be ready for planting and growing disciple-makers. You’ll be meeting with pastors and youth, and introducing them to this new concept. Perseverance and courage is required. Getting the first group is the first challenge. After that you can point to the fruit of others who have gone before. So start with “low-hanging fruit” – your own church perhaps. We have often found that rural may be easier than urban, poorer may be easier than richer. Alongsiders is for everyone, but start where you will be most quickly welcomed.
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A Green Mango Movement is multiplying beyond the initial Coordinator. When you have your first groups of Alongsiders you will need to appoint Area Reps in order to multiply and grow. Finding and equipping the right Area Reps is the main challenge at this stage. Appoint elders to give wisdom and connections. Start with those who are already serving as Alongsiders or who approach you to start Alongsiders in their area. In this stage you will also begin to get your Social Media up and running if appropriate. As a Coordinator you are now eligible to attend the Annual Regional Gathering.
Green Mango Requirements
At least 100 Alongsiders registered
5 Active Area Reps
Mobilizer 101 Training completed
3 Elders in place
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A Yellow Mango Movement is multiplying beyond the initial Movement Coordinator. At Yellow Mango stage your Area Reps are developing and you are growing in numbers and impact. As a Coordinator you are eligible to attend the Annual Regional Gathering.
Yellow Mango Requirements
At least 250 Alongsiders registered
At least 10 Active Area Reps
Mobilizer 201 completed
Year 1 Curriculum and Camp completed
Impact Survey Completed
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A Harvesting Movement is growing as LBS grow up and become Alongsiders. At this stage maintaining energy and vision is the most important challenge. This is also the time to start looking to birth new movements in new places and with new groups.
Your Harvesting Requirements
At least 500 Alongsiders registered
At least 15 Active Area Reps
Mobilizer 201 completed
Year 2 Curriculum completed
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An Orchard Movement is a movement that has helped birth at least one new movement in your own country.
Orchard Requirements
At least 1000 Alongsiders registered
20 Active Area Reps
Mobilizer 201 completed
Help launch 1 new movement in your country
“I suspect that of all the things we do in shaping our children in the faith, it is the storytelling that is most formative over the long years of their adult lives.”
THE DISCIPLESHIP CURRICULUM
The Alongsiders movement recognizes the power of visual storytelling in shaping the faith of children and equipping the next generation. In a context with low literacy rates and a focus on relational discipleship, Alongsiders partners with local artists to create a comic book-based curriculum that encapsulates each lesson in a powerful and easily accessible visual story.
Each comic book includes a poignant contextualized story, a group activity for practical application, and a set of questions for reflection.
The curriculum is based on the Response Ability Pathways (RAP) framework, which focuses on building positive connections, guiding children to understand challenges, and helping them develop responsibility and respect for themselves and others. The implementation of RAP is highly experiential, culturally contextualized, and aims to empower each Alongsider to walk alongside a courageous child, helping them take responsibility, connect with God, and create a culture of respect in their communities.
OUR LEARNING ETHOS
In the same way that Jesus instructed us to, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength”, it is our desire in the Alongsiders movement to engage every part of our being in the learning process: We believe that as we engage all of our hearts, souls, minds, and strength together, we will be better able to identify the problems we face, arrive at a place of deep personal connection with those challenges, which then unlocks the door for deeper understanding of the problems, and brings us to deeper and more lasting solutions.
Learning is not just a matter of transferring knowledge; it is also about applying and putting into practice life-changing solutions that are shared and multiplied across the Alongsiders movement.
This kind of learning happens best in the context of a group learning together – through open discussion, sharing stories, listening to one another and to God, and humbly challenging one another through debate to see new perspectives.
The goal of this learning ethos and process is that participants will have a strong sense of ownership of both the problem and the solution. This is one of the keys for real, long-lasting transformation.
So, as we walk together and lead others through the Alongsiders Formation Pathway, we seek to follow these five progressive steps towards greater learning, understanding, and application, using the acronym OWNED:
O = observe
W = weep
N = narrow down
E = explore
D = decide
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Become aware of the problem. See and describe what is broken. Dig deeper to expose and explore the hidden challenges. Look for interconnected problems. Describe difficult experiences.
Sample Questions to consider when observing the problem:
Describe the problem as you see it.
What are some other ways to describe the problem?
What do your friends or other people in your community say about this problem?
What are some other similar problems that might be connected to this problem?
Who are the different people most directly affected by this problem?
How does the problem affect them? How does it affect you?
What will happen if this problem continues to get worse?
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Personally identify with the pain and suffering caused by the problem. Lament. Describe and feel the pain of the brokenness caused by the problem. Accept the problem situation without trying to immediately solve it. Allow yourself to feel both the negative and positive emotions that come from not being able to solve the problem right away (frustration, sadness, anger, fear, helplessness, hope, etc.)
Sample Questions to consider as you weep for your own situation:
What are the specific emotions that you feel as you more deeply understand the difficulty of the problem?
If you are not currently experiencing the problem you have observed, how would you feel if you were experiencing this problem?
What do those emotions and feelings make you want to do? Give up? Take action?
Can you see God in the middle of this problem?
What do you think God feels about this problem?
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Analyze the underlying reasons for this problem. Explore and brainstorm why the problem exists. Identify any overall patterns that contribute to the problem. Consider how “heart, soul, mind, and strength” of people might be contributing to the problem. Ask “why”, and for each answer ask “why” again at least 4 more times! Prioritize the root causes you have identified based on your group’s capacity to directly address those roots.
Sample Questions to consider as you narrow down the root causes:What are the barriers that have kept this problem from being solved before?
What are some of the broader systemic, historical, cultural, or societal reasons this problem exists?
Why does this problem exist? Ask “why” after each answer at least 5 times to help you dig deeper and narrow down the root causes of the problem.
What are the root causes that you or your group can take practical steps to address?
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The turning point – shift from greater awareness of the issues to identifying possible solutions. This step is only possible after carefully walking through the process of uncovering, unlocking, and understanding the problem and its root causes. Our “heart, soul, mind, and strength” is now ready to pivot towards designing and applying solutions. Open your heart and mind to possible solutions to the short list of root causes your group has identified.
Sample Questions to consider as you explore solutions:What are some possible solutions to the short list of root causes you identified? Brainstorm possibilities. Ask a lot of “What if …?” questions.
What are some of your dreams and visions that directly address the root causes of the problems?
What is the long-term impact or benefit you want to see?
How can the movement model of Alongsiders create possible solutions?
Who are other participants you can include in this process of exploring solutions? Usually those who experience the effects of the problems most directly are the ones who are best able to help identify solutions.
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Bring clarity and conviction to your proposed solutions by designing specific actions that can be easily carried out. Evaluate the solutions you have identified and prioritize them. Design clear and specific actions your group can take to implement the highest priority solutions you have identified.
Sample Questions to consider as you decide on your action plan:What will it take to accomplish the dreams and solutions you identified above?
What specific steps are needed to apply the solutions?
Are these actions scalable? How can they be multiplied easily across the movement?
Are the actions clear, simple, and understandable? How much explanation is required to carry them out?
Are the actions sustainable over time? What resources and support network will be needed to ensure that these actions will continue over the long term?
Who will carry them out?
HOW WE GROW
Alongsiders grows by appointing Area Representatives (Area Reps) - local leaders who mentor and support Alongsiders in their communities. This approach helps the movement expand while staying true to its core values.
By empowering Area Reps, Alongsiders ensures sustainable, grassroots growth, allowing young leaders to take ownership and spread the movement in a way that fits their local context.