251: (Part 2) What role should you play with a student who is experiencing complicated family dynamics?

In this episode, Jeremy and Sid dive into a big, practical question for youth workers: What do I do when a student shares something heavy about their family? Whether you're at camp, in a small group, or hanging out one-on-one, chances are high that a student will eventually open up about something difficult at home. Sid unpacks what your role is (and what it isn’t) when that happens. They talk about mandatory reporting, emotional boundaries, practical tools, and how to love students without taking on more than you’re called to carry. This conversation is packed with wisdom, stories, and clarity for youth workers who want to care well without burning out or stepping outside their lane. Looking for a practical next step? Try out one of these things… Never promise confidentiality; rather, explain that you will only tell people who can help Create a simple incident reporting system ( here is a sample of some of the questions you might include) Know who to call: have a go-to list of professionals for legal or safety issues Be clear about your emotional limits—don’t carry what you’re not meant to Spend time with both high-needs and emotionally healthy students Consider getting additional training if you’re consistently walking into deep situations Have a question or want to dig deeper? You can email jeremy@youthworker.community . You can also check out the podcast that Sid mentioned where he was a guest with his son Payton here:

You can listen to 251: (Part 2) What role should you play with a student who is experiencing complicated family dynamics? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

251: (Part 2) What role should you play with a student who is experiencing complicated family dynamics? is an episode from Youth Ministry Team Podcast by jeremy@cywc.ca.

This episode is 22:01 long.

This episode was published on Oct 14, 2025.

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