The best part of leading in Switch is connecting with students to show them how much Jesus loves them. No matter who they are and regardless of their background, social skills, emotional needs, sensory needs, intellectual abilities, or physical abilities, Switch is a place they can belong. But some of the students we’re trying to reach need more support than you as an individual Small Group Leader can give. 

In This Article …

You’ll learn about Switch Support leaders who provide an extra layer of care and support. They’ll partner with you to ensure every Switch student is valued, taught, and loved uniquely in the same way God uniquely loves each of us. Here are the topics we’ll cover: 

• What Do Switch Support Leaders Do? 
• How Do I Spot a Student Who May Need Extra Support?
• What Should I Do?

What Do Switch Support Leaders Do?

Switch Support Leaders and peer mentors are there to give your group or one of your students additional support. Here’s how they partner with you to provide it! 

• A one-on-one Switch Support Leader provides one-on-one leadership and attention to any student who needs it. Switch Support leaders consistently work with and get to know the student so the student will feel safe. The student will be safer, too, because there is an extra set of hands and eyes to monitor the student’s needs. A one-on-one Support Leader may work with a student for several weeks, months, or years as needed.
• On-call Switch Support Leaders work with Switch staff.
  • They can work with any new students who may arrive at the campus whose family specifically asks for extra support.
  • They work with campus staff to identify and work with students who may need extra support.
    • Example: Any student can have an “off” day, causing them to display a behavior that requires extra support. At the discretion of the staff, the on-call Switch Support Leader can work with you in your small group to support a student so you can focus on your small group more easily. They may step in and out to help other students or groups as needed.

• Switch Support leaders can help your small group focus better. Switch Support Leaders can sweep in and offer your group sensory support items like small fidget toys to help your group focus, listen, and have better discussions. 
• Switch Support Leaders partner with the whole family. It’s stressful for parents and caregivers who are sometimes called to pick their student up from Switch. A family with a Switch Support Leader can enjoy peace of mind because the leader works closely with them to learn what works at home or school—and helps apply those methods to offer a consistent, effective experience at Switch for the student.
• A Switch Support Leader is not always needed. The goal of Switch Support is to provide one-on-one support for only as long as it’s needed. When the student is able to participate in Switch using the same support methods as their peers, their assigned Switch Support Leader can begin to work with a new family.
• Switch Support Leaders aren’t meant to assist every student with differences. Say a parent drops off a student to Switch and mentions they have autism. Do you automatically need a Switch Support Leader’s help? Maybe not.
  • Switch Support Leaders are an incredible blessing to students who need them, but they’re not a catch-all, mandatory support system to be called in simply because of a student’s disability or life situation.
  • Many students with differences may just need more time to get used to their new environment.
• Switch Support leaders reinforce the content with a student at the student’s level. A great Switch Support Leader will figure out what their student is interested in and will use that as their starting point for bringing Scripture and God’s love into the student’s world.

What Do Peer Mentors Do?

• A peer mentor is a supportive friend to a student who needs extra support. Peer mentors model appropriate actions for that student to follow. They help them join in with group activities and discussions. Their support ensures that every student in Switch has a friend they can count on.

How Do I Spot a Student Who May Need Extra Support?

Students who need extra support don’t have a particular look. Students with autism, ADHD, a history of neglect, or any other difference may have become experts at hiding their deep needs. Sometimes, their needs are expressed in what can feel like unusual ways. 

It’s a win when we can recognize the needs behind puzzling or concerning behaviors, we can support students appropriately, and every student and parent knows it’s safe to disclose their support needs to us. So, how can we recognize when a student is trying to shoulder the burden on their own, and how can we support them as needed?

First, a reminder: a student with a disability does not automatically need extra support. Many students with disabilities of all types interact well with you and their peers already at Switch. 

Here are some signs a student may need help from a Switch Support Leader or peer mentor.

• A student stays separate, leaves, or hides from all crowds and students. 
• A new parent asks a lot of questions and seems hesitant during drop-off. 
• A student shows concerning behaviors such as: touching random people, crying, hiding, hitting themselves, etc.
• A student routinely disrupts your group so that discussion is impossible.
• A student seems to be having an “off” night and/or isn’t responding to your leadership.

What Should I Do?

When you see a student behaving in an unusual way, always ask if you can help. Here are some ways to do that well.

• Approach the student and ask them if they’re okay.
  • If they seem only mildly flustered, ask: “Would you like me to introduce you to a student who can stay with you tonight and show you around?” If the student says, “Yes,” ask your campus staff to point you to a peer mentor if you don’t see one nearby.
  • If the student seems more distressed and isn’t responding to you well, you can enlist the help of a Switch Support Leader. Ask your campus staff to point you to a Switch Support Leader if you don’t see one nearby.
• Ask a parent who looks especially worried at drop-off a question like this: “Is there anything else you think we should know to help your son/daughter have a great experience at Switch tonight?”
  • If the parent discloses that their son or daughter has additional needs or usually doesn’t do so well in big groups or new environments, mention that we have Switch Support Leaders who are happy to help!
  • Flag a Switch Support Leader to step in. They can help assess whether the student will need support from them or if a peer mentor might help them feel safe and included.
• If a behavior is inappropriate, approach the student in a non-threatening way. Ask them, “Are you able to stop [name behavior] so we can talk about it?” If they respond with defiance or in an unexpected way, get a Switch Support Leader to help. They may be able to help the student find something more appropriate to do.

A Word of Thanks!

You’re doing such an important work as a Switch Leader. Thank you for everything you do to help lead students to become fully devoted followers of Christ. We’re here for you to support you in doing just that, every step of the way.