1. Visit their rooms: Check out bulletin boards. Look at books, magazines, CDs. Observe posters and pictures. Try to personally visit each youth once a year, and call them once a month (for large youth groups, for smaller ones double this).

2. Read a teen magazine: (YM, Teen People, Seventeen, Rolling Stone, Thrasher, etc. )

3. Go to their sports events, for more points go to their practices!

4. Read the school newspaper

5. Check out the high school yearbook (s)

6. Get a FBI background check

7. Interview a baby-sitter

8. Talk to parents

9. Interview pets

10. Visit their school at lunch, and for major points bring pizza!

11. Interview school personnel (teachers, counselors, principal, janitor)

12. Ask them what music they like

13. Ask them what hobbies they like

14. Notice their clothing style

15. Hang out at the mall or local gathering place

16. Survey your kids (use written survey to find attitudes, feelings, etc.)

17. Have kids wear T-shirts on which their personal problems are printed.

18. Read "Youth Worker Update" from Youth Specialties for current trends and resources in youth today

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