BEYOND BB

Our Most Vital Partnership: Parents.

A child’s life is packed: school, clubs, screen time, and … going to BB each week! So many things to do, so many voices to hear, all competing for a stake in their life. If you’re a BB leader, you likely volunteer each week because you want to be a significant voice in these boys’ lives, helping them to follow Jesus and thrive as young men.

As someone who has volunteered in youth organisations for decades, I was heartbroken to see many young people walking away from their faith. This led me to begin searching for a more influential voice than mine to speak the gospel truth to this rising generation. It became clear to me that parents, including fathers and father figures, have the defining voice in a young person’s life. All the external pressures we worry about—AI, social media or a secularising culture—carry little weight compared to the consistent voice of a parent. It’s important to recognise this if we are to influence a generation of young men towards the habits of Obedience, Reverence, Discipline, Self-respect, and all that tends towards true Christian manliness.

Debbie (my wife) and I have two sons, both attend Waterside Boys’ Brigade. As parents, we often feel like we’re parenting through uncharted territory. The world is overwhelmingly new. And we need organisations like the BB to help us raise our children not as worriers but worshipers. Yet, in the same breath, I want to say that just as we feel the need for the BB, so the BB should feel the need for engaged parents. It’s not one or the other but a partnership, working together to anchor these young people, steadfast and sure, as the bellowing tide of a distracting world swirls around them.

Parents need The Boys’ Brigade, and The Boys' Brigade need parents.

A boy would need to attend the BB for 1,178 years to equal the same amount of time he will spend with his parents during his time from Anchors to Company section.

If we, as the Boys’ Brigade in Northern Ireland, are serious about holding to our honourable object—the advancement of Christ's kingdom among boys; and aiming for our admirable vision—raising generations of Christ-like men, we must be strategic and practical about partnering well with parents.

What could this look like beyond parents attending the display?

It can be simpler than you think. Consider:

• Presence: Having a main leader available in the car park to chat with parents at drop-off and pick-up.
• Communication: Creating a welcome pack that goes beyond registration, demonstrating that the BB is not just a club their son attends, but a partnership dedicated to supporting their family.
• Collaboration: Issuing a simple questionnaire to parents asking what themes would be most relevant for their sons.

A new initiative that provides a fantastic opportunity to partner with parents is the Legacy Badge. This initiative, introduced for the Company and Senior sections, is an evening of competition and conversation, with a take-home challenge for boys to complete with a father or father figure. Nine companies successfully ran the Legacy Badge during 2024/25, with a great response from boys, leaders, and parents. We would love to see the Legacy Badge adopted across the organisation.

For the boys in our care, our role varies. Sometimes, we are augmenting the good influence already happening at home. Other times, we are providing a safe space when things at home are difficult. In every situation, however, there is a need to recognise and honour the families our boys come from and speak the good news of the gospel into the foundation of their lives.

As we begin a new BB year, what is one intentional step you can take to better connect with and equip the parents of the boys in our care? By doing so, we don't diminish our own role; we multiply our collective influence for the advancement of Christ's Kingdom among boys.

Would you like to run the Legacy Badge in your BB company? Find out more here.

Written by Andy Lamberton who is a speaker and  author of Letters for Exiles and director of Legacy, a ministry from Exodus to help faith and fatherhood thrive.