Strategic Partnerships Taking Shape
One of the most exciting parts of leading Access Youth Ministry is seeing how God continues to open doors and expand our reach. Over the past year, we’ve been praying about how we can better equip churches and youth workers to welcome and disciple students with disabilities. The need is great, and the opportunities are growing. Thanks to your faithful partnership, we are beginning to take bold new steps forward through several significant national partnerships that are shaping our future.
We want to take a moment to share how these partnerships—with Key Ministry, the National Network of Youth Ministries (NNYM), the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative, Joni and Friends, and the Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing—are helping AYM multiply our influence, strengthen our resources, develop training that will impact youth ministries and connect us with youth workers across the country.
Meeting a Growing Need
This summer, the NNYM shared with us a discovery that shook us in the best way possible: over 250 of their youth worker members have identified that they need support to reach students with disabilities. That number represents hundreds of churches and thousands of young people who are waiting to hear the gospel in a way that meets them right where they are.
For us at AYM, this was both a wake-up call and a confirmation of our mission. The need is real, it is national in scope, and God is positioning us to meet it. Through our new partnership with NNYM, we are now preparing to equip these 250 youth workers (and many more to come) with the coaching, tools, and community they need to create accessible and gospel-centered youth ministries.
Strengthening Our Coaching and Training
Each of our new partnerships brings something unique to the table.
National Network of Youth Ministry has been serving and connecting youth workers for fifty years. They have invited AYM to partner with them in serving youth workers, specifically those with disabilities, in order to see them thrive in their calling.
Key Ministry has been a pioneer in disability ministry for years, and by walking alongside them, we are learning best practices and developing specialized coaching strategies for youth workers. We have also been invited to take part in their annual Disability & the Church Conference in April, 2026.
The DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative is helping us think strategically about leadership development and how to strengthen diverse leaders who are serving in challenging urban contexts.
Joni and Friends brings decades of global experience in disability ministry, and through their network, we are able to connect with leaders who share our heart to see every student welcomed.
The Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing is helping us ground our work in fresh research, and best practices, ensuring that what we provide to churches is not just practical but biblically rich.
Together, these partners are equipping us to sharpen our coaching, refine our training, and create resources that can be scaled to serve youth ministries nationwide.
Why Your Support Matters Now
We want you to know that none of this happens without your prayers and generosity. Every new partnership we step into comes with opportunity, but it also comes with responsibility. When 250 youth workers raise their hands and say, “We need help,” we don’t want to turn them away. We want to be ready with the training, coaching, and resources that will help them reach students with disabilities in their own communities.
Your continued support is what allows us to build this infrastructure. Your giving fuels the development of new training modules, helps us provide coaching to disabled youth workers, and ensures that the resources we create remain accessible to ministries of all sizes. Quite simply, your partnership makes it possible for us to say “yes” to the growing needs God is placing before us.
Looking Ahead
We believe the next season of AYM will be one of multiplication. Through these new partnerships, we are not just impacting a single youth group or church at a time—we are building pathways to equip hundreds of youth workers who will each go on to reach dozens of students with disabilities in their communities. That means the ripple effect of your investment is exponential.
We are humbled and excited to see where God will take this movement. Thank you for standing with us, believing in this vision, and making it possible for students with disabilities to find belonging in the body of Christ. Together, we are breaking barriers, equipping leaders, and shaping a future where every young person knows they are seen, loved, and welcomed in God’s kingdom.