National Youth Sunday > Getting young people along > Using technology
Good youth ministry doesn’t rely on technology. It’s about interpersonal, trusting relationships, and allowing space for God to act. However, there are times when we can harness the technology available to us to help share the message, or to evoke a spiritual space within the group. Below are some technology tips to help get you started:
Sound
Easiest way to get sound is to use a self-contained CD player, and turn the volume up. Better than this is to get a simple pair of computer speakers, and plug them into an MP3 player (such as an iPod), which gives you greater flexibility to move seamlessly from one song to another, and to create playlists on your computer.
Vision
Again, DVD clips/powerpoint will play on a laptop but if you’re above six or seven people, you may need to think about a DATA PROJECTOR. These are increasingly available in parishes, and plug into a laptop or a DVD player, projecting the image on a wall or screen. If you are using a data projector you must make sure you have familiarized yourself with it first, and that you have speakers to provide sound to accompany the vision.
Power
Think about where you’re going to plug all the equipment in. Older buildings often have fewer plug points, and will need extension cables. You need to make sure that all loose cables are taped down, and that you’re not running extension cables off extension cables, which can be a fire hazard.