Youth for Christ hands executive reins to veteran member

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This article was published 10/01/2020 (2450 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

GROWING up near Winkler, the last thing Cliff Heide wanted to be was a missionary overseas.

Instead, “God showed me a different kind of mission, right close to home,” said Heide, 40, the new executive director of Youth for Christ Winnipeg.

In his case, it was with the skateboard community. Heide started volunteering with YFC’s skateboard program while a student at Providence University College in Otterburne, where he was studying commerce.

“At time, I was thinking about a career in business,” he said. “But God turned me around.”

This call has been renewed many times over the 18 years he has been on staff at YFC, including serving as the senior ministry director before recently being named executive director.

“It’s not where I expected to be, but I’m excited for the new challenge,” he added.

It’s a big challenge. The organization, which is headquartered at a multi-purpose facility at the corner of Higgins Avenue and Main Street, has about 80 staff, 450 volunteers, and a budget of $4.5 million. It serves about 10,000 youth each year at nine locations, including rural Manitoba and at its summer camp.

This includes the large indoor skateboard park, gym and rock wall (at almost 17 metres, the tallest in the city, Heide noted). Other programs include a drop-in, fitness centre, ball hockey, indoor soccer, job readiness, youth and family counselling, and one for teen parents.

YFC programs are open to anyone.

“We don’t care about postal codes,” Heide said, noting youth from Tuxedo and the North End use the skateboard park. “Nobody has to become a Christian to use our facilities or programs.”

At the same time, Heide noted: “We want to serve youth holistically — physically, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually. They are invited to talk about faith, if they want to. Nobody is forced to accept Christ.”

When it comes to serving Indigenous youth, he said YFC comes “from a posture of humility, acknowledging the harm done to Indigenous people by the church in the past.”

YFC can’t gloss over that history, Heide added, but wants to do things differently now. “We want to be an ally, however imperfect.”

One thing that makes Heide, a father of three, unique as an executive director is he raises his own salary — just like all other YFC staff.

“Some people, their jaws hit the floor when they hear that,” he said.

By needing to fundraise their own salaries, it “means the people who work here really want to work here,” he said. “You only come here if you feel a calling of God to do this work.”

YFC staff raise support from family, friends and home churches; in Heide’s case, it’s the Winnipeg Vineyard church, just up the street.

“Their support is a confirmation of that call, and a cheering section,” he said.

Looking ahead, Heide sees challenges and opportunities for YFC, including the growing meth problem in the city and other parts of Manitoba, along with helping youth resist the lure of gangs.

Fundraising is also an ongoing issue; the organization gets no government funds for its core support or salaries.

“We are almost 100 per cent donor-supported,” he said, noting YFC has thousands of individual donors and about 175 partner churches from various denominations.

As for opportunities, Heide wants to collaborate more with other organizations, and also be resource for the whole city. This includes a new program placing YFC staff with local churches so they can serve neighbourhood youth.

As for skateboarding, he still enjoys it, but doesn’t do it very much anymore.

“My brain says yes, but my body says no,” Heide said, adding: “It hurts more when I fall now.”

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