Every Sunday afternoon, something remarkable happens in our online space, the Online Academy. A small group of teens from across the globe log in, not for another class or another assignment, or to scroll mindlessly, but for something far more valuable: genuine connection.

What started out as something I considered a bit of an ‘add-on,’ alongside interactive and exciting classes that we run in the Online Academy, have become my favourite part of the week and an important ritual, I think anyway, for all of our teens. A great reminder that while we, as supportive adults and mentors can often focus on how much more value we can add, teaching something new and making sure whatever we’re doing with young people is exciting, sometimes, the best thing we can do is simply make sure to show up consistently.

In the Online Academy, our weekly check-ins aren’t just another calendar item. They’re a ritual. A digital sanctuary, if you will, where young people can pause, reflect, and set intentions for the week ahead. In a world that constantly pushes teens to achieve, compete, and perform, these moments of authentic connection have become transformative. 

I’ve been reflecting on the past four years of weekly check-ins to try to distill down exactly what makes these weekly check-ins so good. Why we still get teens who joined us four years ago, showing up almost every single Sunday, four years on. 

The Power of Consistency

The first piece of it, I believe, is that it’s every week. In a world where everything seems to be changing, our Sunday circles remain constant. This consistency creates safety. Trust. The kind of environment where real growth can happen. We’ve done our best to make sure that everyone feels comfortable to show up however they are, in the moment. They don’t have to perform here. They can rock up, no matter how stressed, tired, lazy, happy, etc they are feeling that day. And we’ll all be there to hear about it, if you feel like sharing.

“The weekly sessions are not just helping me set up for the week, but they’re also having positive benefits on my mental health, giving me a sense of clarity and helping me reset and start each week with a sense of tranquility and focus,” said Ruby, 17.

The Structure of Connection

If you’ve ever thought about holding your own version of weekly check-ins, whether in person or online, here’s a simple, but powerful, format that we follow: 

• A moment of settling in and grounding (if needed). Sometimes it’s better just to dive right in. 
• Reflection on the week that’s passed 
• Celebration of wins (big and small)
• Sharing ‘something to let go of’ or a vent or challenge (if something comes to mind)
• Setting intentions for the week ahead
• Sharing how they’d like to take care of themselves this week
• Community support and accountability

This looks like simply going around to each person individually and asking them some reflection questions about the past week. And when everyone has shared, we might ‘shake off’ the week somehow and then go around one more time to share about the week ahead. 

To support members, especially if they are new and especially if they enjoy knowing exactly what to expect and feeling prepared, we have a simple PDF worksheet they can complete before they come to the weekly check-in. 

And within this structure, magic happens.

Beyond Surface-Level Sharing

What’s really special too is that, while everyone is sharing their own experiences of the week that’s been, there are often shared feelings, shared experiences and a deep sense of connection and belonging simply in recognising that they are not alone. They also prompt each other, bounce off each other and support each other.

Someone might be having a ‘plain salt chips kinda week,’ where things went along pretty smoothly but nothing too exciting happens. That might prompt someone else to share that this week for them was actually anything but that!

And when it comes to sharing how they might like to feel next week, someone might share that they’d really like to feel “locked in and productive” and that’s enough for the rest of them to realise they too would LOVE that for themselves. 

There is so much power in having a few simple questions that everyone knows is coming, every single week, and getting to see their own lives, and the lives of other members, through those simple questions. They are beautiful touch points.

What we’ve observed over four years is that these check-ins create ripples far beyond our Sunday sessions. Teens report:

• Increased confidence in speaking up at school
• Better ability to name and process their emotions
• Stronger goal-setting and follow-through
• Enhanced empathy and understanding of others
• Deeper appreciation for different perspectives
• Improved self-reflection skills

The Global Perspective

Perhaps one of the most unique aspects of our check-ins is their global nature. When one teen shares a challenge with school pressure in Sydney, another in a small town in South Africa might offer perspective from their experience as they start to navigate applying to Universities. When someone celebrates a small win in North Carolina, they receive genuine congratulations from a member in India. 

This global connection helps teens understand that while their experiences may be personal, they’re not alone in navigating them.

Our group may be small, but we are global! And to have real friends all over the world, who you get to see and speak with regularly, is uplifting and supportive. 

The Parent Perspective

Parents have noticed changes too.

“My son joined a check-in call this weekend and he really enjoyed it and will be attending regularly. He said it was ‘quiet,’ in a good way – I know the softer vibe is super soothing for him,” Mariana, parent, USA

what the research says

There’s beautiful research by scholar Radu Sandu that studied young people facing severe disadvantages and the relationships that transformed their lives. He found that supportive relationships helped young people develop what he called “a self that was worthy and able.”

This happened through three key mechanisms.

1. First, opening up emotions – helping young people feel positive about themselves and express difficult feelings safely.

2. Second, broadening cognition – disrupting negative thought patterns and offering new perspectives.

3. And third, promoting agency – fostering a sense that “I can do things differently” and promoting real hope.

The combination of the reflection questions, a space that feels safe to share, different perspectives and experiences from the other members and going into a new week every Sunday feeling like there are a small group of people who believe in you and genuinely wish you well for the week ahead, achieves all of the above. And while the members we have in the Online Academy are not ‘facing severe disadvantages’ and we are firmly in the ‘preventative space’ working with young people who are doing pretty well in life already, they (and all of us really!) can always do with a bit more of the ‘self that is worthy and able’ vibes, right? 

Looking Forward

As we continue to grow and evolve, one thing remains constant: the power of showing up together, week after week. In a digital world often criticised for creating disconnection, we’re proving that meaningful connection is possible anywhere, with the right intention and structure.

Because sometimes, the most powerful transformation doesn’t come from grand gestures or intensive programs. It doesn’t come from another course and more learning. It comes from consistent, genuine connection, week after week, Sunday after Sunday.

Your Next Step

Want to explore this topic further? In my free training series, we talk about all the different ways you could set yourself up as a youth mentor. If you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s a link to register and get started right away.

Have you been thinking about running weekly check-ins or something similar with teens in your community? Send me an email at youthmentors@shinefromwithin.com.au or come find us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram. 

And if you’re a parent, and would love your teen to join us in the Online Academy, check it out here. We’d love to meet them!