Youth Alpha

Sunlight seeping in; cosy temperature building around us and tranquillity......this time Youth Alpha found itself in the conservatory of a castle with Youth Alpha adviser and champion - Rachael Heffer!

Rach, who works at Youth For Christ, is a dab hand when it comes to Youth Alpha, having worked directly with us in London since 2002. Her new role with Youth For Christ (Corporate Director!) means that we don’t see her quite as much – but she’s still a passionate advocate for Youth Alpha and it’s a real treat when we get to hang out with her.

Mum to Jacob, wife to Darren (an architect) and responsible for Youth For Christ’s strategy, core values and cultural development – we wonder how Rachael manages to fit everything in!

Rachael, what’s your favourite hot drink?
It’s got to be Starbucks Chai Tea Latte.

What was the last film that you saw?
Ummm, maybe it was at the cinema......? I have a toddler; I don’t get out to the cinema much any more. Oh dear, it’s sad that I can’t even answer that question, isn’t it?! [No comment from Youth Alpha obviously!]. Probably ‘Love Actually’ on TV at Christmas.

Do you have any pets?
Tropical fish, lots of them!

Do you like watching sport?
No! My husband is an obsessed Arsenal season ticket holder... so football is a constant in our house, but I tend to ignore it.

What would we catch you doing on a Saturday afternoon?
Catching up with friends, shopping, or doing something fun with my two-year old.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
To be able to go back in time. There are lots of points in history that I’d like to see and I wouldn’t mind undoing some embarrassing moments along the way!

What cartoon character best describes you?
I’d like to say Jessica Rabbit... But I’ll go for the cowgirl in Toy Story – she’s quite feisty and adventurous. [Youth Alpha, finger on the pulse as ever, happens to know her name is Jessie].

If you could be given ANY gift what would it be?
A Porsche 911. It would have to be a sports car.

Rach, you’ve been involved with Youth Alpha for over 8 years, we’d love to know some more about this...

Why are you so passionate about Youth Alpha and training others to run it?
Because Youth Alpha is entirely fun, relevant and I’ve seen the amazing difference it can make when young people discover the truth about Jesus.

What’s your highlight when it comes to being a Youth Alpha Adviser?
Helping to equip other youth leaders and seeing them get excited about seeing changes in their own young people.

What’s the best thing about running Youth Alpha for you?
One of the best things about Youth Alpha is seeing how easily a young person can run a Youth Alpha course for their mates - the material is really accessible and creative and anyone can tailor it to suit their friends, school mates or youth group.

Anything else that you’d like to add or say?
USE IT and see how God can totally make a difference in the lives of young people.

And just like that, our time with Rachael was over. Find out who your nearest Youth Alpha Adviser is by clicking here, they’re here to help you!