Be creative. Rules vary in different communities. You may work in a town where youth pastors are able to be coaches, bring pizza on campus, or even facilitate after-school clubs on campus. Or you may be in a community where you are told that it is illegal to be on campus (which is not technically true), or where religious youth workers have been banned from campus. In my community, the junior highs are now closed campuses. I no longer have the access I had back in the 1980s. So, I have learned to organize “lunch runs.” I have invited four students (all who can fit in my Subaru) to bring a note notifying the school I that I have their parents' permission to take them to lunch. As soon as the bell rings for lunch, they run into the school office, sign out and jump into my car. The entire lunch period is only 30 minutes, so it's a blur! The students jump into my car, buckle their seat belts, and I take them to the closest fast-food joint. By the time they each order and get their food, it is usually time to head back to school. This does not allow for quality conversation, but it is a great shared memory, and they are the envy of all their friends when they come back to campus with a soda from Taco Bell! Once the momentum is set from these lunch runs, I have even been able to get a few adult leaders to join me on their own lunch hours and take up to 20 students this way! Other creative options might be to find out the requirements for becoming a substitute teacher in the district, sports coach, tutor or chaperone for dances and other activities. Schools always need help; seek ways to serve the school. Also, sitting in the stands at games, I have overheard students planning keg parties. Because of cultivated relationships with administrators, I have been able to fill them in discreetly about what I have heard.

Spread the vision. Try not to go on campus alone. Other volunteers might be able to use their lunch hours to visit campuses occasionally. It is great for your students to see their leaders in their “business gear.” Be sure to go on campus with them the first time to ensure a good beginning. You would not want to jeopardize your campus access with lack of preparation.

Manage your campus presence. For the last several years, I have had the freedom to go onto high-school campuses at lunch. Nevertheless, I always check in every fall to make sure I know the staff; I do not act like I own the place! It is a privilege to be God’s person on campus, and I want to handle it respectfully. Say hello to the secretaries, campus security and administrators; show them you're still around and available, or make an appointment to meet new administrators a week or two before school starts. Be sure to greet them at games or school events after initially meeting them; let them see you are following up on any requests to be on campus.

Think bigger. I find that many youth workers are solely focused on the students. However, spend a portion of campus time talking to secretaries, security personnel, teachers and parents. This can help you in your youth ministry, as well as serve the kingdom of God in profound ways. Because of positive campus relationships, my students have had an easier time being excused from class to go on weekend camps or getting approval for church-related community service hours. Furthermore, I regularly am asked to speak at Career Day due to these relationships. I have met other parents who subsequently decided to send their son or daughter to our youth group after meeting me just sby hanging out at the snack bar and chatting with parents I already knew.  Best of all, I have known of campus security members and teachers who have become Christians through the witness of Christian students, Young Life leaders and youth pastors. In fact, one of these friends, after meeting Christ through some students in a math class, went on to serve for 30 years in a Young Life club!