Local ministry background:
Premysl was born into an atheistic family where the subject of God was a complete taboo. A believing friend brought him to church for the first time at the age of 18, and that is where Premysl’s journey to God began. He accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior a little later. After college, he began ministering to children and youth. He started in the church Sunday school, moved into the youth ministry, and eventually became a youth leader in his home church.

Premysl has been in the HY ministry since 2017. He focuses on elementary schools and especially on high schools in Moravia and East Bohemia. Through the programs he implements, he wants to bring hope, support and help today’s young generation in the various struggles and challenges they are going through.
He offers to schools well-prepared and proven programs from the “Respect for Life” series. The programs are expertly put together and balanced. Premysl prides himself on quality and good execution, authentic presentation, interest and respect for the students. He focuses, among other things, on the topic of eating disorders. He personally perceives that this phenomenon is a big problem among the young generation today.

In connection with the programs, he offers a form of crisis intervention and counselling. He is also involved in the preparation of school adaptation retreats and various leisure activities for children and young people.

More about programs

How he became a HY Worker:
Before Premysl became a HY Worker, he had several different jobs. The common denominator of all of them was and is the young generation. After his studies at university, he completed a one-year internship at KAM organization (the Christian Youth Academy), which fundamentally determined the form of his future work with children and youth. Under the auspices of the church, he led clubs and meetings for children and youth. He also served as a regional youth pastor. In civilian employment he was a teacher for many years.

In 2017 he experienced a strong calling to return to youth ministry in the form of HY ministry and to share his personal story of struggle with eating disorders with children and adolescents in particular.
He evaluates this decision himself: “This proved to be very insightful quite early on, because eating disorders are one of the most current and most requested topics in schools in terms of prevention at the moment. My hope is that at least a few young people will find support, understanding, advice and referral to professional help from me. I also hope that through my programs and leisure activities I will be able to influence young people – that they will at least reflect on, and at best adjust or change their ethical values, attitudes and beliefs.”

 

Program topics and resource:
In his HY ministry Premysl uses much-appreciated program series called “Respect for Life”, especially:

Eating Disorders
How to Manage Difficulties
Career counseling
Risks of cyberspace
Fake news or the disinformation war

Feedback

“I would like to thank Mr. Sedenka for his HY programs on eating disorders. These programs have been held at our school for several years now and the students are usually very interested. Mr. Sedenka makes contact with the students in a pleasant and engaging way and shares his story with them. Many students want to discuss with him even after the program is over.
Thank you for the cooperation so far and I look forward to the future.”
A Prevention Methodist, High School, Eating Disorders Program

 

“Thank you so much for your time after the program. It was a big step for me to reflect on myself. It was unimaginable for me to open up to someone like I did to you, so it was a miracle that I took a chance when I knew things were going downhill with me again. I always feel terrible after I confide, but this time that feeling didn’t come.
I would like to thank you and say that I have not felt so relaxed and comfortable talking about my problems for a long time. I still struggle with my body and self-love issues, but now I know what and how. Thank you for everything and have a wonderful day.”
A Student, Eating Disorders Program

Back to Our Healthy Youth Workers