Young church leaders are calling for WA faith communities to provide more support to avoid burnout and mental health issues.

Youth ministers are usually recruited by church leaders to mentor others by hosting gatherings connecting likeminded believers.

Yet for some, the calling gradually becomes a source of pressure, exhaustion, and emotional strain.

A 2024 study in NSW found more than 50 per cent of youth leaders in the state’s pentecostal churches felt disorganised, leading to frustration and reduced effectiveness.

Hannah Zulu served in her father’s church, stepping into leadership at a young age.

“I chose to lead the worship team, but over time it became something I had to do and eventually, it felt forced and became a chore,” she says.

Balancing ministry with personal life proved difficult.

Hannah recalls regularly turning down social activities, as weekends became full of rehearsals and church commitments.

“I couldn’t just be a normal kid, I always had to consider church,” she says.

In smaller church settings, where fewer people carry greater responsibility, Hannah believes young people are deeply overworked.

She recalls being told, “you don’t have kids, so you don’t have responsibility”.

“There wasn’t much interest in what our lives actually looked like,” she says, adding “the exhaustion was mental”.

Now a mother of three, Mrs Zulu attends Tribes Church, where her commitments fit in with her lifestyle.

She says stepping back transformed her faith.

“I’m comfortable going to church without serving constantly,” she says.

“How healthy is your relationship with God if you’re so busy serving?”

Beatrice Waran is an occupational therapist and Christian counsellor.

She says burnout is rarely discussed openly in church communities, particularly in smaller congregations, and many youth leaders are not given proper training.

“The majority of the time people who are called by God into this ministry have no proper theology background, and therefore fail to understand the weight the ministry actually carries,” she says.

Miss Waran says it’s important to seek help.

“Be vocal about your capacity because ministry should be a shared burden, not one carried alone,” she says.