5. New Youth Advisor/Youth
Coordinator , “Let’s Talk”
Midwest UU Leadership
Fall 2012
Nancy Combs-Morgan, MidAmerica Coordinator for
Emerging Youth and Young Adult Ministries
6. Chalice Lighting: Begin doing what you want to do now. We are
not living in eternity. We have only this moment, sparkling like a
star in our hand—and melting like a snowflake.
M.B. Ray
7. Begin “doing” by reflecting….
By reflecting on the hopes and dreams for youth ministry
in your congregation
Structure and intentionality are essential in achieving
your dreams
What is the “structure” of your youth group?
What are the expectations for adults working with the
youth group?
8. How do you begin?
Do you have a registration roster
What communication vehicles exist for
youth in your congregation?
Review social networking policies with
DRE and/or minister
Have you made sure that your information
has been given to your DRE for a
background check?
9. Before Meeting with the Youth Group
Have you met with your fellow youth
advisors? Consider a SMG approach…
Are there greater goals in the
congregation which the youth group
should be responsive to? Ex. Having
more multigenerational services or social
justice efforts; milestone events; new
initiatives (Standing on the Side of Love)
10. Youth Group In-Gathering
It’s time for the first youth group/youth
class….consider:
Hospitality-recruit at least 2 returning
youth to be greeters
Be Intentional-go through last year’s list of
participants/visitors to send out a facebook
and/or e-mail invite for the first session
11. In-Gathering, cont.
Before the first session
recruit adults and youth to make the
space welcoming
are there special needs considerations…
does the space reflect a welcoming
feeling for a “new start,” or does the space
only reflect former attendees and/or
former activities
12. Balance Structure and Creativity
Consider a structured session allowing
time for fellowship, creativity and for
building a covenant
Be prepared that first session with a
chalice lighting and consider a brief small
group ministry session (at least 30
minutes)
13. Creating the Covenant
With a youth co-leader in the covenant
process
begin with a template of former
covenants, weave the congregation’s
covenant into this (if there is one)
Model good facilitation skills in this
process, give examples of “Step up, step
Back; speaking with one voice; assuming
best possible motive, etc…)
14. Resist Going Right to Goals/Task
The inclination is often to get right to
“work,” setting goals for the year,
assigning roles, etc…
attend to group process and governance
(how decisions are made)
Take this time to review the 6 components
of a balanced youth program (have the 6
components posted throughout the space)
15. Six Components of A Balanced
Youth Program
Worship
Community Building
Social Action
Learning
Leadership Development
Youth-Adult Relations
http://www.uua.org/re/youth/leading/45563.shtml
16. Six “Killers” of a Healthy Youth
Program
Unqualified Advisors
Lack of Planning
Unbalanced Activities
Unwelcoming Atmosphere
Lack of Church support
Bad Communication (Jack Brand)
17. Safe Congregation Issues
Review your congregation’s safety
policies, covenant with your fellow
advisors to adhere to these policies
Be on board with these policies – they
protect our youth, but are also there for
your protection – use a team approach,
strive for 2 adults to always be working
together with youth
18. Youth Faith Development
Unitarian Universalist youth leadership
development lays a groundwork for enabling
young people to realize that they are moral
agents, capable of making a difference in the
lives of others…(and to)
Accept that they are responsible for the
stewardship and creative transformation of their
UU religious heritage and community of faith.
Vision Statement from Tapestry of Faith,
http://www.uua.org/re/tapestry/62884.shtml
19. Youth Ministry Working Group – A new
direction with five core values….
A vision of youth ministry which is:
-congregationally based
-spirit and faith centered
-counter oppressive
-inclusive and multicultural, and
Grounded in multigenerational faith communities
(Youth Ministry Working Group,
www.uua.org/youthministry)
20. The Steps to Building Community
For over 20 years one of the central pillars of UU youth
ministry was the “Steps to Building Community” –
bonding, opening up, affirming, stretching, deeper
sharing and goal setting.
The “steps” illuminate a group process, but there is a
need for a deeper grounding
Do you have a process of evaluating your goals for youth
leadership development, using those 6 components:
worship, leadership, youth/adult relations;
community building, social action and learning?
21. A deeper grounding …
Unitarian Universalist congregations are called to start
and maintain youth groups; fostering leadership and
spirituality with youth, and building communities wherein
all youth are affirmed, empowered, and spiritually
nourished.
Consider integrating four strands…ethical
development, spiritual development, Unitarian
Universalist Identity and faith development
22. Pathways for Youth Leadership
Development
Invite youth to plan, participate in and lead
worship, multigenerational programs,
social justice projects, etc…
Create opportunities for youth to engage
in spiritual reflection through small group
ministries and/or other programs
23. Pathways to Youth Leadership
Development
Recruit and train youth to serve on
congregational boards and
committees(not just youth specific
committees or the RE committee)
(Youth on Board, www.youthonboard.org)
24. Widen Youth Voices and Participation
Take time to evaluate in your
congregation the possibilities for youth to
be full members – what are your
guidelines for membership
Coming of Age programs and
membership
Are all of your committees, task forces,
boards, etc…open to youth leadership?
25. The “Developmental” part of youth
ministry
Key developmental tasks of the middle
adolescence stage (ages 15-18)
1) finding a valued place in a constructive group
2) cultivating problem-solving skills
3) acquiring support systems and knowing how to use
them
4) finding ways to be useful to others
5) finding ways to feel a sense of basic self-worth
(Nurturing Children and Youth:A Development Guidebook)
26. Next steps:
What will you do to reach out to other youth
advisors in your area/district/region?
Be an advocate for youth in the congregation
Set an early goal for youth leadership
development – send them to Youth Midwest
Leadership School, www.mwls.org
Check out the “Luminary Leaders” program,
http://www.uua.org/re/youth/leading/luminary/index-shtml