Slide presentation for the second session of MIdAmerica-UUA's online course on Youth & Young Adult Ministries. This session was about Early Adolescence.

1. Youth & Young Adult Ministries
Session Two
Early Adolescence & Conceptual
Framework for Tapestry of Faith

2. Early Adolescence (ages 12-15)
ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT

3. Physical Growth
• Peak time of physical growth—puberty
• Transitions towards adult body
• Eats and sleeps more
• Demonstrates or does not demonstrate
behaviors that may indicate risk for eating
disorders or depression
• Seeks support for self-esteem and body image

4. Cognitive, Intellectual Development
• Moves from only concrete thinking to more
abstract thinking, including hypothetical thinking
• Concentrates on self and other’s perceptions of
self
• Engages an “imaginary audience,” a mental idea
of others watching
• Particular intelligence strengths become evident
(linguistic, mathematical, interpersonal, musical)

5. Social, Affective Development
• Social relationships with peers are very important
• Acceptance with peers is often important—may
seek “similar” peers as a means of affirming self
(e.g. same race peers, or similarly athletic peers,
etc.)
• Explores racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual
identities
• May enact racial/ethnic/gender stereotypes as part
of the process of developing their own identity

6. Social, Affective Development
• May have heightened consciousness about race
(e.g. multi-racial youth may feel pressure to
“fit in” with one racial group)
• Learns social scripts (embedded in the contexts
of race, ethnicity, and class) about what it
means to be a sexual person
• Expresses criticism of self and others

7. Moral Development
• Demonstrates interest in ethics of care and
justice
• Respects social order, although sometimes
challenges it as well
• Learns how to put ethics of justice into action
through community service

8. Spiritual, Religious, Faith Development
• Enjoys presence or absence of religious creed
• Expresses interest in religion that embodies
one’s values
• Sustains faith development by engaging with a
community that allows questioning

9. Support for Early Adolescent Stage
• Support a critical perspective on media images of
beauty and adulthood
• Promote healthy body image and self-esteem
• Affirm and support the youth’s many physical,
emotional and cognitive changes
• Be flexible and responsive
• Model respect
• Provide opportunities for complex thinking and
the pondering of big questions
• Listen first

10. Support for Early Adolescent Stage
• Recognize that challenging authority provides an
outlet for new cognitive skills
• Afford autonomy within limits of safety
• Engage in honest, supportive talk about sexuality
• Provide information and resources about healthy
sexuality that affirm a range of sexualities and
gender identities
• Provide outlets for questioning faith, religion and
creed
• Have a sense of humor!

11. Youth Ministry in Early Adolescence
• The importance of family
• Safety, Priority #1
• Fitting in

12. Generational Faith Formation
• Builder Generation (1945 and earlier)
• Baby Boom Generation (1946–1964)
• Generation X (1965–1979)
• Millennial Generation (1980–1999)
• Generation 2000 or the iGeneration (2000–)

13. Plurals
• The continual erosion of dominant media
• The rapid emergence of fragmented and niche-
based voices
• The power of ground-up consensus building
• The bold contrast of Gen X and Baby Boomer
parenting styles
• The growing conflicts surrounding demographic
changes
• The second-longest economic decline in U.S.
history

14. Plurals
• America’s last generation with a Caucasian
majority
• The most positive about America becoming more
ethnically diverse
• Existing in the most diverse social circles
• The least likely to believe in the “American
Dream”
• Beginning to reflect the Gen X parenting style in
their mindset
• Affected by blended gender roles

15. Conceptual Framework
TAPESTRY OF FAITH

16. Tapestry of Faith
Conceptual Framework
Tapestry of Faith, the UUA’s online curriculum
series is based on a theoretical model that
integrates four strands:
• Ethical Development
• Spiritual Development
• UU Religious Identity
• Faith Development

17. Ethical Development
Imagine youth and young adults who realize that
they are moral agents, capable of making a
difference in the lives of others, challenging
structures of social and political oppressions, and
promoting the health and well-being of the
planet.

18. Spiritual Development
Knowing that they are lovable beings…obligated
to use their gifts, talents and potentials in the
service of life.
Appreciates the value of spiritual practice…

19. UU Identity
Affirm that they are part of a UU religious
heritage…recognizing the need for community;
affirming the importance of families…accepting
that they are responsible for the stewardship and
creative transformation of their religious
heritage…in the service of diversity , justice and
compassion.

20. Faith Development
Integrate beliefs and values with everyday life.
(Developmental stages of faith development,
intertwining with other developmental theories).
Demonstrating ethical living and acquiring life
skills.

21. Tapestry of Faith Curricula
for Early Adolescence
Families is part of the Tapestry of Faith, the
lifespan integrated curriculum series developed
by the Unitarian Universalist Association of
Congregations. Embedded in this program is
attention to four strands of development: ethical,
spiritual, Unitarian Universalist religious
identity, and faith development.

22. Families: Ethical Development
The program is designed to help adolescents:
• Broaden and deepen their understandings and definitions of
families, including the roles and functions of families
• Explore the meaning of healthy families in a diversity of
forms
• Value each person's individual worth and realize his/her
unique perspective as an interpreter of our world and as a
teller of our stories
• Build and foster the ability to understand multiple
perspectives
• Develop the ethics of care and responsibility through the
intimate and ethical process of engaging with and
representing families

23. Families: Spiritual Development
The program is designed to help adolescents:
• Understand and appreciate the emotional, affective, and
spiritual dimensions of families
• Develop a personal sense of values regarding families
• Deepen spirituality through engagement with others
and through their work with artistic media
• Engage in the shared ministry of focusing—literally
and figuratively—on the faces and narratives of
congregation members
• Grow and deepen their naturally compassionate souls
• Engage joyfully in the creation of art

24. Families: UU Religious Identity
The program is designed to help adolescents:
• Learn more fully that there is no "objective"
point of view
• Understand how the living tradition of the UU
faith and its Principles can interpret and guide
families
• Learn how the fundamentals of photography
translate to our way of living and interpreting
the world in a more general way

25. Families: Faith Development
The program is designed to help adolescents:
• Engage as leaders of a project that serves the
greater congregation and affirms more deeply
their place in interdependent,
multigenerational, congregational life
• Collaborate with peers
• Experience the roles of photographer/artist and
storyteller—visual and/or text—within a faith
community

26. Tapestry of Faith Curricula
for Early Adolescence
Heeding the Call: Qualities Of A Justice Maker
• Identify qualities needed to create justice
• Explore social justice as individual and collective
acts of our spiritual journey
• Demonstrate how to engage in social justice work
• Connect youth's sense of belonging to Unitarian
Universalism by learning about the social justice
actions of Unitarian Universalists
• Provide youth with tools they can use in justice
work.

27. Our Whole Lives
Sexuality Education for Grades 7‐9

28. Our Whole Lives (OWL) values
• Self Worth
• Sexual Health
• Responsibility
• Justice and Inclusivity
OWL models and teaches caring, compassion,
respect, and justice. It helps adolescents address
their attitudes, values, and feelings about
themselves, their sexuality, and others’ sexuality.

29. Tapestry of Faith Curricula
for Early Adolescence
Coming of Age Handbook for Congregations
• Identify qualities needed to create justice
• Explore social justice as individual and collective
acts of our spiritual journey
• Demonstrate how to engage in social justice work
• Connect youth's sense of belonging to Unitarian
Universalism by learning about the social justice
actions of Unitarian Universalists
• Provide youth with tools they can use in justice
work.