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Hello Religious Education Professionals/leaders!
This is a very full email from the Lifespan Faith Engagement Office of the UUA on what we currently know about bringing youth to General Assembly (GA).
We are also offering an info session on Friday, March 7th at 3pm ET | 2pm CT | 1pm MT | 12pm PT. We’ll cover this information live and answer your questions. Find more information and register here.
Links for more information
Bringing Youth to General Assembly
- What’s available for youth? In addition to the full GA schedule, youth can choose their own adventure through several youth-centered or youth-only offerings.
- Deeper Joy Pop-ups: on site only. Anywhere, anytime games and activities for creating radically inclusive, accessible and spiritually grounded community based on the Community Building Map to Deeper Joy.
- Workshops: These are available asynchronously online, with some opportunities for live engagement (both virtual and onsite). Many workshops have been crafted to be accessible and interesting to youth.
- For example: Pop culture and theology workshop: In person and online. Dive into the shared UU values through pop culture with other young UUs
- Designated youth and emerging adult (EA) rooms: for hanging out, playing games, and scheduled activities. All scheduled programming includes a virtual option. Youth and EA Community Guides will help shape programming for these spaces.
- BIPOC YaYA meal: in person, off site gathering for BIPOC youth and young adults (ages 14-35). More information to come.
- Friday evening Synergy Service: in person and online. A youth led main stage worship service. This includes the Bridging ceremony. More information on Synergy below.
- Additional youth activities to be designed by Guides, in person and online
- Why might youth want to attend GA?
- Opportunities to meet other UU youth and adults from across the country
- Engaging in the democratic process of the UUA, by learning about the business of our association or serving as a delegate to help shape the face of UUism.
- Youth can build a space of “pop-up community”.
- GA is a space to explore your values, our shared UUA Values, and go deeper in community.
- Youth Supervision at GA
- UUA staff & guides host programs but are not responsible for youth supervision.
- Each youth must have a responsible adult with them.
- A youth sponsor may be a parent/guardian or their designee, like a religious educator or lay leader who has agreed to be responsible for a youth attendee.
- More details
- How can I make this affordable for youth?
- This Youth & EA/YA applicable financial support form could get you youth or EA/YA registration costs as low as $50 per person and hotel rates at 50% market (and you could put 4 people per room).
- Youth could take on a leadership role in exchange for registration and maybe other expenses. Connect with other religious educators to learn what they have done in previous years and check the Frugal GA guide for more tips.
Youth, Emerging Adult, and Adult Guides
- Guides co-create programming, worship, and activities in the youth or EA space that are grounded in Unitarian Universalism and the needs of youth/EA attendees. Guides are asked to attend planning meetings and an orientation, and communicate regularly with other Guides and UUA staff. This is a great opportunity to deepen your connection with other UU youth and to further develop your relationship building, group facilitation, and collaboration skills.
- We are seeking 4 youth, 4 EAs (2 virtual and 2 in person), and 2 adults to serve as Guides for UU youth. Travel, registration, housing, meals, and honorarium are provided. Learn more and share the application for youth community guides and the application for Emerging Adult Community Guides
Synergy and Bridging
- Our Lifespan Faith Engagement Office is creating a video celebrating youth groups for our 2025 Synergy Service! Our ask- can your youth groups draw, build, or creatively create a chalice that symbolizes the group? We need your photos by May 10, submit your photos here.
- Bridging at Synergy 2025
We honor the transition of our youth leaving the youth community and finding
one’s place in the young adult community. All registered 12th grade youth
will be invited to bridge at Synergy. Further information will be directed to
registered Bridgers and their parent/guardian.
Thank you for reading all this information, and for the work you do with UU youth and young people. We hope to see you at the March 7th info session. Please reach out to us at gayouth@uua.org if you have any questions. |
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