How to Hold a Youth Ministry Conversation: Process Guides
Process guides serve as a resource on how to organize youth ministry conversations in congregations, districts, and stakeholder organizations. Three separate guides are available, in paper and online.
Congregational Process Guides
Download the Process Guide for Congregational Conversations (PDF) on Ministry To and With Youth. These conversations have been happening throughout the spring and summer of 2006.
The congregational process guide helps congregations engage youth, parents, lay leaders, and professional staff in a focused conversation about their youth ministry. It includes suggestions and resources for facilitating effectively and building group vision. The report forms included in the process guide provided important feedback to the Task Force on Youth Ministry, and informed the larger Association-wide conversation.
Supplement to the Process Guide (PDF) for
Congregational Conversations on Ministry To and With Youth
This
2-page (or 1-page double-sided) handout is the basis of the survey discussion
section of the congregational conversations on youth ministry. Make copies for
each attendee and use the reflection questions in the handout as well as the
questions in the process guide to lead a discussion.
District Process Guides
Download the Process Guide for District Gatherings (PDF) on Ministry To and With Youth. During the 2006-2007 year, every UUA district held a gathering on youth ministry. Visit the district gathering section of this website for the dates and reports from district gatherings
The process guide was designed to be adaptable to the particular needs of each district.
District gatherings on youth ministry were an opportunity for a diverse group of youth and adults from throughout each district to build on the outcomes of the youth ministry survey and congregational conversations. Participants strategized about how to strengthen district-level programs and services in order to empower and support local youth ministries. The process suggested forming a district task force to follow through on the ideas generated, and to take into consideration the recommendations of the UUA's Summit on Youth Ministry in July 2007.
Stakeholder Process Guides
The Task Force identified a variety of groups and organizations that are stakeholders in youth ministry and in the Consultation process. Eight of these are "core" stakeholders, and the Task Force worked closely with the leadership of these organizations to design an effective process to engage that organization's membership in a discussion of their ideas about and their role in youth ministry. The core stakeholders are:
- Young Religious Unitarian Universalists (YRUU)
- Liberal Religious Educators Association (LREDA)
- Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association (UUMA)
- Youth Advisor Network
- Diverse and Revolutionary Unitarian Universalist Multicultural Ministries (DRUUMM)
- Interweave
- Canadian Unitarian Council (CUC)
- UUA District Staff
Other stakeholders contributed their wisdom and input into the Consultation on Ministry To and With Youth using the Stakeholder Process Guide (PDF). An additional Discussion Guide (PDF) was developed for discussions among religious professionals.
For more information contact youthconsult @ uua.org.
Last updated on Monday, June 9, 2008.
