Resources for Bridging from Youth to Young Adulthood
One of the most important things we can do for our youth is to support them into adulthood, to keep them connected to Unitarian Universalism, and continue to minister to them as they become adults. To succeed in this ministry, we must ensure that our movement stays relevant to the next generation of Unitarian Universalist (UU) adults. Anecdotal evidence tells us that the vast majority of our youth leave our congregations between the ages of fourteen and twenty, many never to return. While they may still consider themselves to be Unitarian Universalist, they aren't a part of our congregations, leaving them alone on their spiritual journeys. This has been referred to as the "cliff" off of which our youth go, never to be seen again. To prevent this "cliff" phenomenon, we seek to build bridges. These bridges come in the form of programs in our congregations and on campuses, pastoral care and more. Below are several resources to help our congregations create a bridge for youth to cross into adulthood in our congregations.
Crossing the Bridge From Youth to Young Adulthood
This guide, updated in 2003, leads you through developing and instituting a bridging ceremony to celebrate the transition from youth to young adulthood. Includes readings, sample orders of service, and educational pieces for your congregation. We strongly encourage all congregations to hold an annual bridging ceremony. Purchase the guide from the UUA Bookstore.
The Bridge Connections Program
The Bridge Connections program helps keep young adult Unitarian Universalists connected to Unitarian Universalist communities and campus groups when they go off to college, get their own apartment, or start a new job. Each spring, all congregations receive postage paid reply cards to give to their senior youth to send onto our office. Youth can also respond online. For more information or to request additional reply cards, contact the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries. In the fall, local congregations and campus ministries are notified of recently bridged young adults moving to their area, so that they may welcome them and notify them of services and programs in that area.
The Backpacker's Notebook
This curriculum is intended for use by youth and young adults ages 16-25 in the context of a congregation or campus ministry group. A complete update of the original UU Backpacking, Backpacker’s Notebook asks participants to work with a mentor in traveling metaphorical paths of faith discovery through projects designed to address a wide range of learning styles. Participants explore history and theology, community building, service to others, worship and spirituality, social justice, and leadership. Purchase the Backpacker's Notebook from the UUA Bookstore.
Pre-Bridging Curricula
We strongly encourage congregations to provide senior youth with programming that supports their transition to adulthood in advance of a bridging ceremony. If youth do not receive the tools, pastoral care, and time to reflect on their transition that they will need on the other side of the bridge, the bridge itself becomes little more than an empty symbol.
The Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) is working on curricula to address this need. If your congregation provides a pre-bridging program to their youth and you are willing to share your program with other UU congregations, please contact the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministries at youngadults @ uua.org or (617) 948-4350.
For more information contact youngadults @ uua.org.
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Last updated on Wednesday, October 26, 2011.
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