CER Code of Conduct for Adults Working with Youth

NOTE: This code of conduct applies to all adults at UUA youth events -- including those adults sent by congregations to sponsor or advise youth.

July 2019

Adults at UUA youth events are in a special position of trust as they foster youth spiritual development. Therefore we ask adults serving at such events to agree to the following expectations and Code of Conduct:

Youth-Adult Partnership: We aspire to healthy youth-adult partnership. Most of our programs are run by teams of youth and adults who work closely together. Portions of programs are run mostly by youth with adult supervision. Adult attendees are expected to respect youth and adult leaders, support youth leadership, and be able to work with mutual respect with youth.

Adults have special responsibility to monitor safety and to report to leaders any unsafe behavior, behavior which violates the behavioral expectations or site rules, and to take immediate action as needed to keep individuals safe, including seeking medical care.

Communication: Adult leaders need to be mindful of the impact of their communications. Communication includes body language, facial expressions and tone of voice, as well as choice of words in written and verbal expression. We expect adults to use kind and compassionate communication, even when being honest about their own feelings. We expect adults to model healthy ways of resolving conflict including apologizing and seeking to restore relationship.

Any form of abuse, neglect, bullying or harassment of any community member will not be tolerated and is in violation of this code of conduct.

Sexual conduct: It is never appropriate to engage in any manner of sexualized conduct with youth. This includes explicitly sexual conduct; seductive or erotic behavior; nudity or clothing inappropriate for public view; sharing bedding with other adults in view of youth; sexually provocative behavior, jokes, innuendo or sexualized language.

Physical expressions of affections such as hugs can be valuable for youth, but it is best to allow the youth to initiate them. Adults must be sensitive not to allow hugs to be prolonged or inappropriate, and should ask youth for permission before hugging them.

Sleep: Adults are expected to get enough sleep to be alert and able to maintain good judgment and clear thinking. We expect each adult to take individual responsibility for getting ‘enough’ or ‘a reasonable amount’ of sleep each night, so that they may perform their expected duties in a competent and professional manner including being able to safely drive. Events that require “awake shifts” require that adults balance the need for monitoring with individual sleep requirements.

Confidentiality: Having trusted adults is important in youth lives. Holding the confidences of youth is an important component, but adults may receive information which is unsafe to hold in confidence. This includes any disclosures from youth about harm to self or others, including self-harm, suicidal thoughts, homicidal or abusive thoughts, child abuse, intimate partner violence, bullying, harassment, serious substance problems, and all other ways youth may be at risk of serious harm.

FOR THE SAFETY OF BOTH THE YOUTH AND YOURSELF, YOU MUST NOT KEEP SUCH INFORMATION TO YOURSELF. Never give youth the impression that you will keep secrets for them. When you are given information which must be shared for the well-being of the youth, encourage the youth to seek help from a parent, minister, religious educator, or other trusted adult. In addition, you yourself MUST consult with a person of greater authority. If in doubt, ask adult leaders in your program or UUA staff responsible for the youth program.

If a youth participant discloses information about their gender identity or sexual orientation that a youth has not made public to an adult; that adult will not share the disclosure with other people without the permission of the youth.

Adult Role: Adults are expected to remain in an adult role at all times. Although we hope that youth and adults will have a genuine fondness for one another, in the adult/youth relationship the adult is the one who assumes primary responsibility for maintaining appropriate boundaries and cultivating an atmosphere of health and trust.

Adults should develop authentic and genuine relationships with youth. Adults must also monitor their self-disclosures such that they are for the good of the youth, age appropriate, and do not result in unclear boundaries. This particularly applies to sharing information about one’s own sexual activity and substance use. Adults should never encourage or condone illegal or unethical activity on the part of children or youth.

Adults must take responsibility for meeting their own social, emotional, sexual, and spiritual needs so that their own needs do not interfere with their ability to attend to the needs of youth.

It is expected that relationships that an adult has with youth who have grown to young adulthood will not become exploitative, including interactions on social media platforms.

Adult Alcohol and Substance Use: Adults who are responsible for youth or on-call cannot consume or be impaired by alcohol or other substances that impair functioning for the duration of the event or tenure of their responsibility. This includes not show up impaired from previous consumption.

Unofficial Contact with Youth including Social Media: Sometimes a genuine mentoring relationship will develop between a youth and an adult. These can be healthy and transformative. However, “predators” who do not have the best interest of the youth at heart will often disguise an unhealthy relationship with a youth as a mentoring relationship. Therefore, if a youth wishes to be in contact with you outside of UU youth events or outside of social media groups hosted by the region or congregations, it is imperative that your behavior both be and appear to be above reproach. Any relationship you develop with a youth outside of UU youth events or social media groups must be instigated by the youth and with the knowledge and consent of the parents or guardians.

Furthermore, you should let an appropriate member of the UUA staff responsible for the program know what you are doing and notify the youth’s religious education professional (or minister or congregational president). This is for the protection of the youth from potential predators, but also for your own protection. You will best protect yourself from false accusations of misconduct by keeping UUA staff, congregational staff and the parents/guardians aware of your actions.

Contact between an adult and a youth should never be one on one whether in person or through electronic communication.

Agreement

By signing below, I indicate that I have read this Code of Conduct and agree to abide by it. If I violate any of its provisions, I understand that I may be removed from youth events.

For events involving driving, I agree to follow all traffic laws.

I have disclosed to the UUA any past and will disclose any new child welfare agency investigations or any criminal or juvenile delinquency arrests, charges, or convictions particularly including those involving abuse, violence, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, child abuse, driving while intoxicated, firearms or dangerous weapons or similar matters against me.

Central East Region: Connecticut (southern), Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio (central and eastern), Pennsylvania, Virginia (northern), West Virginia

CER Youth Calendar

  • Friday, December 8, 2023, 12:00 pm - Sunday, December 10, 2023, 3:00 pm PST
    OWL Facilitator Training, Grade Levels K-1/4-6, Seattle, WA
    Training
    On-site | Seattle, WA | Assistive listening devices available | Wheelchair accessible
    Tagged as: Sexuality Education
  • Monday, December 11, 2023, 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST (also: Jan 8, 2024; Feb 12, 2024; Mar 11, 2024; Apr 8, 2024; May 13, 2024; Jun 10, 2024; Sep 11; Oct 9; Nov 13 )
    Lay Leaders Monthly Conversations 2023-2024
    Meeting | From MidAmerica Events
    Online
  • Sunday, December 31, 2023, All day (also: Jan 29; Apr 30; Jul 30; Oct 29 )
    Fifth Sunday Fellowship: A Shared Pulpit Experience is a collaborative, online service/worship event created by several congregations together that will explore the themes of each Principle. Please join us and stream the service for your congregation!
    Worship Service
    Online
    Tagged as: Principles and Purposes, Worship
  • Monday, January 8, 2024, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm EST (also: Feb 5, 2024; Mar 4, 2024; Apr 1, 2024; May 6, 2024; Jun 3, 2024; Oct 2; Nov 6; Dec 4 )
    If you identify as Black, Indigenous or a person of color (BIPOC), you're invited to join us for the Central East Region's BIPOC gathering happening on the first Monday of the month at 6:30pm ET. In our gatherings we are joined by lay folks of color, lay leaders of color and/or religious...
    Webinar | From Central East Region
    Online
    Tagged as: Building Community, Anti-Racism
  • Tuesday, January 9, 2024, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EST (also: Feb 13, 2024; Mar 12, 2024; Apr 9, 2024; May 14, 2024; Oct 10; Nov 14 )
    Presidents' Gatherings are an online space for current congregational Presidents, President-Elects, Vice Presidents, and Past Presidents to create a community of learning and collaboration with each other and with Southern Region staff.The Presidents' Gathering sessions are held on the 2nd Tuesda...
    From Southern Region
    Online
  • Friday, January 12, 2024, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST
    Administration as Leadership Renaissance module pilot
    Training
    Online
  • Friday, January 12, 2024, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST (also: Jan 13, 2024; Jan 14, 2024 )
    Do you wish to deepen your understanding of how race and ethnicity play out in our institutions and our daily lives? Are you ready to take a leading role to nurture a multicultural future in the face of opposing cultural currents? Come Join Us for this Life-Changing Weekend!
    Training | Sponsored by UU Church of Akron, Fairlawn, OH | From Central East Region
    Online & on-site
    Tagged as: Anti-Racism
  • Thursday, January 18, 2024, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm EST
    Let's connect! Join your peers to share ideas, questions, concerns and support. This will be our second gathering for the 2023-2024 church year. We hope you can join us!...
    From New England Region
    Online
  • Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EST
    Theme: How do we know how we are doing?Many of the metrics we have typically used to assess our effectiveness in congregations such as attendance numbers, pledging income, etc. are a bit removed from the core of our purpose. That is especially true in these times....
    From New England Region
    Online
  • Friday, January 26, 2024, 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm EST
    Join us to examine and practice ways to navigate healthy conflict as a leader.
    Public Event | From Educational Opportunities for Musicians
    Online
  • Friday, January 26, 2024, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm EST
    • Understand that culture change involves internal as well as external work over time; • Understand that incremental changes create the ripple effect to extensive changes;
    Training
    Online
  • Friday, January 26, 2024, 1:00 pm - Sunday, January 28, 2024, 4:00 pm PST
    OWL Facilitator Training, Grade Levels K-1/4-6, Studio City, CA
    Training
    On-site | Studio City, CA | Wheelchair accessible
    Tagged as: Sexuality Education
  • Wednesday, January 31, 2024, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST (also: Feb 7, 2024; Feb 21, 2024 )
    If you are a newer religious professional serving in UU faith development, this series will provide connection, community, and context! This 3-part series course, offered in an online format, will be on Wednesdays, January 31, February 7, February 21 9-11 am PT / 10-12 MT / 11-1 CT / 12-2 pm ET
    Training
    Online
  • Thursday, February 1, 2024, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST
    This month's topic is CER Leader Skill Up: Practices of Intergenerational Connection. Please join us. Led by Central East Region staff.
    Webinar | Sponsored by Central East Region of the UUA | From Central East Region
    Online
    Tagged as: Multigenerational Faith Development, Leadership Development
  • Friday, February 2, 2024, 12:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST
    Central to our understanding of congregational systems is a grounding in the awareness that “everything we do is faith development; everything we teach is Unitarian Universalism and that the congregation is the curriculum.”
    Webinar | Featuring Connie Goodbread, Cameron Young | Sponsored by Southern Region of the UUA | From Southern Region
    Online
    Tagged as: Credentialing for Religious Educators, Faith Development
  • Monday, February 5, 2024, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm EST
    OWL Facilitator Training, 7-9/10-12, Online – February 2024 EST
    Training
    Online
    Tagged as: Sexuality Education
  • Monday, February 5, 2024, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm PST
    OWL Facilitator Training, 7-9/10-12, Online – February 2024 PST
    Training
    Online
    Tagged as: Sexuality Education
  • Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST (also: May 7, 2024; Aug 1; Nov 7 )
    Religious Education Professional (REP) Meet-Up
    Meeting
    Online
  • Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm EST
    Expand your understanding of curriculum, religious education, and faith development!
    Training
    Online
  • Wednesday, February 7, 2024, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm EST
    Southern Region Primer Leadership Experience
    Conference
    Online

Copy the Google (ICS) or Outlook (ICS) link address to subscribe to this calendar (or download the file to import current events) in a program which supports the iCal format.

Search events