Offering Our Whole Lives In Your Setting Preparing, Planning, and Running OWL

five brown owls standing in a field

Are you ready to offer Our Whole Lives (OWL) in your congregation or other setting?

Decide Which OWL Age Level(s) You Will Offer

Read through the overview of the different age levels of Our Whole Life to see which is needed in your setting. Many congregations who train facilitators for grades 7-9 also seek training for other age levels.

Select Your OWL Facilitators

The most important criteria for leading Our Whole Lives programs are characteristics such as maturity, knowledge, character, skills, and commitment. Potential facilitators must be at least 21 years old to register for a training, and at least four years older than the oldest participant in their program for all levels except Young Adult, Adult, and Older Adult. Pairing facilitators at differing life stages enriches the experience.

UU and UCC facilitators are usually trustworthy members of the congregation. In other settings, facilitators are generally drawn from health-related non-profit organizations, or public and private schools.

a super-cute owl

Criteria for Our Whole Lives Facilitators

From Sexuality Education

The success of any OWL program depends on the qualified and caring persons who are selected and trained to be Our Whole Lives facilitators.

OWL Facilitator Criteria

Conduct Background Checks

We strongly recommend conducting criminal background checks on facilitators of Our Whole Lives (and all adults who work with your congregation’s children and youth). A background check would determine whether they have been charged or convicted of sex- or abuse-related offenses.

Train Your OWL Facilitators

Facilitator training is a key part of the OWL program and is closely supported by UUA and UCC staff.

PennStateOWL

What Does OWL Facilitator Training Involve?

From Sexuality Education

Our Whole Lives (OWL) Training helps prepare facilitators by developing the comfort, knowledge, and teaching skills necessary for leading a given level of OWL.

OWL Facilitator FAQ

Can’t Find a Training?

If you can’t find a scheduled training that you can participate in, consider hosting your own OWL facilitator training, perhaps in cooperation with other nearby congregations.

Running an OWL Program

Hospitality to Newcomers

When Our Whole Lives is offered to children and youth on Sunday mornings during the Sunday service, alternative activities need to be available for those who are not participating in OWL, whether they are newcomers or members’ children. Unlike other religious education offerings, the Our Whole Lives program is not available to visitors because participants’ parents or guardians must first attend an orientation and sign permission slips. Many congregations close Our Whole Lives enrollment after the first few workshops because the group has already created a trusting, safe setting in which to explore sensitive topics.

Number of Participants

While a group of ten to fifteen is ideal, the program has been successful with groups from six to thirty. For very small groups, consistent attendance is important. For a group larger than fifteen, three, or even four trained facilitators is important. Consider classroom capacity, facilitator comfort, and participant comfort in determining class size.

Budget

An implementation budget for Our Whole Lives should cover:

  • Curriculum purchase
  • Training of facilitators
  • Program supplies, snacks, photocopying

Space

Most congregations schedule Our Whole Lives in their religious education classrooms, their youth group meeting places, or nearby retreat centers. Appropriate meeting spaces for Our Whole Lives afford privacy for participants so that their personal sharing won’t be overheard.

Scheduling

Some congregations offer Our Whole Lives for children or youth on Sunday mornings. Other congregations offer Our Whole Lives on a Sunday afternoon, as an evening class, or as part of a retreat. Timing can affect participation, and each time slot has its advantages and disadvantages. Determine which timing works best for your congregation’s facilitators, parents, and participants.

Honoring OWL Graduates

Our Whole Lives is a significant program in people’s lives, especially the middle school program. A congregation may wish to recognize Our Whole Lives graduates and facilitators in a way visible to the rest of the congregation. Many congregations give a small gift to “graduating” participants. Ideas have included:

  • A book appropriate to the developmental stage of participants, signed and dated by the facilitators.
  • OWL Pins or Buttons from the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) Bookstore.
  • Our Whole Lives certificates, customized by the congregation. Some congregations also create wallet cards with our owl image and a short reminder phrase on one side and phone numbers and website addresses for hotlines related to sexuality on the reverse.
*

OWL Enamel Pin

From inSpirit: The UU Book and Gift Shop

Mark the completion of Our Whole Lives coursework with this enamel pin featuring the new OWL logo.2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of our OWL curricula

Buy This Item

Unable to Host Your Own OWL Program?

A graphic showing a magnifying glass looking at the OWL logo

Find A OWL Program

Are you looking for a place for you or your child to participate in an OWL sexuality education program? We cannot track all of the places that are running OWL programs at any one time. But we do have some tips for helping you find a nearby OWL class.

Find A OWL Program