The application process for GA 2023 YA@GA Staff is now open, so read on for all the information! The deadline for all applications is Monday, December 5th 2022. 

About the YA@GA Staff Team

The YA@GA Team—two Young Adult Co-Coordinators, one Thrive@GA YAs of Color Facilitator, one Worship & Spirituality Facilitator, one Community Care & Access Facilitator, and a UUA Staff member—support the Young Adults (18–35 y.o.s) at a hybrid (in-person and virtual) General Assembly in claiming their Voices, nourishing their Spirits, and connecting in Community. Throughout the months of preparation, the team represents Young Adult interests in wider General Assembly planning.

In the lead-up to General Assembly, the YA@GA staff will focus its team preparation on fostering skills, relationships, and resources for emergent programming. With credit to the activist Adrienne Maree Brown who brings us this approach to emergence, the YA@GA team will facilitate the co-creation (along with attendees) of worships, ‘workshops,’ activities, business resolutions, caucus advocacy, and other spaces during GA. The team’s preparation will include formal training, practice, and reflection to build these skills.

These YA@GA positions should feel both like a faith development experience, and as program work. Leadership on YA@GA should be a space for learning, leadership development, and faith exploration. Compensation, in this hybrid GA 2023, will include high quality training from an outside organization, travel, lodging and food at General Assembly in Pittsburgh, as well as paid compensation at $16 an hour.

Members of the YA@GA team should expect to put in 5–10 hours a month, including communication, meetings, and training. Team members can expect their UUA Staff member (in this case Alex Sherwood) to help make sure the time commitment is manageable and works within their lives. General Assembly itself happens from June 21–25th, and team members can expect fairly full days during the conference.

Access the YA@GA Application here. The application opens October 6th and closes December 5th. You will need to fill out some general information, give us the contact information for two references, and answer some brief essay questions. Please apply for any of the below positions (you can apply for more than one if you’d like) by December 5th, 2022. Selection for the YA@GA staff team is done by the Junior YA@GA Co-Coordinator and the staff of the Office of Lifespan Faith Engagement.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Alex Sherwood at youngadults@uua.org.

Junior Young Adult Co-Coordinator

The Co-Coordinators represent the interest of YA@GA and the wider Young Adult community in key GA decision-making. The Co-Coordinators support the YA@GA team in preparing for and facilitating at General Assembly. A two-year position (GA 2023, GA 2024) is open for Junior YA Co-Coordinators.

In the preparation for General Assembly, the Co-Coordinators will attend key decision-making meetings regarding General Assembly planning. The Co-Coordinators will help foster relationships with UU Young Adult communities across the continent. And the Co-Coordinators will familiarize themselves with GA business, as it applies to young people, in relationship with the UUA Board of Trustees.

During General Assembly, the Co-Coordinators support the YA@GA team and the wider Young Adult community. They help facilitate Young Adult caucus spaces and other avenues of Young Adult advocacy at General Assembly.

Thrive@GA Young Adults of Color Facilitator

The Thrive@GA Young Adults of Color facilitator resources and connects Young Adults of Color attending General Assembly. This is a one-year position. “Thrive,” as used here, refers to a number of programs for young people of color that are run by the Unitarian Universalist Association.

In preparation for General Assembly, the Thrive@GA YAs of Color Facilitator will focus on relationship building and caucusing with BIPOC UU leaders and groups. Additionally, they will learn about resources and offerings relevant to YAs of Color.

During General Assembly, the Thrive@GA Facilitator will co-plan and facilitate emergent Young Adults of Color activities, and they will help connect YAs of Color to other BIPOC communities and resources.

Worship & Spirituality Facilitator

The Worship & Spirituality Facilitator helps nourish the Young Adult community at General Assembly through collaborative worship and spiritual practices.

In preparation for General Assembly, the Worship & Spirituality Facilitator builds relationships with the Worship Arts Team—the group that oversees all the worships at General Assembly. Along with youth leaders and UUA staff, the Worship & Spirituality Facilitator develops the core ideas and content of the Synergy Bridging service—our annual worship marking the transition from youth to young adulthood. Additionally, the Worship & Spirituality Facilitator will gather and source materials that could be used in spontaneous worships (songs, readings, etc).

During General Assembly, the Worship & Spirituality Facilitator will help lead the Synergy Bridging service, facilitate spiritual practices within the Young Adult community, and help plan and provide facilitation for YA worships.

Community Care & Access Facilitator

The Community Care & Access Facilitator will help support the young adult community in caring for one another and assuring accessibility proactively for Young Adults.

In preparation for General Assembly, the Community Care & Access facilitator will gather resources on community care & accessibility. Additionally, they will build relationships with eqUUal Access, a UU disability advocacy and support group.

During General Assembly, the Community Care & Access Facilitator will resource the YA community around accessibility. The will help participants and leaders problem-solve around access and care. They will attend to accessibility in activities that emerge.