Policies around sleeping arrangements at youth events in the past have either been too laissez-faire, or rigidly bound to norms that don’t fit our values (assumptions of heterosexuality or binary gender.)

Creating safe spaces where youth feel comfortable and included is paramount. So is reducing the risk of non-consensual behavior or violations of state laws around age and sexual contact. These updated recommended practices reflect a more inclusive and respectful understanding of gender, sexuality, and identity.

Recommended Practices

• Standard sleeping arrangements
  • single-gender room options
  • all-gender room option for transgender inclusion
  • no shared bedding
  • visible floor space between youth
  • two adults awake at all times providing rotating supervision
• Alternative sleeping arrangements (only with small groups with a high degree of trust in the youth and youth commitment to covenant)
  • Youth and adults sleep in the same rooms, with at least two adults in each room of youth
  • No shared bedding and visible floor space between all sleepers
  • Youth covenant to sleep, the group sets a bedtime, and adults stay awake until youth go to bed.
  • Adults wake periodically at night to check on youth.

Sample: CER Youth Event Sleeping Policy

The following document describes the two ways CER youth events provide supervision overnight. The first one is used mainly for larger community cons where youth have a choice of sleeping room and often a choice of when they go to bed. In this one, adults sleep in a separate space and teams of youth and adults provide roving supervision.

The second, we use for smaller trainings and leadership meetings. Youth agree to sleep. Background checked, approved adults sleep in the same spaces as the youth, with two adults remaining awake until youth go to sleep. A pair of adults wakes at prearranged times to check on the youth.

Sleeping Policy

The sleeping policy will be shared with parents and guardians. UUA staff responsible for the event will determine the implementation of these policies.

Each youth must have their own bedding. The floor must be visible between youth in the sleeping areas.

Youth leaders are expected to distribute themselves among the youth rather than self-segregating. Any leader who might need to be found at night, such as peer chaplains or those responsible for the community covenant, should have their sleeping space clearly marked. (i.e. with a colored plastic cone or other object the community assigns to this role).

At all points during an event, any unneeded spaces which can be locked, should be locked. Spaces which youth should not be in and cannot be locked will be clearly marked. Spaces which are used for daytime programming, but not for sleeping, should be locked at night if possible.

Single gender and all-gender sleeping spaces will be provided if space and numbers allow. All-gender sleeping spaces are provided for the reasons detailed in the Inclusion section.

Since consent can only be given and received while awake, touch can only happen while youth are awake and in supervised space. (See Sexuality, Sexual Conduct and Boundaries section).

When Youth Have the Option to Stay Awake

Adults will be housed in adult only spaces. After the end of programming, adults not on overnight supervision duty are expected to be in the “awake” hangout room or in their sleeping room except for trips to the bathroom, to attend to personal necessity, or if needed by a youth they are sponsoring. Adults are not to wander the building alone at night.

After the end of programming, youth will be expected to be in the “awake” hangout room or in a youth sleeping space except for trips to the bathroom, or to attend to personal necessity. Not being in one of these spaces will be considered a violation of covenant in terms of exclusive behavior.

Youth sleeping spaces will be provided such that the sleeping spaces are near each other and can be patrolled in a minimum amount of time. Each youth room must have at least three youth sleeping in it with a preference for larger numbers. Preferably, youth will be housed in the smallest number of spaces that will accommodate them for shorter patrol times.

Supervision will be provided by two continually roving pairs, a pair of adults and pair of youth leaders. The pair of adults and pair of youth will take turns “sweeping” the building with the other pair remaining in the “awake” space.

Adults will organize their shifts in such a way as to minimize interference with drivers’ abilities after the event.

When Youth Are Expected to Sleep

When there is a curfew as part of the rules/expectations and covenant the UUA staff can approve the following policy in lieu of the awake all night supervision policy (above):

Congregations will provide sleeping spaces for youth and adults such that at least two adults sleep in each youth sleeping space positioned strategically for awareness of youth activity. When numbers of adults permit, single gender rooms will be offered in addition to the all-gender sleeping room.

Leaders should create a plan to wake up to check (in pairs) overnight at times not pre-announced to see that everyone is in their own bedspace and that boundaries are maintained.

Youth out of this space (for reasons other than trips to the bathroom or to attend to personal necessity) is a significant violation of the trust we place in youth and will have consequences. Such violations of curfew will be immediately reported to the right relationship team (group assigned to monitor the community well-being) and consequences may involve being sent home.

Adult leaders and sponsors will organize their shifts in such a way as to minimize interference with drivers’ abilities after the event.