How do we share the love when our beloved high school aged youth grow up, cross that mythical bridge and become official adults? One simple and effective way to stay in relationship with our bridged young adults is through sending care packages their way!

Watch out for the jagged borders that actively or inadvertently keep others out instead of drawing the circle wider.

Like a red and white striped beacon in rough waters, the agreements we make with one another guide our way. Covenants are our UU theology of messing up & repair. They are what we can refer back to when we get lost. Like a lighthouse, our covenants create the conditions for safety.

With the right conditions and preparation, groups can support each other in the depths and heights of their spiritual growth. Sharing can mean stories about ourselves, sharing about our feelings and situations, or sharing experiences together, making shared memories, and sharing moments of awe.

When we share low risk or non threatening stuff about ourselves and our lives and feel like we are received, considered and valued our sense of safety increases.

When we value other's experiences, witness their growth and support them in their tender moments our trustworthiness increases. These are the times we offer gratitude for each other and the group and celebrate our differences and our gifts.

When there is hurt or harm, the way we show up for each other matters. Repair, amends and recovery are vital on the journey to deeper joy.

It might be tempting to endlessly paddle around in the Tepid Bay, the waters are calm and you’re a safe distance away from everything. But the waters are also shallow. And after the sun sets, it’s kind of lonely out there.

Trials, problem-solving opportunities and challenges can all bring a group closer to each other.

The first step in building community is to identify some cohesiveness and a very low stakes sense of contributing to the collective.

Search Deeper Joy is a compilation of games, songs, activities and practices designed for community builders, activists, educators, and anyone interested in fostering inclusive, multigenerational communities.

Deeper Joy is a compilation of games, songs, activities and practices designed for community builders, activists, educators, and anyone interested in fostering inclusive, multigenerational communities.

The Peer Pastoral Care course on UU Institute is designed to provide skills to high school aged youth to be self-aware, supportive listeners who know who to turn to in a crisis.

Practice radical inclusion by assuming that at least one young person you know will experience a mental health challenge this year. There are plenty of trainings so you can skill up your support.

Our spiritual communities are at their best when we support one another. In order to support young adults with mental health issues well, we need to fight the stigma, watch for signs, reach out proactively, and maintain healthy boundaries....

We can be in right relationship with ourselves, other people, a divine source, plants, animals and the earth. We can flow in and out of right relationship. As Unitarian Universalists we believe there are endless opportunities to get back in right relationship if we fall out.

A community of care is any group of individuals who support each other’s wellbeing, act in ways that foster hospitality, acceptance, and inclusivity, co-create and abide by mutual agreements (covenant), and have a process of repair when needed.

UUA staff presentation to support religious professionals in orienting youth ministry volunteers that includes group discussions following videos. Youth adult partnerships, roles and relationships, covenant, community building and safety are covered

The Faith Lab Toolbox series contains videos, songs, activities and quotes on a variety of themes for you to draw from for consistent faith engagement with young UUs. This page is dedicated to the Covenanting Toolbox on building, sustaining and repairing covenants.