UUA staff may remove or restrict, temporarily or permanently, any youth from UUA leadership positions if that youth volunteer is deemed no longer safe or appropriate for that role. The reasons for any temporary or permanent removal or any other terms of restriction will be documented and communicated with the volunteer, the religious professionals of their home congregation, and any other UU programs in which they participate.

Reasons for removal from a leadership role may include actions violating the rules of events, behavior violating the Code of Ethics for Youth and Adults in Leadership, or a change such that the youth would no longer be able to be approved under the UUA Youth staff or Volunteer Leader Approval Process including receiving concerning reports from a youth’s congregation.

To determine the scope of the restriction, the UUA staff responsible for the event and either the program leadership team or two others responsible for the event will convene.

Youth leaders may also face suspension from youth events based on the policies which provide for Suspension and Reinstatement to Youth Events.

Reinstatement of Suspended Youth Volunteer

UUA staff are responsible for documenting the circumstances and events for suspending volunteer youth and adult leaders on a Summary Report Form (see Appendix) and forwarding these records to the Director of Lifespan Faith Engagement to catalog the reports on a secure drive and share on an as-needed basis. Documentation will be retained according to the Documentation Policy. If legal action is involved, the suspension will be continued until any legal action is concluded.

If a youth is suspended from all youth events, reinstatement will follow the policy and procedures documented in the Suspension from and Reinstatement to Youth Events section.

A team of at least three staff including the UUA staff responsible for the event and two others relevant to the decision will determine whether a leadership suspension is temporary or permanent. When the youth holds a historically marginalized identity UUA staff responsible for supporting youth with marginalized identities will be included.

When youth leaders are suspended from leadership, UUA staff responsible for the program will communicate with both the youth’s home congregation or covenanted community and the UUA staff responsible for any other UUA programs the youth is known to be involved in.

The youth volunteer and/or their parents (if under 18) will have a right to view a file summary and to make a statement to be considered before any final decisions are made. UUA staff will connect the family with pastoral resources in their home congregation to support them through this process.

Specific developmental plans or actions will be required before reinstatement. In cases where a permanent ban is put in place, a volunteer may appeal such a decision to both the Director of Lifespan Faith Engagement and the supervisor of the UUA staff responsible for the program within which their suspension happened.

Files for youth whose suspension is still active when they bridge into adulthood will be kept on record for review in case they wish to volunteer in youth ministry as an adult.