We are looking forward to an exciting 2022 with our community as we engage high school age UU Youth in Justice ministries across the State of California at both the local and state levels by creating intentional space for our youth involvement.
As Unitarian Universalists, we have a history that has proven; when our youth lead ~ we succeed! In 2022, one area of ministry we will be centering on is in developing an engaging youth ministry program called the Arc Benders. This program will give our youth a voice in all levels of UUJMCA ministry, leadership, and programming.
Our Goals
Increase Youth engagement in justice ministries and with UUJMCA.
Support UU youth projects and interests in their communities.
Provide leadership development opportunities for Youth.
Our Plan
Stage 1a – Listening: During the balance of 2021 and in the 1st Quarter of 2022, we will be inviting our current UU Youth Leadership, Youth Advisors, religious educators and other invested constituents to meet with us for listening sessions. The objective of these sessions will be to open a dialogue with our Youth to gain a better understanding of their needs, justice ministry interests and activities.
Stage 1b – Centering: We will be partnering with The Mountain Top: A UU BIPOC Community for a virtual monthly Sunday evening Youth worship beginning. in January 2022. It is our belief that all faith based justice work must be centered in our UU values. While this space will focus on a number of justice topics, it will be modeled around centering a wide variety of marginalized voices, spiritualities, and theologies with a deep leaning into BIPOC centeredness We hope to offer our Youth access to a multitude of religious expressions to motivate them toward justice.
Stage 2 – Developing: In the 2nd Quarter of 2022, we will be calling together an interim Youth Advisory Team to advise UUJMCA on summer Youth programming.
Stage 3 – Engaging: In the 3rd Quarter of 2022, we hope to host what we are now terming Superhero Summer. We will be working along with other UU Youth justice based communities from across the Pacific Western Region. We can’t give you too many details on this yet because we need Youth input but we are planning on it being a program that engages all the superpowers of our Youth.
Stage 4 – Growing: In the 4th Quarter of 2022, we hope to be forming our Youth Advisory Team from across the state. This team will receive leadership training and be asked to advise UUJMCA on both youth and adult programming for the future.
Monthly Worship 
Youth Advisory Team 
Superhero Summer 
