UU young adult programs involve lots of change over time. Young adults are generally mobile, and UUYAN programs appeal especially to those who most need the roots and stability of a UU group. Membership has high turnover - if you look at the mailing list of an UUYAN group, many of the addresses and many of the names change from one year to the next. People age out, move to another region, take on other commitments, or just lose interest. So how can a YA program continue to have skilled, committed, experienced leaders when individuals come and go?
Many UUYAN programs are started and maintained by the initiative of one or two individuals. If they spark new leadership, the group will continue when they move on, and may even grow as new leaders build on their efforts. If they move on before passing the torch, the program will wither, dying completely or going dormant until new leaders come along. New leaders reviving a stalled or dead program spend much of their energy re-inventing the wheel; new leaders who apprentice to established leaders start with success and refine it further. The first and last task of any UUYAN leader is to recruit, encourage and support other leaders. Visible leadership is more likely to survive transition than invisible leadership. If leadership is invisible - that is, if leader(s) downplay their role, if participants think "oh, the YA program just happens naturally" - then when a leader leaves, no one will know that there's a gap. They will, however, eventually notice things going wrong when no one takes responsibility for the ongoing troubleshooting necessary to any successful program. If you are a leader, then name yourself as a leader! That doesn't mean being a bully; non-mainstream, trust-based leadership can still be visible. It means putting your name and contact info (phone/email) on anything written (eg announcements in the church newsletter); it means that when you light a chalice to open a meeting (or lead a song or say "hey, let's start"), the group coming together isn't an accident, it's something that you're initiating. (Your body language will show it.) And it means that the group knows its collective responsibility to catch you when you slip, and to fill your shoes when you move on.
Shared leadership is more likely to survive transition than solo leadership. If you have a co-leader, then if your contact information suddenly changes and people can't reach you, they still have someone to call - if they know who the co-leader is and know the co-leader's address/phone/etc. If you've moved to Antarctica, then the co-leader should immediately recruit another co-leader. There's a wide range of shared leadership relationships; whether you are President and Vice-President, or Co-Facilitators, or whatever, you can find and choose a relationship that brings out the best in both of you. Shared leadership also does better at surviving the inevitable ups and downs of life - for example, if one leader is unavailable due to sickness, personal crisis, travel, etc., it's good to have a co-leader. And it can also be much more fun. Some of my best friends are current and former UUYAN co-leaders.
Personal contact is the strongest path to leadership continuity. Keep an eye out for potential leaders in your group. Don't hold out for candidates who are already skilled and confident - confidence and skills are learnable and teachable. Look for those who have an investment in the group's success; for those who connect with other people; for those who value spirituality. Invite them to join you in leadership, as partner or apprentice! They may or may not say yes, but they will generally be honored that you see potential in them - and you might, just by asking, plant a seed of interest that will later grow into leadership. The participants in your program are the talent pool. The more you welcome newcomers, the more you welcome future leaders. There's more to say on welcoming and inclusivity than fits in this article, but pay attention to how newcomers find you and what their experience is like - is your program visible to young adults visiting the local UU congregation on Sunday morning? Is it visible to UU teenagers aging out of youth programs into adulthood? Is it a social group that's also spiritual, or a spiritual group that's also social? Is it multicultural or monocultural (eg "all yuppie" or "all activist" or "all Alternative/New Age")? Do newcomers make friends mostly with established members, or mostly with each other?
Developing another person's leadership is an opportunity to develop patience - in other words, it's difficult. New leaders are often clumsy, and if you've worked to establish a YA program, it can be hard to watch them make mistakes. When they do, take a deep breath and think long-term - is it essential to intervene and minimize the damage, or can you talk with them afterwards and give helpful advice? And was it really a mistake, or were they just doing things in a different way that may be equally effective? By the time they are skilled, they may already be mentoring another wave of new leaders. (If you are still involved at this point, then enjoy your "grandparent" role!) Making mistakes along the way is better than running perfectly for a while, then collapsing.
Relationships with institutions and older adult allies can help the continuity of your program, and be a resource for new leaders. If you are leading a young adult group in a congregation, then make sure that the congregation's leadership and/or staff know enough about the leadership of the group, to be helpful in a leadership transition. Keep a backup copy of the group's mailing list (and copies of newsletters, financial records, etc.) at the congregation office; if your program's records are all on one participant's computer and/or desk, then they can be lost forever. Keep your listing current in the congregation's directory of committees (again, listing two names and numbers is good backup). If there is an older adult in a stable role of church leadership who can be an ally, then cultivate that relationship! Invite them to attend now and then so that they are visibly an ally to the *group* rather than just to one or two leaders. Ask their advice - especially if they can support you through the inevitable ups and downs of your own leadership experience. If you are a leader in a district-sponsored young adult program, then all of the above is twice as essential. Attend meetings of the Board of Trustees occasionally (or regularly). It's better that they *entrust* leadership to you (with responsibility to follow up if there's a leadership crisis) rather than *abandon* leadership to you. In some districts, the Board of Trustees has a liaison with each program; if the Board and your program have turnover at the same time - a new Board member becomes the liaison and a new leader becomes the contact person for the district UUYAN program - then re-connect.
District leaders and staff can be excellent allies, but not if they can't find you or don't even know you exist! The UUA Office of Young Adult and Campus Ministries (YACM) and the Continental UU Young Adult Network (C*UUYAN) are your denominational support organizations. Contact them, and stay in touch. They have continuity and they also have specific expertise on UU young adult programs. If your program could welcome another new leader or two, imagine getting this phone call: "Hi, I just moved here, and when I checked the C*UUYAN list of local programs, I found you. I helped organize young adult programs where I used to live; can I volunteer to help you?" If you've sent current contact information on your program to C*UUYAN/YACM, then you will get this call sooner or later. If not, you won't. Call today and ask for their materials; their Young Adult Resorce Folder (free!) includes articles on "How to Start a Young Adult Group" and "Starting or Renewing a District Young Adult Ministry Committee". Written information, although no substitute for personal coaching and mentoring, can provide continuity of memory and help new leaders build on the work of their predecessors. (Although it's hard for some of us to accept the written word as a resource, especially those of us with unpleasant school experiences...)
If your program assigns tasks to specified offices (Mailing List Keeper, Newsletter Publisher, Treasurer, Outreach Coordinator, Conference Planner, etc.), then write a job description for each position - and make backup copies (sponsoring office, one set for each officer, Internet archive), because if there's only one copy, it will get lost. A mailing list or database is the single most important document for any UU young adult program; besides names, addresses, year of birth, etc., it can also include notes on individuals who aren't core leaders but can occasionally help out, especially former leaders. Spending records are useful information for treasurers and also for event planners. An archive of old newsletters is boring to most leaders, but for the curious leader who wants to learn the history of the program, they're quite educational. Physical items such as chalices, hymnals, banners, etc., are better stored in a congregation or district building, than in an individual's closet. New leaders will only receive and read documents if living humans pass on those documents, though, so the most important aspect of an UUYAN archive is the archivist. (An earlier version of this article, for example, was mailed to every congregation in the UU Association back in 1994*... but did anyone tell you "hey, I've got this old article that could help you with your Young Adult program" and hand you a copy?)
Another institution to keep in continous touch with: your local or district Young Religious UUs (YRUU) organization, which ministers with an age range centered on high school (typically 12-20). Youth leadership turns over rapidly, and few of them are looking ahead to what their spiritual community will be when they age into adulthood, so staying visible to YRUU takes ongoing effort... but hold out a welcome, keep renewing contact, know that many YRUUers will sooner or later both gain from and contribute to UU young adult ministry. Don't always expect YRUU leaders to enter UUYAN as leaders, though. Many need to be just a participant for a while. The few who are personally ready to step into UUYAN as leaders may have well-developed skills, but they also need to adjust to ministering with an age range that includes people significantly older than them (and including life stages such as "settle down to raise family"). A little support through this transition, will go a long way. Establishing leadership continuity takes effort. It's worth it. It can make the difference between a young adult group withering into a clique, and a young adult ministry that reaches out and helps us lead better lives as we grow into adulthood. It can make the difference between being merely "us here and now" and being part of the Unitarian Universalist movement, changing our lives and changing the world. You can do it - and you'll be glad you did!
Three basic principles*...
...and a parting blessing:
You are not alone. Others have helped build spiritual community among UU young adults, others will follow you, others are doing so all across the continent. Keep the faith, and may it keep and bless you!
- Riley McLaughlin, July 2000
*In the Young Adult section of the Religious Education Clearinghouse (REACH) package.