The Upper School Develops Leadership through YRUU
YRUU (Young Religious Unitarian Universalists) is a model for youth involvement in
Unitarian Universalism that
emphasizes leadership development and youth empowerment with adult support.
There are five components of a balanced youth program - worship, community
building, social action, learning and leadership. With assistance from adult
advisors the youth will develop their own programs for the third, fourth and
fifth Sundays, choosing and balancing the four components in addition to
learning. One Sunday they could attend the corporate worship as a group or plan
their own; another Sunday they could play games that help to develop trust and
deepen bonds that may last a lifetime. Another Sunday they could work on a
social action project or have a speaker to discuss some aspect of leadership.
In addition to the Sunday morning program there are
opportunities for deepening the experience through leadership training and
connecting with other UU youth through
travel to rallies and other events.
One graduate of our youth group said that participation in
YRUU regional events was her most spiritual experience. Gathering with a hundred
or more Unitarian Universalists, knowing that you were accepted just for who you
were, was deeply satisfying. The discussions and connections could not be
duplicated anywhere else, certainly not in Little Rock where we all feel such a
tiny minority.
|
