UCC Youth & Young Adult Assessment
In early 2008, Justice and Witness Ministries and Local Church Ministries decided in conversation with the Council for Youth and Young Adult Ministries (CYYAM) to conduct an in-depth churchwide assessment of what support would best serve youth and young adult ministries into the future. A summit was held with key Conference staff, CYYAM and other young people. Out of the summit's work, an interim staff person, Kelly Burd, was hired to support the ongoing work of youth and young adult ministries and Thom Chu was was contracted as a consultant to carry out the needs assessment to inform a longer term vision and strategy.
In our year-long assessment to shape a comprehensive plan, we:
- Heard from 173 youth and adults at National Youth Event workshops
- Gathered 96 youth, young adults, and adults at four regional focus groups across the UCC
- Convened with 231 additional youth, young adults, and leaders at 14 other events face-to-face, by phone, and online
- Created an online survey that was completed by over 1,000 youth, young adults, and ministry leaders
- Interviewed youth- and young adult-serving staff in conference and association setting
Were guided by a diverse advisory committee of young people and adults from various settings of the church.
Funding for our regional focus groups was supported by a gift from the Ashley Fund in the Minnesota Conference--we are very grateful for that generous gift!
Some dominant priorities and needs emerged from this assessment work with young people and ministry leaders in the UCC. For example, we learned that:
Read progress reports about the process:
October 2008 Report
March 2009 Report
Read the consultant's Report and Recommendations for Youth and Young Adult Ministries.
