How can youth groups go wrong?
Over-control by adult advisors is one way, says Hamblen. “You have to let the youth fail sometimes. This past summer our group said it wanted to do three summer activities. But they didn’t plan them, and they didn’t happen. The next time, they made solid plans. It was a learning experience for them.” Another mistake is to create a youth group without input and energy from the youth. Likewise, problems can arise if the youth form a group without support from adults. A youth group should be a partnership between youth and adults. One of the the first steps in starting a youth group is to take several youth to a district Young Religious Unitarian Universalist (YRUU) event where they can get a taste of youth empowerment, says YRUU Programs Specialist Mimi LaValley. “Once the youth get excited about starting their own group at the local level, the congregation will undoubtedly be thrilled to see them getting involved.” Many congregations have separate youth groups for junior high and senior
