Job Description for Youth- and Adult Co-chairs

Membership: One ‘certified’ adult, one senior youth, one junior youth
Desirable Skills: Strong organizational skills, facilitation of meetings, ability to
communicate verbally and in writing with all ages, team building,
knowledge of district policies and YAC policies, Word processing.
Time commitment: 2 meetings/year (August 10-3p.m. and January (Friday overnight-
Saturday 3p.m.); conference calls; emails; meeting for 2 hours at
spring con Sunday morning 10-noon); possible 2 hours/month at
home during year **must check emails each week and respond
quickly**

1. Logistics of YAC meetings

o Determine roles and responsibilities of youth and adult co-chairs
o schedule site months in advance by contacting church office to ensure space is
available for a meeting or retreat
o informing members of next meeting (date, time and place)
o create agenda
o facilitate or delegate facilitation to another member in advance of meeting
o Write agenda on flip chart
o Facilitation can include
a) Welcoming everyone
b) Chalice lighting and reading/song (this can be delegated to an at large
member with advanced notice and planning-5 mins. worship)
c) Reviewing agenda and asking for changes, additions, priorities (though
this can be done in advance through email)
d) Work through agenda items, creating a “stack” of people who want to
talk, make sure everyone has a chance to talk, redirect inappropriate
behavior
e) Summarize what you heard were the action items. Ask for feedback
about next steps. Agree on date, time and place of next meeting.
f) Give everyone a break when energy starts to falter or if tension is too
great
g) Cultivate a cheerful, inclusive and respectful attitude
o Give flip chart notes to secretary for making into minutes
o Close meeting with a reading/song and by thanking everyone for coming (this
can be delegated to an at large member with advanced notice and planning--a 5
min. worship)

2. Communication (including periodic summaries) and collaboration with program

consultant, Youth Ministry Transitional Task Force or district youth structure, and
con coordinators from the three states.
o Provide some sort of updates to the district program consultant about
business, membership, health of committee, issues, concerns, etc. If there
is obvious misconduct of any sort (illegal substance use, sexual
misbehavior, violent behavior) at a YAC meeting or retreat complete an
incident report and immediately report the incident to the program
consultant.
o Provide updates or pertinent information to the NH/VT DYC

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 o Provide necessary information to con coordinators
3. Creation of YAC notebooks for members
o Purchase 3 ring binder for each YAC officer/member
o Make copies of safety policies, calendar of youth events and YAC
meetings, YAC membership and contact information, district bylaws, and
UUA youth office information for each member’s notebook.
4. Liaison with religious educators and parents
o Each year, introduce yourself to directors of religious education by writing
a letter which informs them of what YAC is, how YAC works, your
position and contact information. Let them know you welcome their
feedback.
o Check in with them again in mid-year
5. Familiarity with, advocating for, reviewing and updating safety policies
o Leadership has a special responsibility for advocating for safe youth
events where everyone is included, where adults are chosen carefully, and
where parents and DREs can be assured that safety policies are followed
o As such, co-chairs need to be familiar with district safety policies and
advocate for them as a gesture of care and concern for the community
o Inform the program consultant of difficulties in following the policy
6. Work with program consultant to develop budget and submit to district for
approval
o When planning for the coming year, anticipate items that will be needed
for YAC to function (food for YAC retreat, mileage for YAC members,
snacks at meetings,etc)
o Inform program consultant who will collaborate with you to develop
budget
7. Authorize purchase of necessary supplies or items and submit receipts for
reimbursement from district office
o Supplies must be related to YAC functions such as meetings or retreats
o Make copies of all receipts for your YAC notebook
o Submit copies to district office for reimbursement

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 Job Description for Communications Coordinators

Membership: 2 (one junior and one senior) youth- 1 ‘certified’ adult, 1 youth
secretary
Skills Desired: Task oriented, computer skills (Excel, email, Word, possible web
page creation), strong verbal and writing aptitude
Time Commitment: 2 meetings/year (August 10-3p.m. and January (Friday overnight-
Saturday 3p.m.); conference calls; emails; meeting for 2 hours at
spring con Sunday morning 10-noon); possible visits to other
congregations for outreach; possible 4-8 hours at home during year
**must check email each week and respond quickly**

This position would be responsible for:

1. Coordinating and updating district youth mailing/email lists*
2. Taking minutes at YAC meetings and distributing them in a timely manner to
members, program consultant, and religious educators.*
3. Keep a copy of minutes in a secretary’s three ring binder*
4. Participate in YAC meetings by supporting and encouraging others; verbalizing
your viewpoints in respectful ways; expressing enthusiasm for YAC’s mission and
vision
5. Creating a periodic newsletter for youth in the region highlighting youth
contributions such as poetry, artwork, themes that supports spiritual formation,
UUism, social justice and stories about congregational youth groups
6. Creating and maintaining a youth webpage or Facebook site for Maine with full
practice of safety policies concerning online presence. Coordinators must also set
appropriate policy for use, monitor the site and address any misconduct
immediately.
7. Providing written or verbal report to co-chairs and program consultant*
8. Visiting or contacting youth in congregations on a periodic basis to discuss youth
ministry, cons, YAC, or other youth issues.
• Make a courtesy call or email to the DRE and/or minister that you’ll be
visiting or otherwise contacting youth
• Make an agenda of what you’ll be discussing with youth
• Take any brochures or newsletters to distribute
• Send follow up thank you note to the DRE or youth group for their time
• Follow safe transportation procedures if visiting a congregation
• Keep a record of your visits and the outcomes of the visit (did youth from that
church show up at cons? Did they join YAC? Etc)
9. Communicating with DYC about YAC cons or other youth events on a
determined periodic basis.
10. Submit youth events or other updates to program consultant for the district
website
11. Typing schedule for cons and submitting to program consultant for distribution to
churches
12. Maintaining a three ring binder of materials that document your responsibility and
accomplishments

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 *secretary who is a part of this team

4/08

Job Description for YAC At-large positions

Members: Two7-8th graders; two 9-12th graders; two ‘certified’ adults.

Membership will strive to represent Southern ME cluster
(Kennebunk, Sanford, Portland (both), Yarmouth, Augusta,
Brunswick, Auburn, Saco-Biddeford,) Midcoast cluster (Rockland,
Belfast, Edgecomb, Bangor, Ellsworth, Castine) Northern cluster
(all the towns way north)
Desirable skills: Time management, good verbal and written skills, understanding
of UUism, YAC policies and youth ministry in district, team
building, word processing and email abilities, ability to support
and encourage others
Time Commitment: 2 meetings/year (August 10-3p.m. and January (Friday overnight-
Saturday 3p.m.); conference calls; emails; meeting for 2 hours at
spring con Sunday morning 10-noon) ** must check emails each
week***

Responsibilites
1. Attend YAC meetings and conference calls

2. Participate in YAC meetings by supporting and encouraging others; verbalizing

your viewpoints in respectful ways; expressing enthusiasm for YAC’s mission and
vision.

3. Substitute for YAC officers if or when necessary

4. Be familiar with, follow and advocate for district safety policies and other YAC
policies

5. Be familiar with and educate others about our district’s youth ministry, youth
cons, and Unitarian Universalism.

6. If an adult, consider acting as a con coordinator at a youth conference once a year

7. If youth, consider volunteering in a leadership role at youth conferences

8. Volunteer to plan and lead a 5 minute opening and closing at YAC meetings