TRANSCRIPT OF THE STAFF CONSENSUS ON THE COMMON GROUND BUSINESS QUESTIONS

Quick Jump Index

• Who?
• Why?
• What?
• How?
• Where?

1. WHO?
   This question deals with Age/Grade, Affiliation (or not) with UUA, consideration of affiliation with:
   • Local Society
     
   • District
     
   • Denominational
   Sum: Whom shall our Denominational Youth Program/Organization serve?

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2. WHY?
   Suggested: Begin this Session with a short brainstrom of Goals and Purposes, in two parts:
   • Purposes Values
     (What are our Reasons for Being?)
   • Goals
     (What do we wish to accomplish?)
   (This will hope to focus/center on the issue of Why.)

   POINT OF PROCESS: Send your group's list of from 5 to 10 rank ordered Purposes and Goals to the Concert Hall. A blended "list" will come back to you to use as a centering device when needed. Continue this session by developing a consensus statement answering the following question:

   Why or Why not should the UUA have an Organization/Program for Youth at a level broader than the local society?

   NOTE: The statement of goals and purposes may be used by your group through the rest of the sessions, be "honed", and will be reconsidered by the whole Assembly at the end of the week.

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3. WHAT?
   Begin this question with another short brainstorm on possible programs and services. From this focusing exercise, keep idea list to be used later for "taking the vision home." This list may be brought to the concert hall for public view.

   Continue by developing a consensus statement that addresses the following:

   1. A. Shall the UUA fund and support:

   • A Youth Organization?
   • Youth Program Staff?
   • An Organization and Staff?
   • Other? (State)

   B. Regarding relationship to UUA, if your group opts for "A Youth Organization (see above) as part of the total program:

   • Will the Organization be a structural part of the UUA or
   • Will the organization be an independently incorporated

   C. Include such considerations as:

   • Associational
   • District
   • Interdistrict
   • Local
   • Regional
   • Cluster
   • Federational
   • Planetary
   • Universal and beyond ...

   D. Staff Issues:

   • Youth-Adult
   • Where centered (office located)
   • Accountability

   E. Communications Network

   F. Ask the Group to give financial priorities to the "What's" they have developed. This should be a simple list without specific dollar amounts or percentages.

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4. HOW?
   "How is (Pause) what makes the Who, What and Why a reality. In other words, it is the mechanics of Who, What and Why!

   The discussion should cover:

   • By-law changes
   • Fund Raising
   • Celebrating/Grieving

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5. WHERE/WHEN?
   THIS SESSION WILL BE HELD WITH THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY.

   The When issue may be the place we pick up on the "naming"-if it has not yet been dealt with. It is also the place to ask:

   • Where will the Common Ground Decisions be implemented?
   • When will we phase in, re-assess, and evaluate our decisions.

   NOTE: Where/When will help draw Time Guidelines for How and for "Taking the Vision home".