Table of Contents:

A Project Proposal to Examine and Change Youth Caucus in a Positive Manner

Sponsors: Sean Bibby, Beth Dana, Nan Moore, Tim Murphy, Sam Trumbull, and Paula Nett.

Point Person: Sean Bibby, don_lazy @ yahoo.com

Primary Aid: Beth Dana, tortue22 @ nycap.rr.com

UU Principle: Youth empowerment and the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process.

Specific issue or problem being addressed: At GA this past year, the Youth Caucus and Youth Office staff recognized some core problems within Youth Caucus. The lackadaisical attitude that reared its ugly head at the business meetings, the waning numbers at HUUPLA, worships, special events, and most other events was just part of the sickness. Youth Caucus needs to stand for something powerful. We feel a need to examine the culture at GA, and the programming that we provide.

Hope to achieve: We hope to achieve a more effective Youth Caucus at General Assembly. With input from past and current Youth Caucus staff, the Youth Office, Youth Council, Steering Committee, People of Color Caucus, the GA Planning Committee, the GA Office, and the UUA Board of Trustees We are going to evaluate the purpose and mission of Youth Caucus. The betterment of Youth Caucus is in everyone's interest, and we feel that as many people as possible need to be a part of this movement. We are also hoping to receive the approval, support, and input of Youth Council as a result of this project proposal.

Short-Term Goals:
1. Gather the attention of YRUU in general, and the help of a multitude of interested groups (i.e. those listed above). This will be done by the GA 2003 staff members who are jump-starting this taskforce. We hope to get commitments from potential taskforce meeting attendees by late August or early September. We will advertise the meeting to solicit input through means such as YCRs, the GA and/or YRUU website, and district/continental listserves.
2. To hold a meeting of all interested groups, in Boston, to discuss Youth Caucus and the problems and solutions. The result of this meeting will be a set of recommendations and a course of action to take in the following months leading up to GA. This meeting will be held in October and will be organized by the Youth Office and by the interested Youth Caucus 2003 staff members. As soon as we find out about project proposal approval and the Y*FUUD grant, planning will begin.

Evaluation:
The members of the GA 2003 youth staff who are organizing this (including the sponsors, point person, and primary aid listed above), as well as the Youth Office staff will be the ones to make sure that the meeting is held and that the recommendations of the taskforce are implemented. Bimonthly reports will be submitted to Youth Council in order for them to evaluate our progress.

Local and district people:
Youth Caucus' past GA staff and Youth Council Representatives will be asked to help advertise the meeting and to pass along information from the meeting back to the youth. Our hope is that these continental leaders will pass on responsibility to other empowering youth and adult local and district leaders. The taskforce meeting attendees will also network in their area in order to get input to bring to the meetina.

Long-term goal:
Our long-term goal is to be determined by the meeting (see short term goals) and its attendees. However, our preliminary notion is that Youth Caucus is not in its healthiest state. More involvement in business meetings, larger GA planning, and leadership in general are crucial to a healthy and vital YRUU. Constant improvement should be the norm, not a special effort, with very enthusiastic help from the larger GA Planning Committee. Constant improvement should be a continental-wide effort, and not just that of a select committee. We are showing the first glimpse of what we hope is a long and fruitful look into GA and YRUU's involvement in it. The long-term goals will be determined by the directions and recommendations of the taskforce meeting, and will be accomplished by the meeting's attendees.

Evaluation:
For the long term goal, we hope to see a larger involvement come out of the meeting. Improvement of Youth Caucus will no longer be a committee effort; it will be the effort of all of Youth Caucus and of YRUU.

Local and district people:
Youth Caucus's past GA staff, local and district leaders will be asked to help advertise the meeting and to pass along information from the meeting back to the youth.
If we continue this project for more than 1 or 2 years Youth Council will have to take on a larger role as its institutional memory is easier to access than local and district leaders. The youth who are working on this project now are very interested in the long-term goals, guaranteeing future YRUUers to work on this project. Again, the meeting will have a large impact on what we do from there. A re-evaluation of this project is mandatory during and after this meeting.

Resources YRUU has that will be used:
Youth and the various committees invited to the meeting. We will also use YPS time, as they will be involved throughout. We will also use the resources published by the Youth Office. We will rely on the vast personal and religious experience of the taskforce meeting attendees and their input-givers.

How this will further the vision and purposes of YRUU:
YRUU is the organization that we are looking to improve. Youth Caucus is when we can come together and show the world who we are, and that youth have souls. GA is also a time for youth to network, learn new things, and become leaders, and then bring this leadership back to their local groups. We need a larger youth voice at GA, because this could change the way things happen.

How this will further the greater denomination and the world:
When YRUU is better and healthier, the denomination is too. We have all heard the saying "the children are our future" and it is corny but true. In every YRUU group there is a percentage of youth that will become lifelong UUs. We feel that a better Youth Caucus at GA is instrumental to involving youth in a serious and meaningful event. It is also, at its core, an intergenerational experience. We would like to help facilitate this intergenerational interaction, which is not happening as much now as it could be. Youth who attend GA have the potential to learn about being a UU adult.

Changes that are needed in YRUU Policies or Bylaws:
We will look to the meeting's notes for fundamental things that need to be changed. The way the staff is picked and staff job descriptions are policies and bylaws that have been looked at and will continue to be evaluated in the future.

Fiscal impact:
Financial aid is expected and desired from the GA Planning Committee as well as Y*FUUD. This is not an application to receive funds; rather, it is an application for your support and endorsement of our idea. We expect that in order to gather 10 youth together at this meeting, the cost will be $5000. The reason we are applying for a Y*FUUD grant is so that we can have more of a continental youth presence and representation.

Call for consensus. Reached. Proposal passes.

Bylaw Change for Youth Caucus Quorum

Sponsor: Tim Murphy
Co-Sponsor: Dale Brydon
Point Person: Asha Philar
Insert: Article IX (change all other articles accordingly)

Section 1: The General Assembly of the UUA Shall have a youth program of the GA called Youth Caucus.
a) Youth Caucus shall have business meetings to conduct the business of YRUU.
b) These shall act as the annual meeting of YRUU.
c) The quorum for decision-making at these meetings shall be at least 1/5 of the Youth Caucus Registrants.
d) Should quorum not be met, any decisions that could not be made by the Youth Caucus shall be made by the Youth Council.

Explanation: The decisions being made at Youth Caucus are being made by far too few members of the community. The Youth Council, although not as large, is a more representative body.

No Fiscal Impact

Call for Consensus: passes. Stand Asides: Amy and Laura (see minutes)

Bylaw Change for Canadians at Youth Council

Sponsor: Asha Philar
Co-Sponsor: Dale Brydon, Molly Freeman-Lynde
Point Person: Rachelle Rickards

Change Article V Section l:

a) One Youth Chosen by and representing the youth organization of each of the UUA Districts and CUC Regions, with the exception of the Mountain-Desert District which shall have two representatives - with
only one representative eligible to run for Steering Committee. b) No Changes
c) Seven adults chosen by the Steering Committee, and one adult appointed by the UUA Board of Trustees.

Section 2:

..... Terms of Office shall be staggered for youth representing their district or regional youth organization, with approximately half of them being brought on to the council each year.
Vacancies due to resignation or inability to complete a term shall be filled by the body that made the original appointment, where possible.

Change: "District" wherever it appears to "District or Region/Regional" taking grammar into consideration.

Explanation: Due to the UUA/CUC split, the cross-border districts and the Western Canada District are no longer representing Canadian youth at Youth Council. In an effort to remain a continental organization, it is vital that the Youth Council still serve its Canadian constituents by allowing representation on the Youth Council.

Although the population of UU youth in Canada is roughly the amount in one UUA District - by using the consensus process, more voices do not mean more votes. All members of the Youth Council are equal members with equal voices. This change will have no fiscal impact on the UUA except for providing food and housing at Youth Council for all of its members. The travel for any representative will be provided by the District or Region's youth organization.
This change also accommodates for most future changes to District or Regional structures.

call for consensus, resolution passes

Resolution: Youth Caucus Scholarship Accountability

Sponsor: Paul Kendrick
Co-Sponsor: Christine Middleton

In order to better utilize the money of YRUU, especially in times of pressing fiscal difficulties, it is necessary to better monitor the participation of YRUU scholarship recipients at GA. This need not be done over-zealously or foster an environment of fear and unrealistic expectations. However, it is also illogical to not have some element of accountability for those who are receiving YRUU money.

This is also a pressing concern when so many of the YRUU business meetings at the last GA had few in attendance, while there was more youth at the conference than may have ever been seen before. Even during elections of important positions, only little more than a dozen chose to participate. We must make sure all are taking full advantage of these opportunities allotted to them.

Therefore, be it resolved that all YRUU business meetings have a sign-in sheet so that it can be assured that those receiving YRUU money attend at least l/3 of all business meetings.

Of course, one would want people to attend more than that, but we would also not want to over-regulate and restrict people from having options relative to the larger GA experience. If a youth receiving funding from the Youth Office fails to meet this very reasonable requirement they will be unable to receive funding for the following year. This can be appealed to the Steering Committee if there was a sufficient explanation for the absences. We would also advise districts and individual churches who fund youth to follow suit so that their money is spent on making GA more than just a social event.

Consensus: all, no stand asides, no concerns blocking consensus.

Resolution: the SOA/WHISC

Sponsor: Jason Lydon
Co-Sponsors: Siri Larsen, Marissa Guitierrez
Point Person: Siri Larsen
Primary Aid: Marissa Guitierrez

UU Principles: Inherent Worth and Dignity of All People; Justice, Equity, and Compassion in human relations; The goal of word community with peace, liberty, and justice for all; Right of conscience and use of the democratic process

Specific Problem Being Addressed: For many years now, WHISC (formerly the SOA) has gained a reputation for murder, rape, torture, and other heinous crimes throughout Latin America. This U.S. training site, located in Ft. Benning, Georgia has trained over 60,000 Latin American soldiers in inhuman mutilation techniques. The school has been responsible for these numerous human rights abuses, and therefore it is necessary for YRUU to work to help close WHISC.

Goals:
-To educate youth in YRUU about the atrocities of the SOA through books, movies, and other materials.
-To support the actions of, and build a strong working relationship with SOA watch.
-Encourage YRUU members to write letters to the members of the WHISC visitor's committee demanding ANOTHER investigation of the S OA.

Some Deadlines/Dates in Mind:
- Nov. 21-23
- YSJC 2003 - Nov. 13-17
- SOA Protest in GA 2003
- G.A.2004
- YSJC 2004
- Nov. 2004

Ways to Accomplish Goals:
- Ongoing presentations to district SACs about SOA and distribution of materials, info on upcoming SOA protests, etc. Have an organizing meeting regarding the SOA in 2003.
- Encourage all SACs/YCRs to distribute letters regarding HR 1258 and letters to the visitor's committee during SOA protests, as well as support any youth going.
- GA 2004 - Have a fundraising booth at GA to send youth to the SOA Protest in 2004. Have organizational meetings regarding travel/affinity groups. Have letters and petitions regarding the SOA.
- SAC check-up on fundraising status regarding SOA. Get speakers from
SOA watch. - SOA 2004 contingent

Whereas the School of the Americas (SOA), renamed in 2001 the "Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation" (WHISC), has trained over 60,000 Latin American Soldiers in Counterinsurgency techniques, sniper training, commando and biological warfare, military intelligence and interrogation tactics;

Whereas SOA graduates have consistently used their skills to wage a war against their. own people for examples - In the United nations Truth Commission report it is noted that over 60 Salvadorian officers committed the worst atrocities during El Salvador's Civil War. Over 2/3 of those named were alumni of the SOA. According to the Human Rights Watch report on "State terrorism in Columbia" SOA graduates have taken part in the Trusillo "chainsaw" massacre of 107 villagers, the Segovia massacre of 43, the Uraba massacre of 20 striking banana workers, as well as other heinous human rights abuses;

Whereras this school is responsible for training military dictators and death squad leaders including General Hernan lose Guzman Rodriquez (who protected and aided the Colombian paramilitary death squad "MAS," which was responsible for the deaths of at least 149 people), General Hector Gramajo (architect of genocidal policies from 19801991 which resulted in the rape, murder, torture, and displacement of hundreds of thousands of indigenous people in Guatemala - After U.S. courts found him guilty of warcrimes, Gramajo was a guest speaker at an SOA graduation ceremony as an "Honored Guest"), Colonel Pablo Belmar (he was directly implicated in the torture and murder of UN official Carmelo Soria, whose neck was broken while tortured by a Chilean DWA personal), General Hugo Banzer Suarez (he was a brutal military dictator who achieved power in Bolivia through a violent coup; after which he developed the "Banzer plan" to silence outspoken members of the church - the plan became a blueprint for repression throughout Latin America), and, but certainly not limited to, General Rios Montt (Author of the "Scorched earth" policies in Guatemala which resulted in over 625 indigenous villages being completely eliminated - he gained power by orchestrating a bloody coup and led the country during some of it's most repressive years);

Whereas YRUU stands for Justice and Peace by our principles and we work to affirm the inherent worth and dignity of all people;

Whereas YRUU is part of a religious organization that has a history of joining and standing in solidarity with Social Justice Movements;

We therefore resolve to work with the SOA watch in closing down this School of terror, to urge Congress people to support legislation to close the SOA/WHISC (HR 1258 is the bill that has been introduced in the House), to create a space for UU youth at the annual vigil held at the gates of Ft. Benning where the school is located, to continue to educate ourselves on US foreign policy and how it continues to perpetuate the racist systems we are working to overcome through our commitment to anti-racism.

YRUU has no financial nor legal responsibility for those who choose to cross the line and risk arrest.

consensus reached, proposal passes, no concerns that need listing

Resolution: Rock That Vote!

Sponsors: Christine Middleton, Heather DeLong, Paul Kendrick, Brianna Riouk, Kathleen McAuley

Point Person: Paul Kendrick

UU Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and society at large.

Specific Problem: Many YRUU youth have very strong political opinions, and one of the best ways to actively express those views is by voting. However, UU communities are not stressing the importance of registering to vote and going to the polls.

Hope to Achieve: The Youth Council resolves that we are committed to making sure that local, district and continental YRUU leadership puts enough emphasis on the importance of voting.

Short Term Goals:

• That everyone eligible to vote in the 2003 election of the Canadian Prime Minister and/or the 2004 American Presidential elections will take the necessary steps to do so.
• To ensure accountability, we also ask districts to ask on conference registration forms whether the conferee is registered to vote, if eligible. This will be kept track of to gauge the extent of the problem and the effectiveness of this solution. Conference leaders are called to use this data to encourage more voter registration and bring the results back to Youth Council 2004.
• Additionally, we ask the Youth Office and those who administer district websites to add prominent links to Canadian and American voter registration sites on their websites, to provide ample numbers of voter registration materials at all YRUU events, and provide additional basic voter information (explaining the political process, giving contact information on political parties and issues, etc.) for those who may not yet be eligible to vote but are still active in the political community.

Long-term Goal: to instill a permanent sense of the importance of civic participation in YRUU youth. This resolution does not endorse any specific candidates.

call for consensus- passes.

Resolution: The ORLANDO BLOOM Program (Did Not Pass)

Sponsor: Gregory Boyd
Co-Sponsor: Hannah Eller-Isaacs
Point Person: Annie Powell
UU/YRUU Principle: Worship; Sources of our Faith Tradition

Officially Recognizing Lay-People And Neighboring Dynamic Organizational Beliefs Like Our Own Mysticism:
Attempts should be made to work with Faith Traditions who have comparable programming as we do in YRUU.

An At-Large Position for Youth Council entitled the "DYNAMO'" (Dynamic Youth Nurturingly Active Mysticism Organizer) shall be created. Districts in the future would be encouraged to also create this position.

The duties of the DYNAMO would be:

• Contact person for the ORLANDO BLOOM Program
• Actively Seek out information about Youth Programming in other denominations
• Find and contact leaders in other denominational Youth Programming
• Delivery of Annual Report about the amount and progress of Youth
• Programming in other denominations and how we are working with them
• Development of a resource Guide for the development of individual spirituality
• Use of Synapse to promulgate the gatherings of youth of different Faith Traditions among the Districts and Regions

This position should be a 3 Youth Council, and 3 Steering Committee term filled through the Youth Office (like the POA). Final approval for the position is up to the members of the Youth Council. Budget for the position should be roughly $1,500 for mailings and resource development. Travel should be paid for to and from GA as well as to ConCon where the DYNAMO would lead a workshop on individual spiritual practices and/or nonwestern religions. This position should be created within and no later than 5 years.

The Program (Or it's Lay-People Part):
Districts and Regions are encouraged to have workshops and conferences devoted to the development of a sense of healthy and personal UU identity. In doing this we can help to achieve a more constant movement from YRUU to the Young Adult programs Young Adults/Campus Ministries and C*UUYAN.
Districts and Regions are also encouraged to work together to create resources and new programs that emphasize the importance of individual spiritual practices as a means of spiritual and mental growth.
Evaluation should be done on a District or Regional level by YCR's or when/where applicable by the District or Regional DYNAMO.

Suggestion to consent to send to committee while simultaneously supporting creation of the districts.
-concern is that nothing will actually happen without the youth council mandate inherent in a YC resolution.
Questions and Concerns:
*Regional or district DYNAMOs could be an alternative
*Needs to be worked on and brought back
*Lots of support for creating district and regional positions
*Concern w/ sending to committee* -Is anything going to happen over the next year?

Consensus: one abstain, one concern- resolution to be sent to committee for addressing next year.

Resolution: It's Time We Did Some More About Anti-Racism In YRUU (Did Not Pass)

Sponsor: Gregory Boyd
Co-Sponsor: Asha Philar
Point Person: Asha Philar
UU/YRUU Principle: Justice, Equity, and Compassion in human relations; Leadership; Goal of World Community.

It's Time We Did Some More About Racism in YRUU!

People of Color Caucus (PoCC) Selection Process:
The PoCC would be thricely elected/selected by their constituency within YRUU, and application to the Youth Office, and approval of the People of Color Advisory Council to Steering Committee (PoCAC). The selection process would be outlined in the following:

• By no later than October 13 of a given year, applications for the PoCC of the next year's youth Council are made available and distributed through all media available to the Youth Office.
• Applicants are required to receive 10 signatures, signed in the presence of a church or UUA official, of youth of color in support of their nomination to PoCC.
• Applicants must additionally receive a letter of recommendation from three (3) people. At least one of these must be a youth of color. The Youth Office will begin receiving this portion of the application by February 14 of the year of the Youth Council.
• Applicants must submit a letter of nomination to the Youth Office. The questions for the letter/application shall be developed by the PoCAC. The letter should be received by the Youth Office no later than April 13th of the year of the Youth Council. Once the two parts of the application have been complied by the Youth Office, complete applications shall be forwarded to the PoCAC for a final approval.

PoCAC shall select based on the following guidelines:

• In accordance with our UU Principles
• Mindful of how the PoCC nominees will create a community together
  With Creativity, Constructiveness, and Compassion Through Formal Consensus

The finalists for PoCC shall be reviewed by the entire Steering Committee with the power to approve or reject any nominees; but with consideration for the reasons of PoCAC. The new members of PoCC shall be notified no later than the GA of the year of the Youth Council.

Continuing Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppressive Transformation:
Continue work through identity caucusing in YRUU. The Identity Caucusing should be used to link former ID Caucus leaders do that their collective leadership skills and experience can be used to further our AR/AO work.
A coalition of interested for ID group leaders will assemble to brainstorm new direction for AR/AO work more advanced participants. This should be done through a minimum of four (4) conference calls, to minimize cost. The ideas of this coalition will be presented at Youth Council 2004.

More active encouragement of ID groups in districts:
Realizing that it is difficult in many Districts/Regions because of the low numbers of Youth of Color, it is still necessary to encourage the practice of creating safe spaces to discuss race and racism. YCR's should encourage this practice in their Districts/regions. Utilizing the Movie Resource Guide from the Spring 2000 Issue of Synapse could be helpful. Frequent consultation with the Youth Office and codifying ID groups into existing trainings (LDC's, SDC's, YAT's, etc.) as well as the AR/AO training currently in development are some ways to go about this.

Putting the "O" Back in AR/AO Work:
The creation of Oppression Affinity groups in continental YRUU events should be urged. The Aff. Groups, like ID groups would be safe spaces to discuss issues of different oppressions, namely gender identity, sexism, sexual orientation and classism. This is a part of the Journey Toward Global Community we have ignored in past years. The Youth Office should encourage programming for Aff. Groups in the planning of any continental YRUU event. Affinity should especially be a part of the programming for YSJC, SATUURDAY, and continental Training of Trainers for YRUU.

Both Affinity groups and Identity groups should receive independent time slots in programming. ID groups and Aff. Groups should never run concurrently.

Evaluation Process: The previously mentioned programs and processes should be evaluated annually for a period of five (5) years and biannually thereafter by the Steering Committee. The evaluation will be a list of observations and concerns of the Steering Committee to be presented at the GA and ConCon Business Meetings and either in the Youth Council Pre-packet or at the first Plenary of the aforementioned.

Questions and Concerns listed:
*Why so much work involved -10 signatures sounds like a lot?
*Why is the YO collecting applications?
*If POCCs have to get 10 signatures then everyone should have to
*DRUMM ya/ya hasn't seen it
*Number of people on con call limit
*confusion about who is doing what, deadlines, etc.
*coalition of ID groups leaders should be kept
*obscene to expect to find 10 POC's (too much unecesarry work)
*Feels almost racist to let white people come without a hassle, but to invite PoC, but give them such a high requirement. If we are fighting anti-racism, then why can white people come no sweat but PoC need to fight?