Throughout the summer, there are a number of opportunities for youth to engage with Unitarian Universalist youth from all over the country around social justice, activism, leadership development, connections to UU youth of color, exploring religious career callings, and so much more! Each opportunity is supported by the UUA and is guaranteed to be a time of deep learning and great fun! Please contact Dani (dani@fusn.org) or Rowan (rowan@fusn. org) for more information about these opportunities. Rowan and Dani are happy to discuss scholarship opportunities for any youth interested.

General Assembly – June 21-25 in New Orleans, LA. This is the UUA’s continental annual gathering. GA this year is focused on social justice. Youth are part of a 300 person youth caucus with programming specifically for their age range. Deadline for early registration is April 30. If youth are interested in attending GA, please talk to Rowan and Dani about how to make this happen!

Activate GA – UU College of Social Justice- June 21 – A one-day social justice add-on specifically for youth at to General Assembly in New Orleans, LA.

New Orleans – UU College of Social Justice – This one-week training for high school youth offers interactive social justice education and meaningful hands-on work with local organizations building a thriving New Orleans. Deadline is May 30. Cost is $880.

Boston – Climate Change – UU College of Social Justice- Aug 6-13. This one-week training for high school youth offers interactive social justice education and meaningful work with local organizations engaged in the climate justice movement. Participants will see firsthand Boston’s historic roots as a harbor city built primarily on landfill, and how that pushes up against the city’s future as climates change and sea levels rise. Deadline is May 9. Cost is $980.

Rowe Camp– Camp for youth ages 13-15 is June 25 – July 15, and ages 16-19 is July 30 – August 19. Each day, campers participate in a wide variety of amazing workshops on topics such as dreams, identity, spirituality, body image, addiction, sexuality, grief and loss, and politics. In the evenings, campers join the whole community for events like talent shows and large-scale games or dances and rituals. At the end of each evening, we all go to Chapel for a time to share readings, songs, and reflections about what touches us most deeply. It is a time when we can choose to express, or simply feel, our greatest joys and most profound hurts in an atmosphere of acceptance and safety.

Star Island– Star Island offers two youth conferences over the summer:

• Star Gathering UCC 1 Youth Conference. Do you like to try new things? Do you want to meet amazing, loving and welcoming people? Are you a high school aged youth? This may be the conference for you! Star Gathering 1 Youth will spend time building community this year by looking at the Beatitudes and imagining who in our world is “blessed.” (Everyone!) We’ll have sacred conversations about those who are marginalized and ways we can effect change in our world. We’ll do this in addition to sharing in abundant love and laughter as we play wild games, try new things and step outside of our comfort zones! July 29, 2017 to August 5, 2017.
• Youth Empowerment and Spirituality: Guiding Lights. At YES, we come together to create a welcoming and supportive community, sharing profound experiences that promote and affirm our personal and spiritual growth. During our week on Star Island, YES conferees can organize and participate in exciting workshops, join together in nightly worships, and explore the natural beauty and inspiration that the island provides. August 5, 2017 to August 12, 2017.

Ferry Beach– Ferry Beach offers camps for children and youth from 4th-12th grade. Registration for camps is due by May 7. ​Ferry Beach’s Youth Camps (Kids for the Earth/KFTE for 4th to 6th grade, Different Drummers/DD for 7th to 9th grade, and Fuutures for 10th to 12th grade) offer an enriching week-long experience where youth can become part of an intentional, kind-hearted, and connected community built on self expression and mutual respect. What makes Ferry Beach unique and special is that in addition to the honoring of our natural resources, we highlight Universalist values in our programming. Yes, values like respect, compassion, diversity, justice, service, love, and stewardship are the core of all we do at Ferry Beach.

Unirondack- UU Summer Camp– Unionrock offers many different Unitarian Universalist summer camps for ages 9-18. Please follow the link to see all of the different camps Unirondack offers. At Unirondack we live the values that are inherent in Unitarian Universalist principles—acceptance, compassion, and decision-making through the democratic process. At Unirondack each camper matters. We take the time to figure out what our campers need and want. Campers and staff members share their thoughts and feelings about camp and our community during our daily “Camp Council.” Counselors spend their days getting to know campers through shared activities, long talks during cabin time, organized discussion groups, bursts of spontaneous fun, and the careful learning about another person that takes time and patience.