We spent little time on formal programming. Hamblen, at Gainesville, concurs. We don't do curriculum with our youth group. We're there for fun, fellowship, and mutual support. It's real important for kids to have friends they can be honest with without putting on a show like they have to at school.
Some youth come only three to four times a year, but they're still part of the group.
The group has prepared lunch for Habitat for Humanity workers and done an AIDS walk. Youth can be attracted to short curricula, says Jennifer Harrison, UUA youth programs director. There are hundreds of successful curricula used at workshops and camps. We'd like for youth leaders to send these to us so that we all don't keep reinventing the wheel. A good youth program, she said, should include a connection be-tween the middle school and high school groups, social action, and a balance of contemplative and physical activity.