Youth Forum at GC43 (The 43Rd Meeting of General Council)

Youth Forum at GC43 (the 43rd Meeting of General Council)

Below you will find a description of the program, the numbers, and a timeline for the Youth Forum of GC43.

Three movements of Youth Forum

1. The Youth Forum Winter Gathering: The Youth Forum Winter Gathering will meet February 16-19, 2018 at Five Oaks Retreat Centre in Paris, Ontario. During the Youth Forum Winter Gathering, delegates will engage in experiential learning activities to help them become more aware of the current structure of the church, how the structure is changing, how policies and proposals are developed and submitted, and how decisions are made by the General Council. During the Winter Gathering they will nominate 13 youth representatives (one from each Conference) to take part in the Summer Pilgrimage (Pilgrimage info below).

2. General Council: Conferences will send the 5 youth who attend the Winter Gathering to represent them at General Council in Oshawa, Ontario, July 21-28, 2018. At least one of those youth is to be a voting Commissioner. The rest will be a voice without a vote. The voting commissioner will also be part of the work of the Commissioners during the following triennium.

3. The Summer Pilgrimage: During the summer of 2018, the thirteen youth chosen by their peers at the Winter Retreat (one from each Conference), along with two young adult leaders, will be employed by the General Council, in partnership with the GO Project, to spend some time working in their home conference office prior to General Council and to do a pilgrimage across the country, mostly after General Council, attending United Church of Canada youth events, gatherings, camps, etc. to listen to the dreams and needs of young people and to share and interpret the decisions of General Council to United Church groups they meet with on their pilgrimage. Their summer employment will also include training in listening and facilitation skills prior to the meeting of the General Council.

Math of Youth Forum

1. The Youth Forum Winter Gathering: Five youth, ages 15-18, are selected by each Conference to attend the Youth Forum Winter Gathering. It is recommended that youth choose who will represent them at the winter gathering. The process for this selection is to be designed by each Conference.

4. General Council: 65 youth, five from each Conference, with at least one from each Conference being a voting Commissioner.

5. The Summer Pilgrimage (TBD): Thirteen Youth Commissioners (one from each Conference), who are selected at the Youth Forum Winter Gathering. Timeline of Youth Forum

Fall 2017 – The Conference Selection Committee selects five youth ages 15-18 to attend the Youth Forum Winter Gathering to be held February 16-19, 2018 at Five Oaks Retreat Centre.

February 2018 – Five youth from each Conference attend the Youth Forum Winter Gathering to be held February 16-19, 2018 at Five Oaks Retreat Centre. At this gathering, the youth choose one youth from each conference to do the pilgrimage and choose someone to be an alternate, in case the first youth, for some reason is unable to fulfill their commitment.

Spring 2018 – Conferences receive the names of youth who attended the Winter Gathering and officially nominate them to represent them at General Council, nominating at least one of them as a voting commissioner.

July 21-28, 2018 – 43rd General Council in Oshawa, Ontario

Summer 2018 (Dates TBD) – Thirteen Youth Commissioners, along with two young adult leaders, are employed by the General Council, in partnership with the GO Project, to work in their own conference offices and then join together for a pilgrimage across the country surrounding the dates of General Council to attend United Church of Canada youth events, gatherings, camps, etc. to listen to the dreams and needs of young people and share their insights and interpretations of the decisions made at General Council.

Ongoing throughout the next triennium – Youth Forum participants will receive information about the work of the General Council to share with communities of faith in their regions.