By Rev. Lauren Jewett, Associate Conference Minister for Youth and Young Adult Ministry and Education
Wondering how to support youth and young adults in your congregation? Only have one or two youth or young adults but want them to have a meaningful (and FREE) faith-formation and leadership development experience? Have a young person who would benefit from (did I mention FREE) leadership training AND a 50% scholarship to Chapman University or Drury University, or other scholarships at UCC and DOC-affiliated schools? Higher Education and Leadership Ministries and Youth and Young Adult Leadership Symposiums to the rescue!
In 2023, the Youth Leadership Symposium (YLS) began offering FREE training for high school students to lead in their local congregation and started sharing the stories of how the projects these youth completed were impacting the world. In 2026, the new Young Adult Leadership Symposium (YALS) will offer young adults who have completed high school and are under the age of 30 the same opportunity to learn and serve. Both programs are based virtually, with in-person options and include units on:
– planning
– building partnerships
– setting boundaries
– finding mentors
– local church polity
– dealing with change
– financial planning
– ethics in leadership
To complete a symposium, students lead a project they have designed in their local church and submit an evaluation after the project is completed. NCNC youth have participated in the program in the past. Check out some of the amazing projects NCNC Youth have completed! Most recently, Jori, a youth at Pilgrim Congregational in Redding took on the project of clearing invasive species from the church property using…wait for it……. goats!
Registration for both programs is OPEN NOW with a December 31 deadline.
Register HERE for Youth Leadership Symposium 2026
Register HERE for Young Adult Leadership Symposium 2026
Both Youth Leadership Symposium and Young Adult Leadership Symposium are completely free!
Every congregation is invited to register one youth (and, if they wish, one adult) in YLS each year.
Every congregation is invited to register one young adult in YALS each year.
UCC Students who complete either YLS or YALS are eligible for scholarships at Chapman University, and Drury University. These are some of the same funds that were once only available to those who served on Conference “Youth Councils.” Drury is also opening up their dual-credit high school program to those who have completed YLS.
The Leadership Symposiums began as a pilot in partnership with Chapman University which has a relationship with the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Students who complete the program were offered a half-tuition scholarship. It quickly grew as the need for youth leadership training became evident. Along the way, various Conferences, Regions, and National ministries stepped up to support the program. HELM (Higher Education and Leadership Ministries) offered to give the program an administrative home and provide staffing while keeping the programs a shared UCC and DOC ministry. HELM also partners with the UCC through the office of Young Adults and Service Learning, in their Leadership Fellows program which offers a four year experience, including a Global Immersion Trip, for those in college.
