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I just received a communique from SLC announcing ”For the Strength of the Youth Conferences” being implemented in North America (apparently they have been done elsewhere for some time). While I think that in and of itself is a change, the letter did specifically refer to Young Women camps and Young Men camps (as in don’t schedule them to conflict with FtSotY conferences). That’s just the first reference I have seen specifically referring to Young Men camps. Roy wrote:
FYI, the new program has a name! “Children and Youth”Wow, what a creative and inspiring title for the new program…
🙄 Thanks for sharing that link. Reading through this information, it makes it sounds like they’re going to turn it into the kind of program that I was worried about:
Quote:The goal of the new initiative is to deepen conversion through gospel learning, personal development and service and activities. It is based on the church’s renewed emphasis on home-centered, church-supported learning, which has led to major changes, including a new churchwide curriculum for Sunday School and other classes and more family gospel study in place of one hour of Sunday meetings.
It sounds like it’s going to suck the fun out of the youth programs by putting even more focus on gospel study. Somebody mentioned MTC-Lite, and it sounds like that’s pretty accurate.Quote:One known goal of the initiative is to equalize experiences for girls and boys. Another is to equalize them for youth and children in North America and around the world.
This is another point I’m not thrilled about. I’m all for equalizing the funding of the boys and girls programs. But, when it comes to equalizing the activities for youth and children, I’m not a fan. It sounds like they’re just going to be putting more of a gospel-focus on things, and they’re going to extend that to primary age children too. Probably one reason they’ll start doing annual bishop interviews for kids that are 8 and older. I thought one of the greatest pros of the scouting program was that it was easy to include boys who had no interest in church. About 50% of the boys in our troop are boys who never show up to church and have no interest in missions/seminary/church/priesthood. But, those boys love being a part of scouting. A program that is gospel-focused as it’s main goal is going to chase those types of youth away.When I click on the links in this article, it says I don’t have access. Is anybody able to access the links?
Roy wrote:
FYI, the new program has a name! “Children and Youth”What I want to know is who exactly is the new program aimed at?
:angel: Holy Cow wrote:
Quote:One known goal of the initiative is to equalize experiences for girls and boys. Another is to equalize them for youth and children in North America and around the world.
This is another point I’m not thrilled about. I’m all for equalizing the funding of the boys and girls programs. But, when it comes to equalizing the activities for youth and children, I’m not a fan. It sounds like they’re just going to be putting more of a gospel-focus on things, and they’re going to extend that to primary age children too.Yeah, equalizing could always mean making both programs suck.
I could be wrong, but I believe funding for YW/YM is up to the BP’s discretion. Historically most of the budget went towards Scouts (and by extension YM) because it had to. Now I imagine the YW and YM will be seen as one entity. Equalized in the sense that all youth together have one budget to work with as opposed to the two there were before.
I don’t get why they feel the need for even more indoctrination. They already have Sunday church and seminary every weekday. I don’t think force feeding more of the gospel is going to keep kids in the church. It’s just going to appeal to the super spiritual types and alienate everyone else. We might be about to see youth program involvement drop dramatically next year. Honestly the youth just need an opportunity for wholesome fun, and a lot only show up because of the fun activities. No amount of instruction in the gospel can compensate for the church experience not being enjoyable. I remember as a youth a lot of the young women were jealous that we got to have fun running wild at scout camp while they were stuck doing testimony-building activities at girl’s camp. Now I worry that both youth camps will become Sunday school in the woods.
I’m trying to keep an open mind. That said, I agree with others who have verbalized being worried about it being more indoctrination. Our stake, like many others, just completed a Pioneer Trek. I am not a fan, but my wife is. As in many things, I support her in this. I had two of my kids attend. It was held at Martin’s Cove, Wyoming. Our stake was only able to secure the two day version of trek. The feedback I had from my kids was: 1) it was too easy (they only walked 8 miles over 2 days), 2) they had 17 devotionals over two days, and 3) they are sick and tired of the same pioneer stories.
This wasn’t a bad experience for my kids. But it wasn’t what it could have been. 17 devotionals?!?!? They were exhausted after trek. But not physically. They were emotionally and spiritually spent.
This kind of thing would be my worst nightmare for the new program. More doctrine, less fun. My memories of growing up in the church as a youth were not the devotionals, firesides, or other such. It was getting to know my leaders who were brilliant, fun, driven, and imperfect people. Those people gave me hope that even at a young age there was a place for me in the church.
I’m afraid the new program will miss the mark. But I’m willing to give it a chance.
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