As some of you already know, I'm involved in starting up a new year-long, full-time, community-based young adult volunteer program for the United Methodist Church in the Rocky Mountain/Yellowstone region. We're still working on a catchy name (and tag phrase), but in a brainstorming session today my colleagues asked some questions I wasn't sure I could answer definitively for all people in our target age range (I was the only "young adult" actually in the room). So I'm putting them out to you, O bloggers: If you are between the ages of 18 and 30, please respond to any/all of the following with your comments:
1. How would you characterize young adults today? Are there traits or values that cut across gender, ethnicity, economic background, education level for our age group?
2. What are young adults looking for in life? What is appealing?
3. Are athletic/sports-related images and metaphors relevant, limited, or overused?
4. Has the "eXtreme" concept been done to death?
5. What, if anything, would attract you to a program where you would commit to a year of full-time volunteer work, living in community in a house with other volunteers, learning about and reflecting on social justice issues and your own spiritual growth?
Thanks in advance for your input!
6 comments:
Since I actually was in a volunteer house for a year after college, living in community and developing my spiritual life, I'd have to say that some of the things that attracted me to it were:
1. The chance to do something good for other people, particularly poor people.
2. The chance to get some good experience for the future
3. The chance to take a break before more school
4. I don't think that before I went in I knew how much I would enjoy the community life or the simplified living, but I was interested in developing spiritually in those ways and having some guidance while doing it.
Sounds like an exciting project. You need to say more about it!
Oh, and on the Extreme thing, I think it's been done to death and can only be used ironically now.
No Extreme thing. anymore. I lived with Amy in said house and would concur with her comments. I think most people who do this sort of thing are looking to challenge themselves, their comfort level, their spirituality, materialism, etc. I think those people who are interested in this kind of community are always out there, but you're right, it's a hard thing to market: work with the poor and get paid $70 a month! plus, we'll throw in a chore wheel!
Ah, the chore wheel.
Thanks, Amy & Tara! I'll post updates on the program as it develops - and might have some proposed names for blogosphere voting in a week or two.
seriously, I wish I had a chore wheel in my house now. But I digress. hmm. I'd also add that my experiences in an intentional community have now been sepia-colored in the last 5(!) years since I was there, so it wouldn't hurt to talk to people who are closer to the experience.
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