Are the changes to/removal of Youth Activities local decisions or coming from the top?

[Snodgrassian]

I have just heard from multiple friends that there significant changes to, what I would consider, core youth activities. A local stake is no longer hosting a stake-wide girls camp, instead, each ward is hosting their own. I never attended a girls camp, but always heard how it was a highlight of the year for many young women and a great chance to get to know others in the stake.

the loss of the scouting program has caused similar issues for the young men. It was during these campouts and scout camp that I really got to know the young men in the different quorums and the rest of the stake as well.

When you consider that Roadshows seem to be a relic of the past, I just see some of my favorite memories of my youth no longer part of the cultural upbringing of today’s youth.

Are there new things taking the place to fill these cultural voids?  

[LoudmouthMormon]

We've had three stakewide youth camps/FSY events so far in 2024.

[MustardSeed]

54 minutes ago, Snodgrassian said:

I have just heard from multiple friends that there significant changes to, what I would consider, core youth activities. A local stake is no longer hosting a stake-wide girls camp, instead, each ward is hosting their own. I never attended a girls camp, but always heard how it was a highlight of the year for many young women and a great chance to get to know others in the stake.

the loss of the scouting program has caused similar issues for the young men. It was during these campouts and scout camp that I really got to know the young men in the different quorums and the rest of the stake as well.

When you consider that Roadshows seem to be a relic of the past, I just see some of my favorite memories of my youth no longer part of the cultural upbringing of today’s youth.

Are there new things taking the place to fill these cultural voids?  

It’s a lot different now than it used to be ime. 
I grew up with constant activity going on with church. Church was everything. Constant Ward activities, sports, trips, overnighters, fundraisers, all sorts of social events.  
People have changed. They are too busy. The church wants us Christ focused.  I see benefits and drawbacks to the changes.  
Our area is doing stake activities for the youth.  There’s also FSY and. I think Camp Helaman is pretty popular for the boys.  

[Snodgrassian]

20 minutes ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

We've had three stakewide youth camps/FSY events so far in 2024.

That is good to hear. Maybe it is just this year for the local group!

Edited June 21, 2024 by Snodgrassian

[ZealouslyStriving]

37 minutes ago, MustardSeed said:

People have changed. They are too busy.

**The following is not directed at you.**

Too different and to busy to build Zion?

Zion is not built by everybody doing their own thing. With good reason we were warned about prosperity by early Utah leaders.

[rpn]

1 hour ago, Snodgrassian said:

 there significant changes to, what I would consider, core youth activities.

FSY is the top down directive church wide.    The youth are supposed to be deciding their own activities in congregations and stakes.    It is true that wards and stakes are having trouble paying for the more expensive big camps that are not entirely rustic and therefore more preferred to modern youth.   It is true that there are fewer adults competent in the wild and almost no congregation has a camping trailer that were staples when boy scouts camped once a month generally.    I think that is a mistake for both the YW and the YM.    But it is a sign of the ongoing struggles of how to appropriate support and serve the youth of the church around the world   and how to do it cost effectively, so everyone can participate, within more limited funding restraints of the church. 

[MustardSeed]

1 hour ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

**The following is not directed at you.**

Too different and to busy to build Zion?

Zion is not built by everybody doing their own thing. With good reason we were warned about prosperity by early Utah leaders.

I think the idea is that busyness in the church is not what builds Zion.? Maybe that’s true, maybe that’s not. 
 

Depends on how you define zion! 
 

 

 

[The Nehor]

4 hours ago, ZealouslyStriving said:

**The following is not directed at you.**

Too different and to busy to build Zion?

Zion is not built by everybody doing their own thing. With good reason we were warned about prosperity by early Utah leaders.

It is often not prosperity. It is more often that one parent works in the evening or that academic competition means the kids are doing more to get ahead or parents can’t afford to shuttle family to and form church regularly or whatever.

It is also possibly an attempt to make us less insular. It is very hard to invite friends to church when all your social activities are church events and everyone you know already goes.

It is also a cost-cutting measure to have fewer activities.

[The Nehor]

5 hours ago, LoudmouthMormon said:

We've had three stakewide youth camps/FSY events so far in 2024.

Where are you getting the money for this? Really good fundraiser?

[LoudmouthMormon]

42 minutes ago, The Nehor said:

Where are you getting the money for this? Really good fundraiser?

The camp was $65/youth.  The other stuff was like $12 per. 

 

[bluebell]

9 hours ago, Snodgrassian said:

I have just heard from multiple friends that there significant changes to, what I would consider, core youth activities. A local stake is no longer hosting a stake-wide girls camp, instead, each ward is hosting their own. I never attended a girls camp, but always heard how it was a highlight of the year for many young women and a great chance to get to know others in the stake.

the loss of the scouting program has caused similar issues for the young men. It was during these campouts and scout camp that I really got to know the young men in the different quorums and the rest of the stake as well.

When you consider that Roadshows seem to be a relic of the past, I just see some of my favorite memories of my youth no longer part of the cultural upbringing of today’s youth.

Are there new things taking the place to fill these cultural voids?  

In our ward, the Stake and the Ward young women organizations have always taken turns with Girls Camp. One year it’s Stake and then the next year it’s Ward. That hasn’t changed as far as I know.

The young men in our stake are also doing a Stake young men’s camp this year. It’s the first time they’ve ever done that, but it sounds like it’s not really organized as a stake activity. The Stake has reserved the place where they are going and then the wards are using it if they want to. I’m not actually sure how involved the stake will be. 

[bluebell]

8 hours ago, MustardSeed said:

It’s a lot different now than it used to be ime. 
I grew up with constant activity going on with church. Church was everything. Constant Ward activities, sports, trips, overnighters, fundraisers, all sorts of social events.  
People have changed. They are too busy. The church wants us Christ focused.  I see benefits and drawbacks to the changes.  
Our area is doing stake activities for the youth.  There’s also FSY and. I think Camp Helaman is pretty popular for the boys.  

Our Stake does that camp for the priests age young men, and then they also do the same thing only for the young women of that age. They call it daughters of Zion.  

[ksfisher]

12 hours ago, Snodgrassian said:

A local stake is no longer hosting a stake-wide girls camp, instead, each ward is hosting their own.

Our stake has always done a stake wide girls camp one year, then individual wards do their own thing the next.  No changes. 

[JAHS]

12 hours ago, Snodgrassian said:

I have just heard from multiple friends that there significant changes to, what I would consider, core youth activities. A local stake is no longer hosting a stake-wide girls camp, instead, each ward is hosting their own. I never attended a girls camp, but always heard how it was a highlight of the year for many young women and a great chance to get to know others in the stake.

the loss of the scouting program has caused similar issues for the young men. It was during these campouts and scout camp that I really got to know the young men in the different quorums and the rest of the stake as well.

When you consider that Roadshows seem to be a relic of the past, I just see some of my favorite memories of my youth no longer part of the cultural upbringing of today’s youth.

Are there new things taking the place to fill these cultural voids?  

Three of my grandkids are at Aaronic priesthood camp(instead of scout camp) and girls camp for a week right now. Families paid $100 per kid. Ward members kicked in if they couldn't afford it. We also have FSY coming up in a few weeks. We have several youth dances and firesides throughout the year. There is always some kind of activity each week for them also.