Moratorium #3: How to allow for it

The youth themselves need to have the ability to opt out of things when the stress gets to high for them.

• When lining up people to do a project or responsibility, use volunteers
  • Publicly asking someone to do it, or worse, holding an election or accepting nominations is to risk having the wrong person be selected.
  • If no one volunteers, this may be a sign that the project or responsibility is not one that the youth should be undertaking
  • If the same people always volunteer, it is ok to say out loud “xxx is already doing a lot, how about someone else stepping up.”
• If no one volunteers, but you are confident it is doable and worth doing, wait until after the meeting and approach a good candidate, and ask them to consider it. If they look panicked or angry, back off.
• Sometimes the youth enters a need for moratorium after they are already committed. If you are aware that this is happening, approach them and ask if you can “help out” a bit. Do what you can to relieve the stress without the public being aware of it.