Social Justice Empowerment Handbook

A job description enables the members of a social justice committee to understand the tasks and functions of their group.

Usually in the fall the committee gathers to start a new year. This is a good time for the committee to write or revise the job description. Writing a job description reminds the long time members of what they are supposed to accomplish. It also gives new committee members a chance to learn the tasks of the group.

Below are listed some elements for a job description for your social justice committee. You can adapt this to your own congregation’s needs.

1. Minimum number of members
2. Terms of office
3. Budget amount
4. Leadership structure
5. Purpose: To inform and educate congregation members and the public in areas of social concern; to find ways and means to rectify social injustices; to sponsor and support groups organized to deal with social problems; and to develop informed leaders to foster a just and peaceful world.
6. Coordination: Members of the committee will serve as liaisons to the Board of Trustees, the Church Council, the District, and the local Interfaith Coalition for Peace and Justice.
7. Provides opportunities for members and friends of the congregation to participate in social service projects, examples: collecting money, donating food and clothing, and supporting senior citizens and youth programs.
8. Conducts educational programs (worship services, seminars, forums) to raise peoples’ consciousness about social issues.
9. Enables members and friends of the congregation to witness about social issues including: letters and visits to elected officials, letters to the editor, participating in demonstrations, testifying at public hearings.
10. Encourages members and friends of the congregation to organize to change the system of oppression and injustice.
11. Researches and analyzes issues in depth. Develops action strategies aimed at achieving significant results.
12. Develops public statements in the name of the committee or, where appropriate, in the name of the congregation.
13. Publicizes what it is doing so that people in the church and in the wider community know what is happening and how they can become involved.
14. Uses the special talents of church members and local citizens to implement change. Many of our members have special gifts as problem solvers, organizers, or researchers. Others enjoy doing hands on work: typing, serving food, or covering overnight shifts at a shelter.
15. Trains people in organizational and social change skills.
16. Ensures that the church building is used to facilitate social change: having special programs housed in the church, opening the church for meetings of community groups, allowing controversial groups a place to meet.
17. Makes sure church financial resources are used for moral ends: ethical investing of endowment funds, fundraising for community projects, purchasing supplies from organizations involved in social change, purchasing environmentally safe products, use of church building to support bail bonds, etc.,
18. Develops links with and uses the resources of denominational social change groups: Unitarian Universalist Service Committee, Cambridge Forum, UU United Nations Office, the UU Peace Network, etc.
19. Creates alliances with community organizations: NAACP, NOW, RAINBOW COALITION, and churches and synagogues (ecumenical and interfaith).
20. Develops a budget to allocate the financial resources of the committee. Educates members of the congregation on the use of the financial resources of the church to bring about social change.

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Unitarian Universalist Association
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