Duties of the Ward Young Women Secretary (updated 11-14-2010, with new Church Handbook of Instructions information) The Young Women secretary has the following responsibilities:

• She consults with the Young Women presidency to prepare agendas for presidency meetings. She attends these meetings, takes notes, and keeps track of assignments.
• She instructs class secretaries and oversees their work in keeping attendance records. At least quarterly, she compiles attendance information, reviews it with the Young Women president, and submits it to the ward clerk.
• She ensures that the bishopric and the Young Women presidency are aware of young women who are not attending meetings regularly and young women who will soon advance to another Young Women class.
• She uses the Young Women Personal Progress Tracking Sheet for Leaders to record the progress of individual young women as they participate in Personal Progress and other activities and as they fulfill leadership callings. When a young woman is scheduled to have an interview with a member of the bishopric, the secretary may give him a copy of the young woman’s tracking sheet.
• She helps the Young Women presidency prepare an annual budget and account for expenses.

Other Information for Secretaries

I, Jenny, was recently called as the Young Women Secretary in my unit. Here are some of the things I do:

• Take a roll of students for each class
• Submit roll quarterly to the unit clerk's office
• Prepare an agenda for use by the Laurel class president during Sunday opening exercises
• Take minutes at YW Presidency meetings
• Provide list of birthdays of the Young Women to each member of the presidency
• Acquire a list of girls who are graduating from Primary during the next six months to give the Beehive counselor
• Create and maintain a "scrabble board" to help YW/YM keep their assignments straight on mutual night
• Order Personal Progress items, posters, etc., from http://www.ldscatalog.com/ (Note: The clerk or executive secretary orders lesson manuals.)
• Maintain a lesson schedule for the president and counselors

Are Young Women Secretaries required to conduct meetings or teach lessons?

No. Secretaries are technically not part of a presidency -- they are not released when a new presidency is called and teaching or conducting meetings are not part of their duties.

Are Young Women Secretaries required to attend Mutual?

There is no directive in the handbook, so I expect this is up to local leaders. My vote would be no, since the secretary's duties are not involved with any events that occur on mutual night. However, my YW presidents have asked me to attend Mutual as an extra hand, and I do.

What does a YW Presidency Meeting include?

Here's a sample agenda from LDS.org:

Young Women Presidency Meeting Agenda

Conducting:

Opening prayer:

Discussion Items:
- Review of scripture or part of a handbook
- Report on assignments
- Discuss counsel from priesthood leaders
- Counsel together about how to bless individual young women

Plan:
Give new assignments:
Closing prayer:

*** NOTE: I did not write the agenda for the president for presidency meetings, but you may be asked to. ***

Sample Presidency Meeting

This sample meeting is posted at lds.org. It's actually of a Relief Society meeting, but the principles apply to Young Women leaders as well.

From the Handbook

Ward Young Women Presidency Meeting

The Young Women presidency holds a presidency meeting regularly. The president presides at the meeting and conducts it. The secretary attends, takes notes, and keeps track of assignments. The agenda may include the following items: 1. Evaluate how the young women in each class are accomplishing the objectives listed in 10.1.1. Plan ways to help individual young women accomplish those objectives more completely. 2. Read and discuss scripture passages and instructions from Church leaders that relate to their callings. 3. Make plans to instruct class presidencies in their duties. 4. Discuss the effectiveness of Young Women activities. Discuss ways to include young women in planning activities that help them incorporate the Young Women values in their lives. 5.Discuss gospel instruction in Sunday classes and plan ways to improve. 6. Review attendance records. Plan ways to help new members and less-active young women participate. 7. Review the Young Women budget and expenditures. The Young Women presidency may invite advisers and specialists to attend these meetings as needed.

From the YW FAQ at LDS.org

Where Are Presidency Meetings Held?

Young Women presidency meetings can be held at the church building before or after Sunday meetings or at another time and place.

How Do We Hold Presidency Meetings?

Young Women presidency meetings should:
* Be held regularly.
* Not be too long.
* Begin on time.
* Be led by the president, who uses an agenda.
* Provide an opportunity for all members of the presidency to counsel and work together in love and unity.