Junior youth spiritual Empowerment PRogram (JYSEP)
PURPOSE:
To release the intellectual and spiritual powers of young adolescents (ages 11-15) and direct them towards service to humanity.
To release the intellectual and spiritual powers of young adolescents (ages 11-15) and direct them towards service to humanity.
HISTORY:
The junior youth spiritual empowerment program was founded around the year 2000 and is part of the Ruhi Institute which strives to serve through its educational activities young people, specifically junior youth, who represent a special segment of society. The Ruhi Institute was founded in the early 1970s and became convinced of the importance of providing them with the opportunity to explore a number of themes and concepts that would enable them to deal with the complexities of life, combat the forces of moral decay gaining in strength everywhere, and become active agents of social change. The next several decades constituted a period of action and reflection that benefited increasingly from a worldwide experience in serving junior youth from a variety of backgrounds, including efforts in the field of development, most notably in the area of literacy.
The junior youth spiritual empowerment program was founded around the year 2000 and is part of the Ruhi Institute which strives to serve through its educational activities young people, specifically junior youth, who represent a special segment of society. The Ruhi Institute was founded in the early 1970s and became convinced of the importance of providing them with the opportunity to explore a number of themes and concepts that would enable them to deal with the complexities of life, combat the forces of moral decay gaining in strength everywhere, and become active agents of social change. The next several decades constituted a period of action and reflection that benefited increasingly from a worldwide experience in serving junior youth from a variety of backgrounds, including efforts in the field of development, most notably in the area of literacy.
METHODOLOGY:
The JYSEP is implemented by forming a junior youth group which is a peer group of about 10 friends who meet on a weekly basis in order to:
- Study materials developed to enhance their powers of expression
- Plan and carry out service projects
- Engage in cultural activities
- Participate in recreation and special events
The JYSEP is implemented by forming a junior youth group which is a peer group of about 10 friends who meet on a weekly basis in order to:
- Study materials developed to enhance their powers of expression
- Plan and carry out service projects
- Engage in cultural activities
- Participate in recreation and special events
EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS:
The program has a sequence of materials that are intended to fulfill the aims of the program. The books are all about stories of middle schoolers from all over the world where the junior youth participating in the program learn to apply spiritual themes and concepts from their study to their own reality. Some of these themes include confirmation, choosing hope over despair, finding justice in math, using their powers of observation to understand reality and many more. |
ROLE OF AN ANIMATOR:
In each group, there is the need for an older person who, as a true friend to the junior youth, can assist them in developing their capacities. Those who perform this function are known as "animators". The presence of the animator helps the members of the group to remain hopeful and convinced that they can not only protect themselves against the forces of moral decay operating in the society around them but also contribute to its betterment. Although serving in this capacity is not the exclusive prerogative of any particular age, youth seventeen and above tend to make excellent animators since they find it easy to treat junior youth as equals, not as children, encouraging them to ask questions, raise doubts, and engage in the investigation of reality.
In each group, there is the need for an older person who, as a true friend to the junior youth, can assist them in developing their capacities. Those who perform this function are known as "animators". The presence of the animator helps the members of the group to remain hopeful and convinced that they can not only protect themselves against the forces of moral decay operating in the society around them but also contribute to its betterment. Although serving in this capacity is not the exclusive prerogative of any particular age, youth seventeen and above tend to make excellent animators since they find it easy to treat junior youth as equals, not as children, encouraging them to ask questions, raise doubts, and engage in the investigation of reality.
TRAINING:
The purpose of the training is to develop your capacity to serve your community. It helps develop the spiritual insight, knowledge, and skills needed. A sequence of courses has been developed to help with this. The training is open and explorative. Two courses from the sequence are listed below.
The purpose of the training is to develop your capacity to serve your community. It helps develop the spiritual insight, knowledge, and skills needed. A sequence of courses has been developed to help with this. The training is open and explorative. Two courses from the sequence are listed below.
BAHA'I FAITH:
JYSEP is inspired by the teaching of the Baha'i Faith, but is not a form of religious instruction. The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion whose purpose is the unite of all races, nations, religions, and peoples of the world. The worldwide Baha'i Community is learning about how to build unity in neighborhoods by working with friends and neighbors in simple community building efforts.
JYSEP is inspired by the teaching of the Baha'i Faith, but is not a form of religious instruction. The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion whose purpose is the unite of all races, nations, religions, and peoples of the world. The worldwide Baha'i Community is learning about how to build unity in neighborhoods by working with friends and neighbors in simple community building efforts.
MY REFLECTION:
I have been serving as animator for this program for about seven years now. It has been the most awarding volunteer work I have ever done for many reasons. I have built so many relationships with not only the junior youth who have been in my group, but with their families and with many community members where I animated my junior youth groups. The most amazing experience about this is the amount of growth witnessed in the junior youth from when they enter the program to when they graduate. It is incredible to see the capacities that they have developed and the capacities that are continuing to develop within them as they become animators for new junior youth. Being an animator is also very rewarding due to the amount of growth that you undergo in that service. You are seen as a mentor and as a role model in the eyes of the junior youth, so your actions and words have a great impact. I recommend to all youth and junior youth to partake in this program that continually serves communities across the globe.
I have been serving as animator for this program for about seven years now. It has been the most awarding volunteer work I have ever done for many reasons. I have built so many relationships with not only the junior youth who have been in my group, but with their families and with many community members where I animated my junior youth groups. The most amazing experience about this is the amount of growth witnessed in the junior youth from when they enter the program to when they graduate. It is incredible to see the capacities that they have developed and the capacities that are continuing to develop within them as they become animators for new junior youth. Being an animator is also very rewarding due to the amount of growth that you undergo in that service. You are seen as a mentor and as a role model in the eyes of the junior youth, so your actions and words have a great impact. I recommend to all youth and junior youth to partake in this program that continually serves communities across the globe.