THE JUNIOR YOUTH THE JUNIOR YOUTH EMPOWERMENT EMPOWERMENT

PROGRAM: INSIGHTS PROGRAM: INSIGHTS AND GENERAL AND GENERAL PRINCIPLESPRINCIPLES

A Brief DescriptionA Brief Description

INTRODUCTION:INTRODUCTION:

• The Junior Youth Empowerment Program The Junior Youth Empowerment Program (JYEP) is a comprehensive moral educational (JYEP) is a comprehensive moral educational program designed specifically for junior youth program designed specifically for junior youth aged 12 to 15.aged 12 to 15.

• Over years of testing and development, the Over years of testing and development, the JYEP has been found to equip junior youth JYEP has been found to equip junior youth with a profound understanding of their own with a profound understanding of their own potentialities and empower them to engage in potentialities and empower them to engage in acts of service to the community.acts of service to the community.

CHARACTERISTICS OF CHARACTERISTICS OF THE JUNIOR YOUTH:THE JUNIOR YOUTH:• They are no longer children, but They are no longer children, but

have also not yet entered youth.have also not yet entered youth.

• They do not like to be treated as They do not like to be treated as children or to be sermonized. children or to be sermonized.

• Treating them as children prevents Treating them as children prevents us from seeing the potentialities and us from seeing the potentialities and capacities which they possess and capacities which they possess and deprives them of realizing and deprives them of realizing and developing these capacities.developing these capacities.

• They begin to undergo a number of They begin to undergo a number of changes – physical, intellectual, changes – physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual. emotional and spiritual.

• They become more aware of They become more aware of themselves and are often excited by themselves and are often excited by the emergence of new physical the emergence of new physical powers.powers.

• They like to belong to and work in peer They like to belong to and work in peer groups where they can discuss and groups where they can discuss and take part without being ridiculed.take part without being ridiculed.

• They are energetic and like to They are energetic and like to contribute to the common good.contribute to the common good.

• They are inquisitive and have a thirst They are inquisitive and have a thirst for knowledge.for knowledge.

• The period of junior youth is often The period of junior youth is often erroneously identified with a period of erroneously identified with a period of “temporary mental illness” – a “troubled “temporary mental illness” – a “troubled phase.”phase.”

• The negative characteristics in junior youth The negative characteristics in junior youth are often the result of social environment are often the result of social environment and contradictions which they see in adult and contradictions which they see in adult behavior.behavior.

• They have not yet fully developed their They have not yet fully developed their power of expression. power of expression.

• They have difficulty expressing their They have difficulty expressing their concerns about inconsistent adult behavior concerns about inconsistent adult behavior and negative aspects of their social and negative aspects of their social environment.environment.

• They have an ongoing quest for answers to They have an ongoing quest for answers to help them define their own identities.help them define their own identities.

RATIONALE:RATIONALE: • Empowerment results when consciousness is Empowerment results when consciousness is

channeled in an individual to:channeled in an individual to:– help him recognize his true realityhelp him recognize his true reality– become more aware and conscious of his become more aware and conscious of his

surroundingssurroundings– be able to make moral decisions in conformity with be able to make moral decisions in conformity with

the moral and spiritual principles that he associates the moral and spiritual principles that he associates with the essence of his own reality and which he with the essence of his own reality and which he uncompromisingly upholds.uncompromisingly upholds.

• As the junior youth become more conscious As the junior youth become more conscious of themselves and what is happening around of themselves and what is happening around them, they observe a number of them, they observe a number of inconsistencies in human relationships and inconsistencies in human relationships and interactions and begin to question many interactions and begin to question many things happening around them. things happening around them.

• Junior youth are very susceptible to influences Junior youth are very susceptible to influences from the world around them: advertising, from the world around them: advertising, music, television, movies, and other media. music, television, movies, and other media.

• It is not possible, nor necessarily desirable to It is not possible, nor necessarily desirable to shelter the junior youth from all of these shelter the junior youth from all of these influences. influences.

• The junior youth need to be helped to critically The junior youth need to be helped to critically analyze the messages being sent through the analyze the messages being sent through the media and to decide which of these messages media and to decide which of these messages are counterproductive to their own growth.are counterproductive to their own growth.

• The present educational system does not cater The present educational system does not cater to the special needs and capacities of the to the special needs and capacities of the junior youth. The Junior Youth Empowerment junior youth. The Junior Youth Empowerment Program has been designed to meet this Program has been designed to meet this pressing and urgent need.pressing and urgent need.

THE ROLE OF THE ROLE OF ANIMATORS:ANIMATORS:• People working intimately with the junior People working intimately with the junior

youth in the Junior Youth Empowerment youth in the Junior Youth Empowerment Program are called “Animators.” Program are called “Animators.”

• Individuals working intimately with the Individuals working intimately with the junior youth need to develop a vision of junior youth need to develop a vision of what this program seeks to achieve.what this program seeks to achieve.

• Animators will need to undergo formal Animators will need to undergo formal training for working with junior youth training for working with junior youth groups. groups.

• The junior youth often seek someone who The junior youth often seek someone who they can look up to and emulate (“hero they can look up to and emulate (“hero worship”). worship”).

• It is hoped that animators working closely It is hoped that animators working closely with junior youth groups can establish with junior youth groups can establish bonds of friendship and love, can guide and bonds of friendship and love, can guide and assist the junior youth in their study of the assist the junior youth in their study of the core-curriculum and in their participation core-curriculum and in their participation in service and other activities. in service and other activities.

• The greatest impact that an animator can The greatest impact that an animator can make on the young minds is by the example make on the young minds is by the example that he sets before them.that he sets before them.

• While junior youth are preparing themselves While junior youth are preparing themselves for adult life, they are also able to contribute for adult life, they are also able to contribute significant services to the community. Their significant services to the community. Their newly emerging powers of service should be newly emerging powers of service should be put to work in simple activities that they put to work in simple activities that they show enthusiasm for. show enthusiasm for.

• The Animator should assist the junior youth The Animator should assist the junior youth to choose, plan and implement appropriate to choose, plan and implement appropriate service projects. This not only strengthens service projects. This not only strengthens their powers of service, but also develops their powers of service, but also develops their desire to serve humanity in the future.their desire to serve humanity in the future.

• Animators are most effective when they are Animators are most effective when they are old enough for the junior youth to look up to old enough for the junior youth to look up to and relate to, while young enough to be able and relate to, while young enough to be able to get down to the level of the junior youth.to get down to the level of the junior youth.

MATERIAL:MATERIAL:• Four books are currently in use for study by Four books are currently in use for study by

the junior youth groups: the junior youth groups: – Breezes of ConfirmationBreezes of Confirmation and and Glimmerings of Glimmerings of

HopeHope for 12 year olds for 12 year olds– Walking the Straight PathWalking the Straight Path for 13 year olds for 13 year olds– Drawing on the PowerDrawing on the Power of the Word for 14 of the Word for 14

year olds. year olds. • One of the special characteristics of the junior One of the special characteristics of the junior

youth is that they do not like to be preached youth is that they do not like to be preached to. This principle has been incorporated in to. This principle has been incorporated in designing the JYEP material which, far from designing the JYEP material which, far from preaching to junior youth on how they should preaching to junior youth on how they should be, helps them discover moral and spiritual be, helps them discover moral and spiritual realities for themselves, assisted by the realities for themselves, assisted by the Animator. Animator.

• The content of the material is simple and The content of the material is simple and profound enough to help the junior youth make profound enough to help the junior youth make these discoveries as they proceed along their these discoveries as they proceed along their study.study.

• The exercises have been designed to develop The exercises have been designed to develop their reading and comprehension skills and their reading and comprehension skills and further build upon the concepts presented in further build upon the concepts presented in each lesson. The Animator does not limit each lesson. The Animator does not limit himself to these exercises, but uses them to himself to these exercises, but uses them to initiate further discussion among the junior initiate further discussion among the junior youth by assisting them to internalize the youth by assisting them to internalize the subjects and relating them to their own lives. subjects and relating them to their own lives.

• All this happens under the guidance of an All this happens under the guidance of an Animator conscious of the need to help the Animator conscious of the need to help the junior youth to constantly develop their power junior youth to constantly develop their power of expression.of expression.

RELATED ACTIVITIES:RELATED ACTIVITIES:• In addition to studying the core In addition to studying the core

curriculum material, the junior youth curriculum material, the junior youth need to be assisted to engage in need to be assisted to engage in certain activities which would certain activities which would contribute to the process of their contribute to the process of their spiritual empowerment, including:spiritual empowerment, including:– service activities and artistic and service activities and artistic and

cultural enrichment activities, which cultural enrichment activities, which are essential components of the are essential components of the process of spiritual empowermentprocess of spiritual empowerment

– extra-curricular activities which extra-curricular activities which raise the overall level of enthusiasmraise the overall level of enthusiasm

• The program becomes more effective The program becomes more effective when it is sustained regularly over a when it is sustained regularly over a period of three years, until the junior period of three years, until the junior youth turns 15. youth turns 15.

• It is hoped that these young people It is hoped that these young people would continue this process of self-would continue this process of self-realization and development, realization and development, becoming conscious subjects of their becoming conscious subjects of their own growth, and active participants in own growth, and active participants in building an ever-advancing building an ever-advancing civilization.civilization.