Earlier this year (2004), in Toronto, the National Spiritual Assembly brought together 27 people from across North America to talk about the junior youth of our community. The friends who participated were 7 members from the National Spiritual Assembly, 2 staff members of the National Centre, the 6 Regional Institute Coordinators, the Regional Institute Coordinator from Alaska, and 11 advisors who have had hands-on experience working with this age group.

In preparation for this meeting, we were asked to reflect upon a series of questions. They were as follows:

1.  What have you learned about junior youth's interests, and about molding their capacity for teaching and service?
2.  What have you learned so far about involving junior youth in social interaction with older youth and about use of the arts in junior youth programs?
3.  How can the families of the junior youth and their Local Spiritual Assemblies more effectively support their activities?
4.  What advice do you have about the content and form of a special message the National Spiritual Assembly has in mind to address to junior youth?
5.  What is your advice about a related communication to their parents?
6.  How effective is the "Vanguard" section of "Baha'i Canada" in sharing news and perspectives of interest to junior youth?

The comments and advice that were presented were truly priceless. We all felt that we came to a new and deeper understanding of how to include our dear friends who are of this age group, this “special group with special needs”. We consulted at length, but never long enough, on what we have learned about involving “them in programmes of activity that… engage their interests”, how to “mold their capacities for teaching and service, and how to “involve them in social interaction with older youth.”

------------- Notes from Consultation on Junior Youth ------------------------------

Resource books: Walking the Straight Path (WSP), Breezes of Confirmation (BoC), Drawing on the Power of the Word (DPW)

What have we learned?

About the Books:

- These books do not try to do everything. They are trying to specific things, which are fully explained in the introductions. Reflect on this with the tutors.
- These books require different skills than the main sequence of the curriculum. There are many other components that need to be in place.
- These courses help develop a moral framework: confirmation from God, walking a path of service, true prosperity, how to achieve social advancement. These courses are developed to continually build our capacity to understand these things. They do not deepen on the Covenant or offer Bahá’í history, but they help set the framework for these things. They assist us in developing and understanding our individual identity.
- At this age, they want to contribute to society. “Breezes” helps them maintain this sense.
- These books work only over time, as relationships are built. They do not work in intensive campaigns.
DPW was based on Prosperity of Humankind. Concept by concept it comes from this document. The material gives a framework.
- Family classes – using Walking the Straight Path for all ages, but asking the children to answer the questions aloud
- Walking the Straight Path is useful for short active breaks
- In DPW, Anissa does not go to all the meetings. She shows up occasionally. It is NOT a children’s class. It is their group.
- If we memorize the stories from Breezes, and the questions, we don’t scare people away from “a book”. How do we make the transition to a book? Perhaps by saying there is a story we wish to tell, but don’t have it memorized.
- Do the activities in the book, despite their questions. Be so aware of why the activities are in the book that we can explain the why.
- Feel free to tell the participants where the quotes are from.
- These books may not have the explicit history of the Faith, but they give the concepts very strongly. History and the names of the months can be supplemental.
- We need more training and experience to make these books work. But the stuff in these books work for all of us.
- DPW is based on a real town, and a real circle of friends. The development of the community did not take off until those youth were later elected to the Assembly.

About the Junior Youth:

- Be prepared for unexpected challenges
- The junior youth have little confidence in their great capacity
- They have knowledge
- Boys seem to need more physical activity.
- Don’t mix the age groups. They think differently and have differing needs.
- They are facing great tests at this age and they need to be addressed. These tests are far greater now than the ones faced by similar age groups in the past.
- They want service, not just talk. Create opportunities for service, but make sure they have the skills to do it.
- They are searching for identity: sexually, community, personal, in relation to their parents. Actions and beliefs of parents and community are under heavy scrutiny.
- There is a great potential for betrayal in this age group. If you leave, they feel a great sense of loss.
- In reflection meetings for youth, pair up 2 youth with someone else’s parent (other people’s parents are cool).
- Kids can’t relate to what’s happening in DPW, so they need lots of external stuff for relating to it.
- One tutor had to ask the pre-youth to turn off their cell-phones before they began. This helped the tutor remember that they are not children.
- We must never be judgmental, no matter what. We need to firmly and lovingly answer their questions, without shying away from the laws and truths of the Faith.
- They long to be heroes, but fundamentally they are not doing anything while playing video games, which is but a manifestation of being a hero.
- This age group is generally viewed as consumers, both of products and of identity. Habits are formed at this age, so we need to help them see this.
- If we separate them from the greater community, by having the group be exclusively Bahá’í, what are we teaching them? The questions they ask are the same whether or not they are Bahá’í.
- Present it as a pilot project and that makes it more interesting to them.
- We want them to be protagonists of their own spiritual activity.
- Youth are eager to talk about these issues!
- If we don’t bring the junior youth into the fold, our victories will be lost over time.

About the Parents:

- We need to get the parents involved in these programs.
- Present it as a pilot project and that makes it more interesting to them.
- Ask questions about what they are doing, and how the importance of this is conveyed. Ask both them and us.
- Concerned mother was put to work serving the children. This helped her overcome her fears about the group.
- We need to do something to increase intensity of dialogue between junior youth and parents.
- Parents tend to be either: hockey and piano and soccer are highest priority, and a pre-youth meeting is secondary, or “if it is not studying the Aqdas or the Íqán or the Dawn-Breakers, it is not worth it.” These attitudes need to be examined.
- Parental support is needed throughout the study circle, not just at the beginning. They need to be aware of what topics are being covered so that they can have conversations on the topic with their children.

About the tutors:

- Having 2 tutors has great merit. They can play off each other. Different genders answer different needs and questions.
- Different gender tutors helps demonstrate healthy relationship to kids from broken homes.
- The skills of the tutors are crucial.
- The best appear to be youth who have done the whole sequence of courses.
- Don’t forget to get a police child abuse registry check.
- We need to really develop a strong training program. Part 1 can be spiritual qualities and attitudes. Part 2 can be service and teaching (“Youth can move the world” has some great exercises). Part 3 can be the materials developed in Columbia (ask Dorsa where it is available). To do this, we really need to work with the Council and the LSAs and the Auxiliary Board members. If it is just the Institute Board, it will not have the strength necessary. The participants need to be handpicked by the institutions with the conscious knowledge that they are expected to start a junior youth group.
- The means for the youth to achieve the special role mentioned in the letter from the Universal House of Justice to the BC Youth Conference can be achieved by tutoring these youth groups.
- Ensure systematic behaviour. If we start a project, continue to do them!

About the community:

- The on-going input of the Auxiliary Board members makes a huge difference in their success.
- Active support of the LSA also makes a huge difference.
- What we have been doing with children’s classes with this age group has not been particularly successful. It is good to realize this rather than struggle to continue what we’ve been doing. Learn from our experience of “traditional” children’s classes and improve our actions.
- Institute activity must be strong in the clusters for things not to falter.
- Have a continual series of reflection meetings: What worked well? How do you figure out a schedule? How do you enkindle enthusiasm? And so on…
- Toque as a metaphor – like the LSA. Protects us. Take it on and off and you get static. Turn it inside out and see all the seams and “flaws”., but it still protects us.
- Help open the friends of the influence of the Auxiliary Board within the study circles

About the Junior Youth Groups:

- Flexibility is needed, in our attitudes and activities, in all things
- Use lots of arts!
- Try using the books for only 30 minutes during a 3 hours a weekend, giving them arts tasks to do during the half-hour book time
- When the study circle is fun, they tell their friends from the Greater Community.
- Keep the numbers reasonable. Having too many people means that they don’t make the connections.
- Extracurricular activities must be consistent, or else they pick up on the discrepancies (like rooting for one team in a competitive sport).
- We must practice what we preach. If we say, “Use the arts”, we must use the arts in our talking about it.
- Talk about the issues raised in Vanguard.
- We need to use the arts to inspire the youth to aspire to the lives of the heroes of the Faith.
- HOW can we make this system SUSTAINABLE???
- The purpose of this is very different than Bahá’í education classes
- This is a study circle, which is a unique vehicle.
- We need to feel free to put pressure on to help expose our true capacities.
- “If we have to choose between Bahá’í education classes or spiritual education classes, we are to choose - Bahá’í education classes, but only if we have to choose.”
- Our purpose is to bring people closer to Baha’u’llah.
- We need to lovingly and firmly state what Baha’u’llah has said, even if it makes us uncomfortable.
- By taking this medicine of the spirit, and sugar coating it so that they attend, we are helping them become more courageous and able to explain their ideas. We must continually ensure they have the forum for self-expression.
- “If you’re a youth, you’ll read Vanguard and have junior youth groups, therefore here are some tips about quotes and activities.”

Some suggestions regarding age groups and activities:

10-11 Bahá’í Education classes
12-13 Junior Youth groups and Bahá’í Education
13-14 The above plus assisting teaching children’s classes
15-16 Same as above plus study circle
16-18 same as above plus teaching junior youth study circles
18-25 study circles plus tutoring, etc…

What have we learned about molding capacity?

- Skills of service need to be taught
- Help them see their role.
- Recognize their capacity
- We need to empower the youth. Give them an important task to do. This will encourage them and make them happy, too.
- We need to really train the tutors very well and recognize the skills are a bit different than tutoring a study circle in the main sequence of courses.
- This is NOT a study of a book, but rather the formation of a group. The books are just a resource.
- They are doing all the above based on spiritual dynamics, not just staying at a surface level.

What are junior youth needs or challenges?

- Need help developing the critical mind.
- Many are not yet confirmed in the Faith, not sure if they believe in God, etc… Some groups would often just give a rote answer, and not explore it. Exploration is needed.
- Older youth needed as tutors for this group.
- Try separating genders around age 13, otherwise a possible distraction. Different issues arise.
- Find a balance between entertaining and engaging. The tendency is to entertain, which will just make them viewers.
- Need to develop group identity and form solid friendships. Again, the need to be identified as part of a group is important to many of them.
- Fear of commitment (like saying they believe but not following all the laws)
- “DPW helped me see my role in the Faith. I was no longer just ______’s son, but had my own position.”
- Identify activity and questions for each section.
- Help them see that their friends are also concerned about these issues.
- They need to understand the guidance that is directed towards them.
- All the self-help books have the word “survive” in them, like “How to Survive Your Teenager”. This gives the impression that they are this major test for their parents. The Bahá’í perspective is quite different.
- Encourage the “coolness” of hanging out with people younger than you, and not just older.

What are their interests?

The world
International Politics
Vegan
Treating animals kindly
Homosexuality (homosexual participants should not be condemned, but the Bahá’í perspective should not be hidden either).
Relationships
Drugs
Reconciling “We’re right and everyone else is wrong.”
They want to meet older youth, sometimes not in a prayer setting, just to talk about issues

Acts of service

Organize a family dinner, at which they can talk
Teach them to make yogurt. By doing this, you show you really care about them.
Science experiments, as long as they’re messy and big. J
Give a child a fish for Naw Ruz, then in later years have a birthday party for it, including cake, gifts, sing Happy Birthday, and so on. Kindness to animals is taught. (“I swear, there was a moment of silence when we all expected the fish to blow out the candle on his cake.”)
Give all the kids Mohawks and make the parents contribute money to the Fund to reverse it. J

What have you learned so far about involving junior youth in social interaction with older youth and about the use of the arts in junior youth programs?

Arts:

We must include the sciences in the arts, in this sort of discussion.
The quotes in the Writings that talk about the arts also refer very strongly to the sciences, too!!!
Make the projects obtainable.
Play-do: make a play-do circle. Give each participant a piece and tell him or her to shape it and put it in the circle. This represents their community. How do they see their relationship?
One on one friendship is of paramount importance.
Tutors can develop their artistic activities themselves, when training and preparing. If they write them down, it is far more useful.
We need a variety of activities.
Note that there are books out there that show the use of science with a metaphor of spirituality.
Show older movies, meaning movies more than 15 years old.
By using the arts in education, students tend to score 10% higher than their peers.
We need to expand our understanding of what are considered arts.
“Children, in general, do not feel a part of the Bahá’í community. What can we do to overcome this?” Note the importance of this in light of the Ridvan 2000 message. “An atmosphere needs to be maintained in which children feel that they belong to the community and share in its purpose.”
Ensure that the standards of the Faith are upheld in the use of the arts.
When creating the arts, you use a metaphor. This helps educate the artist.
Many youth are using power point presentations to talk about the issues that are of import to them.

Older youth:

The older youth are the ones who are most effective in re-energizing the younger youth.
Through the study circle, the older youth have been given a vehicle for making friendships with the younger youth.

(What are some of he perceived differences between the way boys and girls respond?)

Sometimes separate, sometimes together.
When they are separate, have older youth of the same gender.
Boys tend to be more active, girls tend to be more contemplative and seem to have a longer attention span.

How can the families of the junior youth and their LSAs more effectively support their activities?

Parents:

see thier circle. Give each participant a piece and tell them to shape it and put it in the circle. This represe

Understand that our children are at risk if they are not deepened in the Covenant.
Ask the parents to re-arrange their priorities to assist in making these classes a higher priority.
Be aware of the distinction between the goals of the children’s classes, the junior youth classes, study circles and neighbourhood classes.
Be present! Be there in their lives!
Activity – they need resources, transportation, teachers, hospitality, and virtually everything else.
Support – first love and then comes action.
Be aware of their learning time, and be flexible to it. Don’t necessarily begin a class at 8 am on a Sunday, but try 10 pm, instead.
It is the parent’s duty to encourage and insist on the attendance of children to classes. It is, after all, provincial law to attend regular school, and Bahá’u’lláh’s law to educate our children spiritually. Consistent reminders are “part of the job”.
Do not try to judge the success of the books too soon. It will take at least 4 years before we can see how the youth are acting differently.
As there are so few people actually doing anything, active support would be more useful than praise. For example, offer your house as a location, or offer rides to those who may need them. Make sure the children go to the meeting.
Be aware of the extreme need to listen to them at Feast and other settings. Respect their ideas, and do not dismiss them just because of their age. Remember this quote by the Master: “How many a child, though young in years, is yet mature and sound in judgment!”
Feel comfortable making them come to these activities.
Invite the parents to see the performance of the arts of the junior youth form these books. Ask the LSA to attend, also.
Look at the parenting curriculum to help develop a culture of encouragement, perhaps the one from Australia. Learn to always focus on the positive, etc… Focus on Ridvan 2000 message about the role of parents.
Help develop parenting skills with the youth. It is too late when the child is already born. We prepare for marriage long before we have made an emotional commitment to an individual, and likewise we need to prepare for parenting long before we are a parent.
To the parents, be frank, loving but frank. Talk about the dangers they junior youth are facing. Give the percentage of those who are not declaring by the age of maturity.
Help them understand what they can do at the Feast.
Show the children Bahá’í Canada, and especially the Vanguard section.

Assemblies:

Assemblies need to be supportive and see how these classes build the foundation for a new civilization.
Ask the assembly write a letter to the parents to come to a meeting, along with the junior youth. Count the number of JY and see how many circles we wish to have. Make sure there are that many tutors, at least. Work with all the institutions, and ask their assistance to make this a success. At this meeting, we can talk about the purpose of the institute process. Split up the JY into their proposed circles and have them spend time with each other and their tutors.
We have to help define “community” to the pre-youth, and to the tutors.
The Assembly can support the community meetings that are generated from these books, to express themselves (DPW).
Translate these books in French. The friends in Quebec have not yet had any experience with these books. They feel as though they are behind.
Give the youth specific arenas of service, like host a Feast or talk about the Fund, do the devotionals at the election. The LSA can ask their advice on issues, like how to do children’s classes, or how to host the children at the Feast.
Encourage LSA members or representatives to meet with the junior youth and hear their concerns, or just ask how comfortable they are in the community.
Make sure the books are available.
LSA to ASK an individual to undertake a path of service. Invite the friends to serve. This also counts for ACs.
Address the youth. Success of the plan is dependant upon the sacrificial participation of the youth. Point this out to the parents and the Assemblies.
Encourage them to go through the full sequence. An area of service can be as a tutor for the junior youth.

HOW can we develop a sympathetic understanding between the tutors and the parents?????

Parents are generally demoralized, as a group. They feel they have failed in their duties. When children are of this age, it is more prevalent. We can show how these courses can help them make better choices.
Perhaps Moral Foundations of Family Life can be a tool in this arena.
Book 3 training and explanations.

What advice do you have about the content and form of a special message the National Spiritual Assembly has in mind to address to junior youth? Please be aware that the following are a collection of random ideas that came up. I include them out of interest, not because this is in any way a decision of the National Spiritual Assembly. It seemed to me that some of these ideas were very useful in many other circumstances, and, in that light, ought to be shared with the rest of the notes.

Highlight the important role of the youth in the work with junior youth. Perhaps this needs to be another communication to the youth themselves.
Make available the precious guidance from the National Spiritual Assembly to the friends in Canada.
Recognize the new dynamic at youth conferences of the mix of ages, from junior youth on up. Encourage them to make plans and bring them to the reflection meetings.
Praise and recognize their embracing of the three core activities, as evidenced in junior youth devotional gatherings and study circles.
Try a movie format or video format. It’s more personal. Or perhaps an audiotape. Note that not all the friends have access to the internet, however.
Talk about why these changes are occurring, like the new junior youth classes.
Tell them ways in which they can serve. They need to see this.
To the parents, it needs to be a letter. Lots of quotes are needed, especially stressing the importance of the junior youth, and that this includes their own children.
Encourage the communities to include the junior youth, in things like youth conferences (some are only available to 14 and over)
If the junior youth know that the youth have been asked to serve them, they’ll love it.
“Intermaniacs” – that group between the youth and young adults who serve in the most astonishing and amazing of ways.
Acknowledge the great challenges they face, even greater than their parents at their age. This does not just relate to drugs and sex, but also classroom violence.
Point out the freedom of time, which will soon be lost.
Introduction to “Your True Brother” is fantastic.
This may be the first time the junior youth receive a communication from National with their name on it, and not their parent’s name.
Encourage the junior youth to study this communication.
Tell them what has happened here this weekend. This topic has emerged from obscurity.
Be aware of trying to not overwhelm smaller communities with more work.
Be very aware of making sure that those who do not receive this communication, inadvertently, still makes them feel embraced. Perhaps ask the recipients to help deliver it to their friends.
Recognize their need for material resources, even as simple as a ride somewhere.
Promote a year of service even more highly.
Recognize their desire to serve humanity through their career choices.
Encourage the audacity of the junior youth! On all levels!
Send the letter to LSAs along with a list of who received the letter, including addresses. This can help update the database.
Remember that it is ambiguity that causes inaction.
Point out that the junior youth groups are experimental with the Ruhi books. We need their experience for the learning they can provide. This will ensure better groups in the future.
Be sure to ask the question of who is it that is writing to the recipients. Many of them are not aware of the station, position or role of the NSA.
Mention successful youth initiatives that are attracting people from the greater community.
Include stories from around the world.
“You CAN change society.”
On the cover of Bahá’í Canada, say “Special Message for Junior Youth”.
Root this in the 5-Year Plan. Concrete suggestions are very important, like “first step is to complete the full sequence of courses.”
“This plan is not for the adults. It is about individual initiative. The bulk of it rests on the shoulders of the youth and pre-youth and children.”
Deepen on the Administrative Order, especially who these various institutions are that are writing to them.
Call a community meeting to deepen on the guidance regarding junior youth, with specific references for deepening.

Vanguard

Most are not yet aware of it.
Bahá’í Canada, in general, needs to open up more to these tough issues, like suicide and homosexuality. We need to confront these issues and not try to avoid them.
Talk to the parents about ensuring they have access to it.
Keep articles shorter.
More photos.
Little quizzes.
Make a web site.
Personality tests.
Youth exchange.
Resource list, including Auxiliary Board members and their assistants.
Feature on who is doing what.
Include the previous references mentioned above.
Perhaps have a pullout section.
On the cover of Bahá’í Canada, say “Special Message for Junior Youth”.
Perhaps print Vanguard separately, maybe on-line. www.Bahaivanguard.ca can be a possible site.

From Mahalia’s notes from Ali Nakhjavani:

Problem is in the hearts. We need to keep out the fear from their hearts: the fear from being judged in their school, etc…
It is ok to have doubts, but we must act, even if we have doubts. Just recall the promise that the unseen hosts are waiting to come to our aid.