Maureen
I was born in the North East of Scotland to a fairly non-religious family. Religion interested me from a young age and in my early teens I spent many hours trying to figure out why there were so many religions in the world and what the point of life was. I heard about the Bahá’í Faith at 17 and within a short time decided it was the religion for me.
The Bahá’í Faith is a fairly new religion so there is always something to do to help build supportive and loving communities. I personally really enjoy helping young people explore spiritual themes, perhaps because my own spiritual journey began when I was fairly young. I am constantly amazed at the profound insights young people are able to offer and at their keenness to be of service to others.
Iman, Gloucestershire
Both of my parents are Bahá’ís and I was brought up to study all religions and appreciate the truth in them all. In accordance with the Bahá’í principle of the independent investigation of the truth, I made a personal decision to continue life as a Bahá’í, based on my belief in Bahá’u’lláh as the Messenger of God for our age and in His teachings as the solution to the problems of the world today.
I’m currently helping my younger brother to establish a junior youth group at his secondary school. It’s quite exciting right now because a number of his friends have also trained to become group leaders and both their parents and the school headmaster are keen to support this group, so we should be up and running soon!
The Junior Youth programme helps teenagers form a strong moral identity and empowers them to contribute to the wellbeing of their communities and the world at large.
Junior youth are often seen as problematic, in the throes of tumultuous physical and emotional change
This is the widely held image of the 11–14 year-old age group. The Bahá’í community, on the other hand, has a different and more positive vision.
What Bahá’ís see in these young people is altruism, a sense of justice, eagerness to learn about the world, and a desire to contribute to the construction of a better society.
Bahá’ís throughout the world are working with friends to put in place a programme for the spiritual empowerment of junior youth. This rapidly spreading programme is open to young people aged between 11 and 14, of every religious or non-religious background, and assists them to navigate through this crucial stage in their lives.
Strong moral identity
The programme helps junior form a strong moral identity and empowers them to contribute to the wellbeing of their communities and the world at large. Junior youth can realise their spiritual potential by reflecting on the meaning of life and offering their service to their neighbourhoods and communities.
By developing their spiritual qualities, their moral virtues and character, as well as their intellectual capabilities and their ability to serve society, these junior youth come to see that they can help bring about positive change in the world.
Junior youth programme activities
As with study circles, the facilitators and the participants learn from each other by reflecting together on materials about spirituality and life, based on the teachings of Bahá’u’lláh.
The junior youth programme explores themes from a Bahá’í perspective, but it is not a formal religious education programme. Participants engage in activities such as artistic expression, discussion, drama, cooperative games, the study of literature, story telling and acts of community service.
Open to all
The junior youth spiritual empowerment programme is open to all, and like the children’s classes, participants in these classes must have parental approval. Junior youth groups meet regularly.
All programme facilitators in the UK meet the requirements of the UK Bahá’í community’s Office for Safeguarding Children and must be in possession of an Enhanced Disclosure from the Criminal Records Bureau (or equivalent check in Northern Ireland or Scotland). Parents are welcome to meet with the facilitators to learn about the programme.