Education &
Building Capacity
In neighbourhoods, villages, towns, and cities across the United Kingdom, Bahá’ís and their friends are actively engaged in a vibrant community-building process that seeks to foster unity and translate it into action.
Guided by Bahá’u’lláh’s vision of humanity's inherent oneness, they work shoulder to shoulder to contribute to the spiritual and material advancement of their communities.
The Training Institute
To build a better world necessitates an ever-expanding pool of people capable of contributing to the myriad tasks required for humanity's progress. In this context, the Universal House of Justice introduced the concept of the “training institute” in the mid-1990s, designed to assist individuals in deepening their understanding of the Bahá’í teachings and acquiring the spiritual insights and practical skills needed to advance their communities.
The institute functions as an evolving system of education, fostering ongoing conversations in countless social spaces—neighborhoods, villages, schools, and workplaces—centered on applying Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings to the advancement of civilization. Its core components include study circles, guided by tutors who facilitate the exploration of materials rooted in the Bahá’í writings, focusing on themes such as prayer, education, and community-building.
These spaces empower participants to reflect on spiritual principles, engage in acts of service, and contribute to the collective well-being of their surroundings. As individuals rise to the call of service, capacity grows within communities to embody a way of life where service and worship are inextricably intertwined, fostering a shared vision of individual and collective transformation.
The Bahá’í writings teach us to regard young people as the most valuable treasure a community can possess, with the promise of the future lying within them. To realise this potential, children must receive spiritual nourishment, especially in a world where materialism can overshadow childhood innocence. The moral and spiritual education of children is therefore of utmost importance, and the Bahá’í community is deeply committed to addressing the spiritual needs of the young.
Older youth often take responsibility for guiding younger generations, and educational activities for children are typically among the first to grow within a community. In recent years, training institutes have played a vital role in preparing teachers to conduct spiritual education classes, focusing on qualities such as truthfulness, generosity, and kindness, which reflect divine attributes. These materials, which also include lessons on the Bahá’í Faith’s history and teachings, aim to help children develop spiritually and contribute to society's well-being.
Additionally, the Bahá’í institutions devote considerable resources to creating a coordinated system for training teachers and ensuring a flow of guidance and materials from the grassroots level.
"At an age when burgeoning intellectual, spiritual and physical powers become accessible to them, they are being given the tools needed to combat the forces that would rob them of their true identity as noble beings and to work for the common good."
The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme is a global initiative designed to assist young people, aged 11 to 15, in navigating the pivotal transition from childhood to adolescence. Recognising this stage as one of rapid physical, intellectual, and emotional development, the programme seeks to harness the inherent qualities of junior youth—such as their acute sense of justice, eagerness to learn, and desire to contribute to societal betterment—by fostering their spiritual perception and enhancing their power of expression.
Through participatory activities, including the study of uplifting texts, artistic endeavours, and community service projects, junior youth are empowered to develop a strong moral framework and a profound sense of purpose. Guided by trained animators who serve as mentors and friends, participants are encouraged to engage in acts of service, thereby contributing to the well-being of their communities and laying the foundation for a life dedicated to the advancement of civilisation.