JUNIOR YOUTH PROGRAM

Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Programme

What's it all about?
jyp

Commonly asked questions about the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program

What is the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program?

In recognizing that 11–15 is a key transitional phase for many youth, the Junior Youth program aims to help members establish an identity, work with each other to foster a positive peer group and develop a social conscience that will enable them to service the community. The program is divided into three main areas: study, recreation and service.

 

  •  Study consists of reading through a series of books that present moral issues through stories and questions for discussion. These fables also help with reading comprehension and numeracy, and have been adopted in some countries as part of the school syllabus, making this activity an extension or complement to school, while also enhancing members’ moral and spiritual perception.
  •  Recreation consists of group-led activities that may range from sport and games to arts and crafts as decided by the members.
  •  Service consists of projects where the junior youth identify issues facing their community and work towards solving them. The objectives and scope of the projects are decided and acted upon by the group.

 

Background
‘Spiritual’? Is this programme religious?

No, it is not a religious education programme. However, the material is Baha’i-inspired, which means that the books do mention God and do include prayers.

The youth do not need to be from a family of the Bahá’í Faith (most members are not) and there is no expectation that they become Bahá’í following the programme as there is no doctrine throughout.

Many members from other religions—Hinduism, Christianity, Islam— and non-religious backgrounds find that the programme complements their beliefs.

Junior youth and their families can preview the books that will be studied in the group.

Mr Mbah Thomas - JYP Animator
More on the JYP
The program also incorporates time to play sports, engage in the arts, and organize their service projects, so they can, as Nasim says, “take ownership over their own community.”

Accredited* volunteers known as ‘animators’ run the program. The animators’ job is to facilitate the programe through enabling the youth to undertake the activities using their own motivation and initiative.

  1. Breezes of Confirmation
  2. Wellspring of Joy
  3. Habits of an Orderly Mind
  4. Glimmerings of Hope
  5. Walking the Straight Path
  6. On Health and Well-Being
  7. Learning About Excellence
  8. Thinking About Numbers
  9. Observation and Insight
  10. The Human Temple
  11. Drawing on the Power of the Word

Some in the first category also address mathematical concepts and social issues, while others seek to prepare young people to approach the investigation of physical, social and spiritual reality in a scientific manner.

The J.Y.P program encourages service projects. S

Contact

Contact us for more information on the JYP

  • +237 677754290 | +237 675111043
  • info@nhiss.org | jyp@nhiss.org
  • Cite Sonara, Limbe, South West Region, Cameroon