Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program

• The Junior Youth Spiritual

Empowerment Program is a global

movement that motivates young people

aged 11 to 15 to work together with

parents and community members to

contribute to the well-being of

their neighborhoods and the world at

large. The program is founded on the

idea that, to help young

people achieve their highest potential,

education needs to address both their

intellectual and spiritual

development. While inspired by the

Bahá’í Faith, the program does not

approach education in the mode

of religious instruction. It affirms that

young people have a vital role to play in

helping communities

grow.

Materials created around the world help

facilitate conversations focused on moral

and spiritual concepts, and enable

participants to develop their powers of

expression by sharing their ideas with

more clarity.

Weekly groups include:

• Study of a series of texts  

• Arts, Music, Drama, and Crafts

• Community Service Projects

Older youth around the world are

recognizing the significant role they can

play in the lives of those younger than

themselves. They are called animators and

serve as trained facilitators for groups.

Did you have an older brother /sister

or a mentor who were around when

you were in middle school? Can you

picture yourself offering such

service and becoming a mentor?

Groups are often led by older siblings,

neighbours and other community members trained to mentor junior youth.

Are there middle school youth

in your community? Do you think

such program might benefit the

teens and the community?

Training is offered to help one serve as

an animator. The materials help us

understand the true meaning of life

and gain an understanding of this

particular age group. We then work

together to form the weekly junior

youth group and then gradually

include all the components described

earlier such as engage participants in

meaningful conversations, arts and

crafts, and service projects. Animators

also build friendships with parents

and gain practical skills such as lesson

planning and coordination. Inspired

and sponsored by the Baha’i Faith, the

program thrives through the

participation and contribution of

people from diverse backgrounds.