The Baha’i Community

One of the Core Activities offered by the Bahá’ís and open to all

The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program

The aim of the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program is to assist junior youth (ages 12-14) to take ownership for their spiritual and intellectual development, to develop a strong sense of purpose and the volition needed to make good decisions, and to engage in meaningful social action in their communities. Thus, the Program attempts to:

Assist them to recognize the moral issues underlying everyday decisions and identify the moral implications of speech and action

Empower them to channel their energies towards both strengthening their own character and to serving their community

The premise of the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program is that creative attention must be devoted to involving junior youth in programs of activity that will engage their interests, mold their capacities for teaching and service, assist them to transform their communities, and involve them in social interaction with older youth.

“Concern for the moral and spiritual education of young people is asserting itself forcefully on the consciousness of humanity, and no attempt at community building can afford to ignore it.”

Junior Youth
Junior Youth refers to a special group with special needs as they are somewhat between childhood and youth when many changes are occurring within them.

Spiritual
Spiritual refers to the universal moral concepts common to all faiths and traditions that exist in the world today, such as truthfulness, unity, justice, cooperation, service to humanity, striving for excellence, and relying on God for guidance and assistance.

Empowerment
Empowerment means to assist young people to take ownership of their personal development and to build capacity for meaningful social action in their communities.

Program
The program consists of trained older youth who facilitate the creation of a Junior Youth Group, a group of some 10 to 15 junior youth who together will participate in various efforts, such as discussions, recreation, activities and service projects.

The Program is implemented through groups which meet regularly throughout Benton and Linn Counties. For more information on how to connect with the Spiritual Empowerment Program either as a junior youth or youth volunteer in Benton and Linn Counties please contact Shireen via email at shireen.weik@gmail.com.

Youth Groups

The age of 15 is seen as the age of spiritual maturity when young people are capable of taking responsibility for their spiritual life. The Bahá’í writings inform the vision for the capacity of youth when they have been educated properly and cross the threshold of maturity by stating that “The period of youth is characterized by strength and vigor and stands out as the choicest time in human life. [It should be distinguished by] sanctity and detachment, loftiness of purpose, magnanimity, spiritual qualities….”. Within the group the youth study character development themes, develop the power of expression, discuss difficult issues with peers, create art, play cooperative games, engage in healthy recreation and plan & carry out service projects.

There is no charge for any of the above activities.