Junior youth – or those between 11 and 14 years – are at a crucial stage in their lives when they are defining their identity and values. Junior youth groups offered by the Bahá’í community address the needs of these young people by helping them to develop a strong moral identity and to empower them to contribute to the well-being of their communities. Youth groups design service projects relevant to their neighborhoods and find healthy ways to socialize together.
In these groups, trained animators use creative activities to engage the interests of junior youth and mold their capacities for service. A curriculum of material designed for junior youth is used in tandem with drama, story-telling, visual arts, discussion of social issues, and acts of service to their community. These groups aim to develop a cohesive identity that revolves around optimism about the future, high ideals, and a sense of purpose about life.
The animators of groups are trained in a sequence of courses that emphasizes the great potential of junior youth to understand social processes and to contribute towards building a more peaceful and just world. The training program also calls upon animators to reflect on their own moral purpose and to see leading a junior youth group as a path of service that contributes to their personal transformation. Please call or email for more information: 519 641-2520 or assembly@londonbahai.ca