1. Spiritual
Empowerment of
Junior Youth
(12-14 years old) 1

2. “… we will urge all National Spiritual Assemblies to consider the junior youth groups formed through programmes implemented by their training institutes a fourth core activity in its own right and promote its wide-scale multiplication.”
Universal House of Justice
December 27, 2005 2

3. What is a Junior Youth Group?
A group of years old who meet regularly to study and discuss the lessons of junior youth courses with an animator. They also engage in artistic, extracurricular and small service activities. 3

4. Who is an ANIMATOR of Junior Youth Group?
An individual who has:
Completed Ruhi books 1, 2 and 3
Trained in the curriculum of the Spiritual Empowerment of Junior Youth Program
Capable of facilitating a Jr. Youth Group 4

5. What is the Spiritual Empowerment of Junior Youth Program?
A program adopted by the Magdalene Carney Bahá’i Institute in 2004 that focuses on the spiritual and moral empowerment, and intellectual and social development of Jr. Youth. 5

6. What is the Purpose of the Program?
The Program is designed to empower junior youth and:
Foster their spiritual identity
Create a moral structure in their lives
Empower them to serve humanity
Develop their power of expression 6

7. “Strategies to advance the process of entry by troops cannot ignore children and junior youth, if the victories won in one generation are not to be lost with the passage of time. It is imperative, then, that at this point in the process of systematization of the teaching work, definite steps be taken to ensure that the vision of the community fully embraces its young members”
Universal House of Justice, (1999) 7

8. Jr. Youth Groups in ACTION
Engage in acts of service
Develop a sense of responsibility
Develop nobility of self
Contribute to community life 8

9. Jr. Youth Material Breezes of Confirmation (12 years old)
Walking the Straight Path
(13 years old)
Drawing on the Power of the Word
(14 years old) 9

10. What Kind of Capabilities Do These Materials Develop?
Capacities that enhance the power of expression
Capacities that help junior youth recognize the moral issues underlying everyday decisions and identify the moral implications of speech and actions 10

11. Junior Youth Group Activities
Art
Crafts
Poetry
Drama/Skits
Appreciation of Music
Story telling
Dance
Songs
Studying the Lessons
Reading/ Writing
Memorization
Discussion
Question/Answer
Role-play
Demonstration
Extra-
Curricular
Activities
Honoring Elders
World Citizenship
Visit to museums
Field trips
Role-play
Games
Recreation
Snacks
Outdoor /Indoor
Games
Service
Learning about environment
Appreciation of nature
Environmental preservation activities 11

12. MCBI’s Experience With Junior Youth
Retreats
Ecological Camps
Jr. Youth and Youth Groups
present Youth Character Development
Program (for the greater community)
Animators Training
Empowerment Campaign 12

13. MCBI Junior Youth Empowerment and Youth Leadership Programs
Project Coordinator
JRY Group Animator
Children’s Class Teacher
Tutor / Home Visits
Teacher of the Cause
Youth Service Program
2 to 12 Months
during and after high school
Project
Badí 18
Reading Circle
Project Team Leader
JRY Group Animator
Children’s Class Teacher
Tutor / Home Visits
Teacher of the Cause
Team Leadership
Training
Project
Badí 17
Reading Circle
Jr. Youth
Animators Training
Book 7
Project
Badí
Co-Animator of JRY Group
Children’s Class Teacher
Tutor / Home Visits
Teacher of the Cause 16
Reading Circle
High School Training
Campaign
Book 1 – Book 2 – Book 3
Project
Badí
Book 4 Book 6
Teacher for Children’s Class
Co-Animator of JRY Group 15
Reading Circle
Service to Community & Environment
Drawing on the
Power of the Word 14
Service to Neighborhood &
Environment
Walking the
Straight Path 13
Service to
Environment
Breezes of
Confirmation
12 years old
MCBI Junior Youth Empowerment and Youth Leadership Programs 13

14. Lessons Learned Caribbean African American Latino
Junior youth are a very receptive age group.
Families of junior youth are receptive to the Institute’s programs.
The most receptive populations for junior youth programs in the South are:
Caribbean
African American
Latino
The program needs to be easily accessible to the junior youth. 14

15. Lessons Learned
Developing and nurturing animators requires intense and ongoing effort.
Junior youth are very attracted to service activities.
Activities of a junior youth group should be well balanced.
Junior youth enjoy to be part of teaching campaigns if they are systematically trained.
Reaching out to families is easy, once their junior youth are engaged in a junior youth group. 15

16. MCBI’s Strategies for Spiritual Empowerment of Jr. Youth Program
Increase the number of animators
Multiply Jr. Youth groups
Integrate Jr. Youth groups with other core activities 16

17. Multiplication of Junior Youth Groups
Junior Youth Groups in a Cluster 17

18. Multiplication of Junior Youth Groups
Junior Youth Groups in a Cluster 18

19. INTEGRATION of ACTIVITIESCC
Children Classes SP B1
JRY
group CC SP B1
Spiritual Parenting
Ruhi Book 1 SP B1 CC
Parents
DEVOTIONALS
Siblings 19

20. “It is extremely difficult to teach the individual and refine his character once puberty is passed. By then, as experience hath shown, even if every effort be exerted to modify some tendency of his, it all availeth nothing. He may, perhaps, improve somewhat; but let a few days pass and he forgetteh, and turneth backwards to his habitual condition and accustomed ways”
‘Abdu’l-Bahá 20