On Wednesday afternoons, when most older kids in Sooke have already gone home, a number of their 11 year old peers are staying after school to nourish their spirits. About ten students of Sooke’s Journey Middle School are now a part of the recently instituted Junior Youth Empowerment Program, a group intended to give youth a safe space to express themselves, help them build healthy relationships, and connect them with youth around the world.
“The purpose is to help these youth become well-rounded citizens, to be involved with their community, and to learn to be of service,” says Les Haddad, the local Sooke resident who leads the youth group. He hopes that the activities and games they participate in will, “help these youth open up to new people and break down assumptions.”
Begun only about two month ago, the group has already made great progress, for not only are these junior youth building stronger friendships with each other, but also with pen pals they now have in Jamaica, Uganda, and Ethiopia. Gathering in their school’s multi-purpose room each week, they find themselves eagerly awaiting the chance to write letters and learn more from their global brother and sisters about life in other cultures.
As excited as these youth may be to learn from each other about their differences, there is something that they all share: all these junior youth are participating in groups that are a part of the same worldwide program. The group in Sooke is part of a global effort, initiated by the Baha’i community, to offer extra support systems for youth to supplement both their material and their spiritual growth.
The group uses the workbook titled “Breezes of Confirmation” aimed at assisting 11-12 year olds in the development of literacy and communication skills using stories, songs, and other activities. From an educational standpoint the workbooks are unique, blending universal spiritual themes – the assistance of God, the development of virtues, and the power of prayer – in stories, in a way that transcends religious boundaries.
The group is financially supported by the Sooke Baha’i community and Les Haddad, the group’s organizer, is a Baha’i, but none of the junior youth in the group are from Baha’i families. Most come from Christian background as does the group’s co-facilitator, a third-year university student named Erin Potts. One child comes from a Buddhist family.
As the workbook makes mention of God it cannot be directly sponsored by the public middle school at which it is held, but the school’s principal was quick to acknowledge the benefit of such a program and assist with providing the space. “It’s really a win-win situation”, said Haddad, “Being able to hold the meetings at the school is so convenient for students and parents.” And as for the local parents Haddad spoke with about the youth group’s spiritual approach, the reaction was generally, “It makes mention of God? That’s good!”
Mr. Haddad, like many residents of Sooke community, has long been concerned about the lack of support systems and constructive activities for junior youth in their small community. Refering to the results of a resiliency survey given to the Sooke community Haddad said, “The Sooke community is a bit of an anomaly when it comes to the struggles of junior youth. Even some of those with the strongest support systems still engage in risky behavior.” Worried about the gap of uplifting activities for this age group, he and his wife previously hosted a youth games night at their house for many years.
Mr. Haddad hopes to continue the momentum started by this new junior youth group into the coming school years with the next in the same series of junior youth workbooks, one which emphasizes morality and values, and another which focuses on the value of service. Haddad is already planning to organize a service project with his junior youth to assist their school and local community.