YOUTH CENTRE SALESIAN STYLE

 The basis of this approach to young people lies in the ORATORY as content, style and method practised by Don Bosco. A century of tradition enables one to describe this ORATORY-YOUTH CENTRE essentially as: a home that welcomes, a church that evangelizes, a school (in the loose sense of educative environment) that educates, a playground where friends meet and enjoy themselves.  

Another way to look at it is to see it as an open educative environment with a missionary purpose addressed to the young, especially those most in need, and which gives a privileged place to group activities, especially those of an apostolic kind.

 There is a concerted effort to be open to the masses. An example of this is to be found in Brunswick (Vic) where entrance to the Centre is open to all, male, female, Greek, Turk, Christian, Muslim etc. But there is just as much emphasis on highlighting a religious dimension, which is an open and continual invitation to do things for a deeper motive, to ask questions that touch on more ultimate values.

 In many respects, the Salesian youth centre tries to keep a balance between WELCOME and FORMATION, i.e. one is welcome, treated personally, invited, hosted, and at the same time confronted (perhaps indirectly or by suggestion) with the need to improve, move ahead, respond to another, serve.

 No Salesian youth work can work on the basis of a solitary member at its centre. It is a community project, must have an 'educative community' (not necessarily Religious, but necessarily steeped in the spirit of Don Bosco) behind it, in it, around it.

 The formation of adult and young leaders imbued with this spirit must take first place. It is the chief strategy of the venture, and part of its methodology.

Since historically, the Oratory was "a parish for the youngsters without a parish" an openness to Church is quite integral to the Salesian youth centre. Any such venture has to discover how it can be a prophetic reality for young people who might be disaffected with the Church as they know it.

 It follows that such a centre aims to introduce the young to a sense of Church (not create a parish within a parish).

 The centre must also find a way of belonging to the neighbourhood it is in in such a way that it does not duplicate services already available. The aim is to help those attending to feel some responsibility, as Christians, for the place they live in. If they are to discover 'service' as a value, this is how they will do it.

 A certain cultural dimension will need to be developed. It is only in recognizing and knowing about ones culture that one can be discerning of the messages one receives. The youth centre is incomplete without this dimension.

Every young person has a future, a task/calling to discover and take up. The youth centre has its part to play in this too, depending on the attention this element of a young person's life is already receiving from other sources.

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The above issues indicate where the Salesian youth centre stands in its religious (and prophetic) role, and in its secular role of helping to advance and promote human growth in a youngster. In a sense it can be seen as standing at a cross-roads. Those who come along initially may only see or sense one road, and a crooked, rough one at that. We have got somewhere if they end up seeing the other, even if they find themselves somewhat confused at the cross-roads.

PASTORAL AND EDUCATIVE COMMUNITY

THE CORE OF THE SALESIAN YOUTH CENTRE

1. AT THE CORE

Our first objective is to create a PASTORAL AND EDUCATIVE COMMUNITY and to help this to grow. It is a community

- comprising SDB/FMA and lay people, adults and young people

- all involved in a kind of presemnce typical to the Salesian charism.

- set in a particular locale and community

- aiming at the human and spiritual growth of its subjects

- constantly open to the challenges and the life of the people involved.

2. KEY IDEAS AND PROCESSES.

The essential task of the RELIGIOUS community is one of animation, by which is meant a range of things: a quality of witness, formation and coordination. It means a constant working at and clarifying of aims, both educational and theological; it means setting up and evaluating, supporting, prompting, developing, participating. Above all it means ensuring that the principles, content, style and method peculiar to Don Bosco's pastoral approach are in place.

 Pastoral work for the young implies the involvement of younger and older generations in an encounter of love and faith. Both generations find an opportunity to mature through this encounter.

 Adults have a key role of witness, moral, social, cultural and economic support, enrichment of the programme with their fanily experience. They are facilitators of the dialogue that goes on between generations.

 Amongst the adults playing roles in the youth centre, special note must be made of those - with special tasks

- parents, especially those prepared to work closely with the centre

- members of the Salesian Family who know and practise the spirit and method of Don Bosco.

 In any Salesian youth centre, the young people themselves are key participants. The basic criterion to work from is to involve them to the extent that they can manage it.

Dialogue is initiated from the moment of their arrival. From that moment, too, they are gradually invited to take part in activities and groups.

 Structures are set up which enable the widest participation. Those who show a greater maturity and capacity for responsibility are invited into involvement on an ever wider scale, even beyond the centre.

 For effective introduction into the body ecclesial, it would seem essential for the local church (be it parish priest or an assistant pastor) to show interest in (by presence) the centre and the young people themselves. The pastoral and educative community must have some scope for presence amongst the pastoral planning activities of the local church. What goes on by way of programming in the centre will need to be fitted in with general programming in the parish/local area.

 To be part of the local area, the centre will need to:

- take special account of the youth situation in the general area.

- be sensitive to the problems and difficulties of those around.

- be in an observable solidarity with the small, the poor and the needy in the district

- be capable of offering support not just of a material kind but also social and cultural

- be an open witness of both human and religious values

 3. ROLES/ORGANIZATION

RECTOR/DIRECTOR. Salesian. This person is inspired by and practised in the ways and methods of Don Bosco, and enlivened by his Salesian spirituality. He is there by calling, in total sympathy with the young to whom he is sent.

 His task is the animation and coordination of all those forces at work in the centre. He works especially closely with the other SDB and FMA Religious who together are the nucleus of the pastoral and educative community.

 SDB/FMA. Each with his or her own special responsibilities.

 OTHER ANIMATORS such as group leaders, trainers etc. But in the Salesian perspective they are helped to see themselves as having the following functions:

- gatherers, i.e. they bring a group together.

- assistants, a special term which means an inviting, warm quality of presence to those gathered. - professionals in their own sphere of competence.

- formers of the young, with a special eye for young leaders.