Youth Empowerment
Objectives
- To enhance the participation of youth in the life and mission of the church and society.
- To build the capacities of youth on analysis and advocacy for prophetic witness.
- To strengthen the governance and leadership roles of youth.
Activities (to achieve the Objectives)
- Conduct educational and awareness workshops on governance and leadership roles of youth in the church and societies they belong.
Programme Assessment
Performance
Activities conducted thus far have been done with the aim of promoting spirituality and developing young ecumenists in the Pacific region.
A regional Youth Workshop was conducted in September 2009 and again in April 2010, in collaboration with the Ecumenism program.
A new animator for the program was appointed in September 2009.
Relevance
The participation of youth in promoting ecumenical spirituality, the mission of the church and governance will continue to be a focal point of the program.
Greater youth participation will be a key issue that will be addressed in the coming program years.
Outcomes
More innovative ideas on the vision of ecumenism should capture the imagination of young people and commit them to expanding and furthering the ecumenical vision in the Pacific.
These ideas should address the youth’s role in the mission of the church with respect to human rights, HIV and AIDS, governance and leadership, and population resettlement – while strategies to further develop them to be the basis for future work of the program.
Thus, the Youth Empowerment program will continue to work closely with the Ecumenism program to ensure continuity and sustainability of the ecumenical vision.
Collaboration with other PCC programs is also vital here as this will greatly assist the youth to influence and shape a more just and compassionate Pacific.
Work Done Up to Date
- Youth workshop on the theme Winds of Change: Marshall Islands 14–24 June 2009
- Youth workshop on the theme Jesus You Lead: American Samoa 27–30 August 2009
- Regional Training Workshop on Youth Leadership and Participation: Fiji 21–25 September 2009
- Youth Convention: Kiribati 14–18 December 2009
- Youth Ecumenical Encounter: Fiji, April 2010
Planned Activities
- Publication of a handbook on Youth Internship: June 2010
- Maohi Nui Youth Assembly: Maohi (French Polynesia), July 2010
- Youth Workshop on Good Governance focusing on biblical teachings: Fiji, November 2010
- Regional Methodist Youth Convention: Tonga, December 2010
- 3 In-country workshops on Youth Internship and Stewardship: Cook Islands, Maohi Nui (French Polynesia) and Vanuatu *dates to be finalised.