COMMISSION FOR YOUTH 

Secretary: Fr Christhuraj Nilagal SDB Gulbarga

Joint Secretary: Sr Leena Bennis B.S Humnabad

Core Group: Fr Wilfred Naveen Dsilva OFM CAP Halbarga, Mrs Anita Koming Sheih Gulbarga, Sr Sandra B.S Chittapur, Mr Anil Kote Bidar,Mr Vincent Cathedral .Miss Alpha Bhalki, Mangesh Hulsoor,Vidya Sagar Talmadgi,Sr Oliva RNDM Almel Vijayapura.

Introduction

Pope Francis in the eleventh International Youth Forum, declared to the youth: “you are today of God, the today of the church.” “The church needs you”, he said, “so that she can be fully herself”. The youth of today will take forward the faith of the Church to great heights of growth in future. Therefore, it is very important to tap the immense energy of youth, giving a right direction.

Pope Francis while addressing the youth at the 35^th World Youth Day 2020 said, “If you have lost your vitality, your dreams, your enthusiasm, your optimism and your generosity, Jesus stands before you as once he stood before the dead son of the widow, and with all the power of his resurrection he urges you: ‘Young man, I say to you, arise!’” (CV No. 20). Focusing his attention on many young people who are “dead within” though alive, because of hopeless situation they face and waste their resources on superficial things. In this state of life, they need true compassion which would motivate them to be a worthy of witnessing Jesus. Therefore, Pope Francis strongly acknowledges that youth are not future of the church rather they are the “now of the church.”

On the other hand, as Fr. Walter Forde, a youth minister wrote that young people appear increasingly indifferent to the Church and often confused about their role in the community. They are in many ways becoming irrelevant (The Pastoral Care of Young People). To make things worse, the tragic Corona pandemic has shattered the dreams of young people in the current year. This complex situation has posed challenges to the youth and to those who minister to them.  

The Youth Commission of the diocese is aware of the great potentiality of the youth. It is proud and appreciative of the contributions and achievements made already by the youth. It has immense confidence in the capacity of youth for leadership and social transformation. Hence Commission has prepared this regional pastoral plan to give pastoral care to the young people for the coming three years(2021-24)

VISION: The Catholic Youth in the diocese strongly rooted in Jesus Christ for a better world

MISSION: Organizing and empowering catholic youth with conviction on catholic faith and values, equipping them with talents and skills, making them messengers of the Gospel.

GOAL: Empowered and committed Catholic Youth ready to involve themselves in the transformation of the Church and the Society.

Objective 1: By the end of June 2024, at least 40% of the Catholic youth participate regularly in all the spiritual activities organized by parishes and youth movements.

Indicators

1. Increased and better collaboration among various youth groups in and outside the parish/diocese.
2. Young people are aware of the different pastoral activities organized by the parish and diocese.
3. Migrated youth also are recognized, they are able to come together to interact, express their needs, and are cared for.
4. Youth commission and units organize creative liturgy and para-liturgy services for the youth.

Strategies

1. Organizing pastoral and spiritual activities through youth animators and youth leaders whenever possible.
2. Making the various spiritual activities and other programmes of the parishes youth friendly, more participatory and attractive for youth by training the youth animators every year at all levels.
3. Ensuring enough cooperation, recognition and publicity to the pastoral activities organized for youth by the parishes, diocese and youth movements through website, mobile app and other means of communication.
4. Sharing of available resources with the youth directors and animators to make liturgy creative and participatory, and making available resource materials for different types of para-liturgical activities such as Taize Prayer by the parishes and DEXCO.

Extending pastoral care to the migrant youth during the Christmas vacation.

Objective 2: By 2024, every parish in the diocese has an active unit of ICYM /YSM and at least 50% of the parish youth are members and are regularly attending the meetings.

Indicators

1. All the parishes have initiated and have vibrant ICYM/YSM units.
2. The Catholic youth are united and take part in common humanitarian programmes organized by the parishes.
3. The attendance for the youth in the meeting is increased by at least 50%.
4. Youth programmes are organized at various levels and reports are sent to the Diocese Youth office regularly.

Strategies

1. Registering all the youth to Regional Youth Commission through KRYC mobile app and other registration processes by having week-long membership drive every year.
2. In response to Laudato Si, making the youth eco-sensitive and undertake activities at the parish level.
3. Follow up of the groups with regular visits and conducting meaningful sessions and programmes by preparing an action plan every year and ensuring that each parish has its own ICYM hand book.

Objective 3: By the end of the 2024, at least 60% of the youth know the content of YouCat and DoCat.

Indicators

1. All the youth animators are equipped with skills and material for creatively imparting YouCat and DoCat to the youth. The resources are collected and made available at the Diocese youth office-Yuvachethana.
2. 60% of the youth in the Diocese read YouCat and DoCat and it is verified by the participation of youth in various sessions, quiz and competitions held at various levels.

Strategies

1. Making available the digital copy of YouCat and DoCat to youth in all the youth gatherings in parishes.
2. Ensuring the availability and popularizing the study of YouCat and DoCat among Catholic youth by conducting sessions, quiz competitions etc. in youth meetings at various levels every year.
3. Networking with the Commissions for Catechetics, Education and others for youth catechesis, promoting deeper faith formation at various levels regularly.

Objective 4: At least 200 addicted youth in Diocese are de-addicted (Gutka, mobile)– capable of sobriety, leading normal life by 2024.

Indicators

1. All the youth animators are aware of the resources available to guide the youth who are addicted.
2. Diocese has at least 3 youth counsellors attending the youth with problem of addictions.
3. Youth are aware of the evil effects of addictions and are restrained from falling prey to addictions.

Strategies

1. Make the Youth Animators/ youth leaders aware of the de-addiction programmes and resources available on de-addiction through seminars and training programmes.
2. Organizing effective sessions on addictions for the youth during the youth meetings, conventions at different levels.

Objective 5: At least 80% of Catholic youth of the Diocese undergo adequate career guidance and every year at least 30 eligible youth will be supported for higher studies by 2024.

Indicators

1. All the youth animators are aware on career guidance programme and are able to organize programme for the needy youth.
2. Diocese has a career counseling centres for the youth (YuvaChethana).
3. Youth animators have availed the service of the resource team and conducted programmes in their respective places for the youth.
4. More than 100 students who are above 7^th std, have registered for CAP and the eligible have attempted competitive exams organized by CAP India.

Strategies

1. Organizing career guidance/awareness program to the youth animators and youth leaders in the month of April every year at the Diocesan level.
2. Facilitating to initiate a Career Counselling Centre in the Diocese Office
3. Establishing a resource team available to the diocesan level for training the youth, ICYM units at the beginning of every academic year.
4. Disseminating awareness on Career Advancement Programme (CAP), Job opportunities to all the youth through whatsapp group.

Objective 6: At least 20% of the unemployed catholic youth in the Diocese are trained with a skill and will gainfully employed / self-employed by 2024.

Indicators

1. A regular dissemination of information is done about the job opportunities by Yuvachethana.
2. All the Catholic youth are aware of the job opportunities available and are making use of it.
3. Youth are motivated and coached for govt services and also are helped to take up better jobs.
4. Youth are availing maximum benefits of the schemes and projects on employment and jobs.
5. 20% of the youth are placed in better jobs through job placement cells.

Strategies

1. Imparting information on job opportunities regularly to all the youth through various means of communication.
2. Conducting sessions and seminars on employment opportunities to the youth and the youth animators every year in the month of July.
3. Making known various schemes, projects and skill development programmes for the youth in all the youth meetings at all levels every year.
4. Networking with ORBIT and various job placement cells Yuvachethana will work in obtaining jobs for the catholic youth

Objective 7: At least 50% of the youth is empowered and are motivated to stand against all kinds of abuses and harassments on youth by 2024.

Indicators

1. YuvaChethana will serve as the help line for youth in problems.
2. 80% of the youth leaders and youth animators are aware of different types of harassment and abuses on youth, particularly the girls.
3. Youth are taking the help of various helping facilities when they are in distress.
4. Youth are able to defend themselves and help others in times of abuses.
5. Youth, especially, the women are emboldened to speak up and seek help when attempts of abuse or harassment take place.
6. At least 50% of youth have undergone education for life (sex education).

Strategies

1. Creation of a helpline to help the youth in distress in collaboration with women and laity commission.
2. Every year before the end of December organizing awareness programme for the youth and the youth animators on different areas in which the youth are harassed and exploited.
3. Spreading awareness through different means of communication on helpline for the youth who are in distress, especially women.

Responsibilities:

Youth Director:

1. Implementation of the youth commission plan
2. Visiting and supporting the units
3. Promoting leadership at parish, zonal, Diocesan level
4. Organizing zonal meetings with the help of zonal leader and team
5. Mobilizing resources – personnel and finance

Parish Priest:

1. Responsible for the formation of youth in the parish.
2. Responsible for the monthly meeting with help of youth animator.
3. To extend all support to Youth director for diocesan youth commission programmes
4. Action plan for youth in the parish in consultation with youth director
5. Spiritual need of the parish youth.
6. Mobilizing funds and Financial support for youth programmes

Responsibilities of youth animator:

1. Organizing Monthly meeting of the youth.
2. Documentation
3. Personal contact with the youth
4. Data updation of the youth

DEXCO

1. The DEXCO member active part in their respective parish unit
2. Plan activities the according to the Youth Commission year plan.
3. Organizing diocesan level youth programmes.
4. Help you director in building up parish units of ICYM.
5. Representing the diocese in regional level programmes