"We welcome the decision of the Institute...to move the book currently
occupying the fifth position in the sequence to a set of courses branching out
from Book 3 for preparing Bahá'í Children's class teachers and to insert in
the fifth place a new book for raising up animators of junior youth
groups." - Letter from the Universal House of Justice to
all National Spiritual Assemblies, 28 December 2005
"Whatever the nature of the cluster, it is imperative to pay close
attention to children and junior youth everywhere. Concern for the moral
and spiritual education of young people is asserting itself forcefully on the
consciousness of humanity, and no attempt at community building can afford to
ignore it. What has become especially apparent during the current Five
Year Plan is the efficacy of educational programmes aimed at the spiritual
empowerment of junior youth. When accompanied for three years through a
programme that enhances their spiritual perception, and encouraged to enter the
main sequence of institute courses at the age of fifteen, they represent a vast
reservoir of energy and talent that can be devoted to the advancement of
spiritual and material civilization. So impressed are we by the results
already achieved, and so compelling is the need, that we will urge all National
Assemblies to consider the junior youth groups formed through programmes
implemented by their training institutes a fourth core activity in its own right
and to promote its wide-scale multiplication." - Letter from the
Universal House of Justice to the Continental Board of Counsellors dated 27
December 2005.
The following books are new to Ruhi and are used by those who have been
trained as Animators of Junior Youth Groups.
Breeze of Confirmation - Ages
11-12
Breezes of Confirmation, prepared by the
William
Mmutle Masetlha Foundation in Zambia, tells the story of Musonda,
a young girl who has just turned 13, and her older cousin Rose, who has
come to visit for the school holidays. A theme that runs throughout the
story is that of making an effort and receiving God's confirmations. While
the book maintains a certain level of simplicity in terms of sentence
structure and flow, the use of difficult words is not avoided. By placing
such words in different contexts, and drawing out their meaning through
exercises, the text builds vocabulary and strengthens literacy skills. The
book works best with youth aged 11 and 12. (78 pages, 8 ½" x
11") Order from Development Learning Press, www.devlp.com.
Walking the Straight Path - Ages
13-14
Stories have traditionally been a means for conveying moral concepts
from one generation to the next.
The
Badi Foundation in Macau draws on this tradition by bringing
together twenty stories from different cultures in Walking the
Straight Path. Each story is relatively short and followed by a
series of exercises designed to further comprehension, build vocabulary,
and enhance moral reasoning. Short quotations for memorization are also
provided. The book is intended to be studied by young people aged 13 to
14. (79 pages, 8 ½" x 11") Order from Development Learning
Press, www.devlp.com.
Drawing on the Power of the Word -
Age 14
Drawing on the Power of the Word by the Ruhi
Foundation in Colombia seeks to enhance the power of
expression and explore the moral implications of speech and action. It
consists of twenty readings, each of which is complemented by exercises in
language skills. The readings begin simply, but gain in complexity both in
terms of thought and language. The first reading introduces Diego and his
youth group, who live in the small town of Alegrías. With the help of a
tutor from the nearby institute named Elisa, the group thinks about the
power of enlightened words and pure deeds to bring about social change.
The book is designed for youth aged 14. (110 pages, 8 ½" x
11"). Order from Development Learning Press, www.devlp.com.
Intellectual Preparation for
Social Action, Volume 1 - Higher Studies
In Intellectual Preparation
for Social Action, Volume 1,
FUNDAEC in Colombia brings together three units of study from its
text Basic Concepts, The Language of Descriptions and Moral
Capabilities. The volume belongs to a series of books constituting a
program by the same name promoted by that organization. In most educational
systems, pressures created by intense competition oblige high school and
undergraduate students to spend enormous energy in preparing themselves for
examinations of various types. As a result, preparation for life-long
education and for effective action directed towards the transformation of
society is neglected. The program “Intellectual Preparation for Social
Action” is designed to fill this gap. It seeks to respond to the educational
needs of an increasing number of individuals who, aware of the crisis of
education, are attracted to the challenges of intellectual activity in
consonance with spiritual aspiration. (203 pages, 8 ½" x 11")
