‘A youth-led initiative’: Canning young people learn how to propel forward process of spiritual education 

A group of young people in Canning, Western Australia is learning how to engage children and families in the spiritual educational process unfolding in their neighbourhood. 

Originally considering launching a junior youth camp, the youth soon realised there were more children in their area and decided to focus on the process of children’s spiritual education as a priority. 

“A few of the youth meet up and have a team meeting and at one of these team meetings we decided to have a junior youth day camp to invite people from around the neighbourhood and invite more JY groups,” said one of the Canning youth. 

“We realised there were far more children in the neighbourhoood so we decided to shift the idea from junior youth camps to a children’s festival.” 

“It was very much a youth-led initiative,” said another youth. “We got all these skills of how to plan together. 

“We learnt quite a few things from the cycles of expansion. We went out to meet our neighbours [and] we had great conversations about what they thought the needs were.” 

Following up to three weeks of conversations with their neighbours, planning and reflection, the children’s festival attracted about 40 children and was based on the theme of unity. The youth are now learning about how to keep the families connected to the process, rather than simply hosting festivals during the holiday period. 

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