Unity and purpose: Inala youth arise in spirit of service

The Inala community in southwest Brisbane has experienced a vibrant youth-led initiative as more than 60 participants gathered for a local youth and junior youth conference.  

Held in December, the event was the fruit of deep reflection by 12 young men who were graduating from their three-year journey through the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program (JYSEP).

Having studied 12 texts and experienced the transformative power of the program, these youth consulted on how they could best serve their community before graduating. Their desire was for others to experience the same sense of purpose they had found.  

With this vision, they set out to organise a conference to expand the reach of the junior youth program and invite older youth to begin their own path of service guided by the Ruhi Institute’s courses.

The theme of the day was coherence—the idea of junior youth and youth walking, learning, and serving together as one community. The significance of the gathering was recognised by local Brisbane City Councillor Charles Strunk, who formally opened the conference and also provided material support, affirming the vital role young people play in the betterment of their neighbourhoods. 

The program, designed and delivered largely by the youth and junior youth themselves, featured a plenary session on the twofold purpose of life: personal spiritual and intellectual growth and service to humanity. Workshops explored how social action and individual effort contribute to a better world. Youth facilitators guided these sessions, building their own capacity for mentorship and accompaniment as they supported the younger participants.

The formal sessions were followed by an afternoon of sport, where bonds of friendship were further strengthened. It was heartening to observe the older youth naturally stepping into the roles of “older brothers and sisters,” encouraging and guiding the junior youth with genuine affection. 

The impact of the conference was immediate. Several junior youth joined the program for the first time, and a group of youth committed to training as animators. With plans already in motion to start three new groups in the neighbourhood, the Inala community continues to see its young people arise as the primary protagonists of their own development.