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Social Justice in Youth Ministry. Where are you from?. The Shape of Our Time Together. Poll. What is the age range of your group or the young people in your context?. Poll. What is the experience level of your group engaging in service and/or social justice activities?. Poll.
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Poll • What is the age range of your group or the young people in your context?
Poll • What is the experience level of your groupengaging in service and/or social justice activities?
Poll • What is your experience level of engaging in service and/or social justice activities?
How would you describe Service?
Service Social Justice • Response to an immediate need • Providing a direct service • Private, individual acts • Often requires repeated action • Directed at the effects/symptoms of social injustice • Those who have giving excess to those who don’t • e.g. homeless shelters, clothing drives, food banks • Response to long-term, systemic need • Promoting social change • Public, collective actions • Resolving and eradicating of structural injustice • Directed at the root causes of social injustice • Asking why some people have and others don’t • e.g. legislative advocacy, changing policies and/or practices, community organizing, education
Service Social Justice Good Samaritan Exodus “The Good Samaritan” by Dinah Roe Kendall
The British Columbia Ministry of Education defines social justice as: “the full participation and inclusion of all people in society, together with the promotion and protection of their legal, civil and human rights. The aim of social justice— to achieve a just and equitable society where all share in the prosperity of that just society— is pursued by individuals and groups through collaborative social action.” (BCTF, 2014, p. 1)
As People of Faith What Unique Lens Do We Bring? Song of Faith Scriptures Ancestors in the Faith
Knowing Your Story “Who are you? Said the Caterpillar… “I – I hardly know, Sir, just at present,” Alice replied rather shyly, “at least I know who I was when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed several times since then.” Lewis Carroll Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland
Reflecting on Privilege:Owning Our VoiceTheory:https://nationalseedproject.org/white-privilege-unpacking-the-invisible-knapsackSimulation:http://www.differencematters.info/uploads/pdf/privilege-beads-exercise.pdf
“If you have come to help me, You are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine then let us work together.” – Women’s Aboriginal Activist Group, Queensland Australia, 1970s
Listening to the Stories of Others Our first task in approaching another people, another culture, another religion is to take off our shoes for the place we are standing is holy. Else we may find ourselves treading on another’s dream. More serious still, we may forget that God was there before our arrival. Max Warren
Reflecting on Oppression: Listening to Others’ Voices Who’s Voice(s) is (are) Missing? Theory: Understanding Oppression Terminology: www.dragonflycanada.ca/resources/understanding-oppression/ Simulation: Kairos – Blanket Exercise: www.kairosblanketexercise.org/
Community Mapping • Imagine that you are standing on the front step of your church. • How is the community laid out? • What is around you?
Questions to Consider What buildings are around? Who lives in the community? Who works in the community? Who is missing/invisible? Where do people live, shop, eat, socialize? Where do people learn? What cultural, economic, artistic, recreational opportunities are there? What does Creation/the Environment look like in the community? What places of worship are there? Where are the areas of concern in the community? What is an area/program/service in your community you want to know more about?
Some of our examples: • Students at a local school baked and sold bannock. The proceeds were donated to the Food Bank to purchase needed items. The volunteers at the Food Bank *(which includes some of the clients served) met to determine how the money would be spent and they purchased large bags of rice that would be divided and handed out. Each week four volunteers from the school come and offer their time at the food bank. We have also benefitted in having some Arabic and French speaking students help translate. • The Children’s Programming “tithed” their Halloween Candy. They were in invited to donate at least 10% either to the Food Bank as extra treats for the clients or to someone they knew could benefit. One of the children gave candy to a classmate who was unable to go trick-or-treating. Another gave all of her candy and a monetary donation.
The junior youth spent one of their sessions cleaning up the neighbourhood. They also turned it into a scavenger hunt with prizes for most plastic collected, strangest item, etc. • The Youth held a cabaret with donations split between a music outreach program in the community and the refugee family our church helps sponsor. • Children and youth help with the community garden we maintain. Produce goes to both the food bank and our refugee family. • The Youth are planning a Good Friday vigil with a visit to the Human Right Museum. They are hoping to connect with other United Church youth groups in the area for this event.
Some of our youth were chosen to participate in a National Church pilot project called Neechi (Oji-Cree for “Friend”). Brought together indigenous Northern youth with urban non-indigenous for residential experience together. This is now becoming a yearly activity. There is also the Wampum gathering in Ontario. • The youth carry our church and Affirming Conference banner in the yearly Pride Parade. This follows a worship service in which we mark our congregation’s affirming anniversary.
Connecting the Dots…. • What is one area of your community you would like to be more involved with?
Questions to Consider What buildings are around? Who lives in the community? Who works in the community? Who is missing/invisible? Where do people live, shop, eat, socialize? Where do people learn? What cultural, economic, artistic, recreational opportunities are there? What does Creation/the Environment look like in the community? What places of worship are there? Where are the areas of concern in the community? What is an area/program/service in your community you want to know more about?
But Why?…. • Think of that area in your community – what is a particular issue or concern connected with it. • Write it down on a piece of paper. • Then boil it down by asking the question “But why?...” until you are at a place where you have no response for the “But why?...” • This is the question you need to explore more fully.
Giving Wheels To Your Question How might you explore this question. What is your hope for the experience? • Take a minute to identify what you hope being involved in this exploring this question might offer to those participating? • Why is that important to you? • What gifts do you and your group bring to living into this experience? • Where do you hope this experience might lead?
Create a Timeline • What specifically do you need to do to explore this question? • Put a plan into place asap even if the actual experience seems a long-ways away. Break it down into timings: i.e. Year, month, week, day • List out all the steps towards achieving this such as:
*People - Who are the mentors and people you need to help you? What connections do you need to make? Who will be involved? Do you need guardian permission? • *Place – Where will you be? Do you need transportation (either for your participants or others)? Are there items you need to take with you or have available? • *Commitment – Will this be a one-time event or long-term? • *Communication – Who needs to be kept in the loop concerning plans, prep, and follow-up? • *Funds – Do you require funding? Will you be offering a donation? • *Reflection – What background information do people need? How will you reflect on the experience itself? What will you do with what you learn? How will this inform faith and practice?
Six Questions: to help discernwhether community service activities are aimed at creating social change Martha Scott Johnson
Does the work you are undertaking ultimately empower the recipient(s)? (e.g. do the recipients have a choice in accepting)
Do those engaging in the work have an opportunity to examine whether and how this work helps address the root cause(s) of need? (e.g. people still need access to food while working for food security for all)
Does the work encourage those involved to understand the complexity of the problems that are trying to address? (e.g. a person living in poverty is not just there because they lack “drive”)
Are institutional operations organized in a way that supports the collaborative efforts not only of the donors and workers but also the recipients? (e.g. we don’t undertake the work for them but alongside and with the recipients)
Does the collaboration build community, increase social capital and enhance diversity? (e.g. a food bank that provides volunteer/work opportunities for recipients in order to build job skills)
Does the organization operate in accord with social justice principles? (e.g. empowerment, value of the whole person)
Some Final Thoughts… • Build a relationship with an organization rather than hopping around various service sites. • Consider both the gifts you bring and the needs to be met. • Leave assumptions behind. Learn to be uncomfortable - asking questions and living in the unknown, serving and being served.
Where to look for more ideas: • Act Now and Justice Initiatives: www.united-church.ca/social-action • Mandate Magazine – available through UCRD • Go Project: www.thegoproject.ca • Global Partnerships: www.united-church.ca/community-faith/welcome-united-church-canada/global-partners • Marquis Project: www.marquisproject.com/.../Fair-Trade-and-Global-Economics-Resources.docx • KAIROS: www.kairoscanada.org • Canadian Food Grains Bank: www.foodgrainsbank.ca • Others?
