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LasaLLian Youth agenda (LaYa)“Let no one look down on you because you are young, but be an example to the believers, in your speech, actions, in your faith, love, and purity of life.” (1 Timothy 4:12)

i. on Being a Young LasaLLian

“Associated in the Educational Mission, Young Lasallians, coming from different realities and whatever their vocation, are called to be protagonists of a personal and community project by becoming permeated with the Lasallian charism which shows itself in the linking of Faith, Community and Service.”

Young Lasallians unite themselves around a common spirit and mission. Through a process of discovery, sharing and integration, Young Lasallians live, in varying degrees, the following five characteristics:

1. A vocation to be lived in reference to the charism of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and his values;

2. A life of faith which discovers God in everyday reality in the light of Scripture and, for persons of other religions, according to their own sacred texts;

3. A community experience lived in diverse ways and according to the identity of each one;

4. A mission associated with the educational service of the poor and which implies a cer-tain duration of time;

5. A universal openness which transcends the person and the local reality.” (ref. Profile of Young Lasallians. http://www.lasalle.org)

Young Lasallians in the Philippines play a very important role as active participants in the Lasallian Mission. Today, being a Lasallian Youth is regarded as a vocation which challenges the young to strongly commit themselves to this educational mission in the service of the young and the poor.

At present, the Lasallian Youth Commission (LYC), under the Lasallian Partners Office of the La Salle Provincialate, handles the nationwide network of Lasallian youth groups. It is a body, composed of students, young alumni, youth volunteers and those closely working with them, that seeks to bring the youth to a deeper sharing and participation in the Lasallian tradition and Mission.

LYC envisions itself as a pro-active organization of young dynamic Lasallians devoted to empower the youth in nation building. Sharing in the mission of the De La Salle Brothers and Lasallian Partners in uplifting the lives of the poor and youth at-risk through education, the Commission responds by generating creative ideas and implementing valuable programs that harness the potential and energy of the youth. Through the years, LYC has strengthened the nationwide youth movement by having regional formation programs and a national

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youth symposium to align all the youth efforts towards the mission of our Founder. LYC’s goal is to synergize and coordinate the various youth programs and service projects from the dif-ferent District schools.

ii. the nationaL sYmposium of Young LasaLLians (nsYL)

Inspired by the youth’s role as participants in the Lasallian Mission, the Lasallian Youth Com-mission launched the National Symposium of Young Lasallians (NSYL). The first ever NSYL was held from 21 to 27 October 2007 at the Phinma Training Center in Tagaytay. It served as the venue for Lasallian youth in the Philippines to celebrate the unique Lasallian identity, know about and appreciate the variety of best practices (service projects) undertaken by young Lasallians nationwide, as well as identify opportunities in generating a more creative synergy among youth groups based in Lasallian schools and the Lasallian young alumni.

Recognizing the diversity in terms of involvement of young Lasallians, each school was re-quested to send representatives from the different youth sectors, as follows: student council/government, council of student organizations or campus-based organizations, publications, social action volunteers, student affairs office, young alumni, and young Brothers/postulants/aspirants.

With the theme “Young Lasallians – One in a Mission: Possible,” the NSYL gathered 100 par-ticipants from Lasallian schools all over the country. The program was geared towards creat-ing a three-year LAsallian Youth Agenda (LAYA). LAYA was drafted in the hopes of having a more progressive and effective Lasallian youth participation in the country. The Agenda will consolidate the existing efforts of young Lasallians in order to produce a strong and more ef-fective response in addressing current realities. It also sets the standard or becomes the refer-ence point for the alignment of new youth-led programs/projects to the Lasallian Mission.

The shared knowledge and reflections during the NSYL gave rise to five main priorities that the Lasallian youth commit to contribute to, from 2007 to 2010: Education, Governance, Environment, Lasallian Youth Formation and Youth Involvement. LAYA is the Lasallian youth’s input to the 2008 Philippine Lasallian Family Convocation.

The NSYL will be implemented every three years and at the end of each NSYL, the partici-pants will assess the Agenda from the previous NSYL. They will also create new Agenda that will reflect the social realities for that period and the commitments of the Lasallian youth in response to these realities.

iii. agenda-making process

To allow the NSYL participants to effectively draft and approve of LAYA, a framework was conceived prior to the Symposium. This framework guided the flow of activities scheduled for the entire Symposium, wherein each activity was significantly building up to the next.

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The processes included plenary sessions, focus group discussions and planning sessions. LYC’s team of student volunteers/organizers played a crucial role in facilitating the group dis-cussions and drawing out the necessary insights and output from the participants. The partic-ipants, on the other hand, came prepared as they were provided with initial reading materials for the Symposium and were selected as key decision-makers representing their respective student organizations, who can also commit to implement the Lasallian Youth Agenda for the next few years.

Moreover, the NSYL provided a venue to recognize both a sectoral and a regional network for the Lasallian Youth. The sectoral network was characterized by the functions of respec-tive student organizations, allowing for a more focused and united vision across the Lasallian schools. Similarly, the regional network offered an opportunity for efficiency and support for neighboring Lasallian schools.

A. Framework

To present and guide the flow of activities leading to the creation of LAYA, a simple, visual representation was employed -- a tree. A tree is a universal image that is easy to relate to. Moreover, the various parts of a tree allowed for the characterization of significant inputs for the development of the Agenda.

step symbol characteristics activity in the nsYL

objective

1 Elements in the tree’s environment

Various external factors in the tree’s surroundings that affect its growth

Plenary sessions on the National Situation and Focus Group Discussion

To identify relevant societal issues affecting the Lasallian Youth

2 Roots The roots provide nutrients and a firm foundation for the tree

Plenary session on Lasallian Identity and Focus Group Discussion

To identify the values that Lasallian Youth should exemplify

3 Trunk The trunk is a strong pillar supporting the tree

Convenors’ Meetings and drafting of the Lasallian Youth Agenda

To consolidate the discussions of the two focus group discussions and allow the selected group leaders to identify key areas the Lasallian Youth should act upon

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Sectoral Planning

Regional Planning

the 5-point Lasallian

Youth agenda

societal issues(on the economy, politics, education, environmental, faith etc.)

societal issues(on the economy, politics, education, environmental, faith etc.)

Lasallian Values

4 Branches The branches, attached to the trunk, stem out to provide more foliage

Sectoral Planning To group the participants according to the student organizations they represent in order to concur specific means or programs for the realization of LAYA

5 Branches The branches, attached to the trunk, stem out to provide more foliage

Regional Planning To group the participants according to identified regions to further identify ways to implement the specific programs or action plans collectively

Figure 1. Tree Representation of the Framework

framework for drafting the Lasallian Youth agenda: 1) identification of relevant societal issues, 2) identification of Lassallian Values, 3) prioritization of areas for the Lasallain Youth agenda, 4) sectoral planning, recognizing function and mandate, to contribute to the realization of the agenda, and 5) regional planning, recognizing geographicaland institutuinal resources, to contribute to the realization of the agenda.

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Program was as follows:

timeline objectives methodology input output

day 1

• TodiscusswithNSYL participants relevant societal issues in the areas of politics, economics, education, faith, and environment, among others.

• Toidentifysocietalissues affecting the Lasallian Youth

• Toidentifyarepresentative to report on the group’s discussions and aid in the synthesis of the day’s proceedings

National Situationer

Plenary sessions with resource speakers for each area of societal issues

Focus Group Discussions answering the following:1. What are

two-to-three societal issues are you most concerned or passionate about?

2. How is each issue manifested in your school or community?

• Toconcuronareasto be prioritized in the Lasallian Youth Agenda

Convenors’ Meeting

Results of Focus Group Discussions

Among all the issues raised in the previous Focus Group Discussion, which issues should be prioritized collectively by the Lasallian Youth?

day 2

• Tosharepersonaltestimonies of how being a Lasallian is a way of life

• Tosharewiththeparticipants the Lasallian values of Faith, Service, and Communion

Lasallian Identity

Plenary session with Lasallian guests who have exemplified the Lasallian values in their lives

Focus Group Discussions answering the following:1. What are the

three most important values to you?

2. What is your understanding of Faith, Service, and Communion,

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day 2(continued)

and how are these manifested in your community?

• Toconcuronvalues that the Lasallian Youth must be associated with

Convenors’ Meeting

Results of Focus Group Discussions

Among all the values identified in the previous Focus Group Discussions, what are the top three values that the Lasallian Youth upholds?

days 3-4 had teambuilding and recreational activities to intensify the Lasallian spirit and foster a stronger bond among the NSYL participants.

day 5

• Togrouptheparticipants according to the student organizations they represent and to be able to brainstorm specific programs to implement the Lasallian Youth Agenda

Sectoral Planning

Lasallian Youth Agenda

Specific objectives or programs to implement the Lasallian Youth Agenda on a sectoral level, guided by the question: What can we as ONE Lasallian <<student council, student organization, student publication, volunteers, or young alumni>> contribute to collectively realize our Lasallian Youth Agenda?

• Togrouptheparticipants according to their regional affiliations

Regional Planning

Lasallian Youth Agenda

Specific objectives or programs to implement the Lasallian Youth Agenda

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day 5(continued)

and be able to further identify means to collec-tively realize the Lasallian Youth Agenda

on a regional level, guided by the question:What can we as ONE Lasallian <<geographical area/region>> contribute to collectively realize our Lasallian Youth Agenda?

Figure 2. Visual Representation of Methodology

B. Output

The next section shows a summary of the output of each step in the abovementioned process. Each focus group appointed a Convenor who would represent the group in the Convenors’ meeting. The output is a result of the summary of each Convenors’ meeting held after every focus group discussion.

the LasallianYouth agenda

convenor’s meetingEach group elected a convenor to report on their FGD’s. The group convenors then synthesized the issues raised

sectoral planning regional planning

•StudentCouncils•StudentOrganizations•StudentPublications•StudentVolunteerPrograms•YoungAlumni

•LuzonNorth•LuzonCentral•Luzonsouth•Visayas•Mindanao

identify values important to the Lasallian Youth

identify societal issues affecting the Lasallain Youth

Plenary Sessions on:Politics, Economics, Environmental, Education, and Religion

Focus Group Discussions

Plenary Sessions on the:Lasallian Youth Identity

Focus Group Discussions

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step 1: eLements in the tree’s enVironmentVarious external factors in the tree’s surroundings that affect its growth.

The first day was dedicated to the discussion of different societal issues in order to draw out from the participants their passions given the present realities. As a result of the summary of the Convenors’ meeting, the identified/recurring passions for the youth were as follows:

Youth formation and transformation ➢ Lasallian/Youth Identity ➢ Values and attitude ➢ Spiritual formation

involvement in societal issues ➢ Mobilization ➢ Lack of Concern/Apathy

environment ➢ Education ➢ Advocacy (e.g. waste mgt. and pollution)

governance ➢ Corruption

education ➢ Quality ➢ Educating the poor ➢ Accessibility of education

step 2: rootsThe roots provide nutrients and a firm foundation for the tree.

A talk show with exemplary Lasallians as guests was done in order to help facilitate the second step. It sought to help Young Lasallians identify which values they should ground themselves in. The following shows the summary of responses on the Lasallian identity and values.

faith and spirituality (manifested by living up to the scriptures and living a prayerful life) ➢ Faith and Spirituality ➢ Relationship with God ➢ Love

passion to make a difference (manifests selflessness, our willingness to sacrifice, and our effort to be agents of change in our society) ➢ Compassion ➢ Commitment ➢ Making a difference

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unity (shown by establishing connections and linkages with others and strengthening our Lasallian Youth network) ➢ Unity and Teamwork ➢ Cooperation ➢ Acceptance

iV. the LasaLLian Youth agenda (LaYa)

We, the Lasallian Youth of the Philippines, inspired by the charism of St. La Salle and guided by the values of faith and spirituality, unity and our passion to make a difference, commit our-selves to the realization of this Five-Point Lasallian Youth Agenda:

1. on education •TOPUSHFORARELEVANTQUALITYOFEDUCATIONGEAREDTOWARDSNATION-

BUILDING •TOFURTHEREXPANDTHEACCESSIBILITYOFTHELASALLIANEDUCATION

2. on goVernance •TOENCOURAGETHEPARTICIPATIONOFTHEYOUNGINGOVERNANCEANDPOLITICS

TO ENSURE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

3. on enVironment •TODIRECTTHEYOUNGINBUILDINGACONSTITUENCYFORTHEENVIRONMENT

WITHIN THE LASALLIAN FAMILY •TOBETHEINITIATORSOFSUSTAINABLEPROGRAMSFORTHEENVIRONMENT

4. LasaLLian Youth formation •TOINCULCATEANDSTRENGTHENTHELASALLIANIDENTITYBYLIVINGOUTTHELA-

SALLIAN VALUES •TOINSPIREYOUTHEMPOWERMENT •TOLIVEOUTOURLASALLIANIDENTITYASEMPOWEREDYOUTH

5. Youth inVoLVement •TOMOBILIZETHELASALLIANYOUTHINADDRESSINGSOCIETALISSUESBYENCOUR-

AGINGTHEMTOUTILIZETHEIRKNOWLEDGEANDSKILLSFORTHEBETTERMENTOFSOCIETY

•TOINTENSIFYTHEINVOLVEMENTOFYOUNGLASALLIANSINTHEPROCESSOFSOCIALTRANSFORMATION

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V. next steps

In the months prior to the Convocation, from January to April 2008, the Lasallian Youth Commission will carry out the activities below as follow-through after the creation of LAYA:

• School-to-schoolawarenesscampaignsofLAYA(incoordinationwithLYClocalcoordi-nators and NSYL participants); and

• Finalizationofactionplans,incoordinationwiththeregionalandsectoralnetworks.

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Published by the La Salle Provincialate, January 2008.