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Office of Laity and Family (OLF)

Youth Desk

History and Background

The Youth Desk was organized under the Office of the Laity as the official arm of FABC that responds to the needs and concerns of the youth and youth ministry of Asia, particularly its member Episcopal conferences.

It was established in 1994 after a series of consultations with Asian youth ministers and leaders which started in the WYD 1991 in Czestochowa, Poland. Here, Asian youth delegates dreamed of uniting their efforts toward an Asian response, an Asian voice. This was communicated to the Bishops of the FABC Office of the Laity.

In 1993, a Youth consultation meeting in Bangkok was organized, where the delegates aired as part of their recommendations to FABC to organize a youth commission under the office of the laity so that youth and youth ministers in Asia can be supported and to foster collaboration and networking amongst youth commissions.

Thus in 1994, the Youth Desk was born. This saw forth the succeeding programs and activities for Asian youth and youth ministers:

Results

These events have created awareness on the enormous gift and capacity of the young in building up the Church of Asia and their role in social transformation.

It has encouraged collaboration and networking among Asian youth ministers. The gatherings were a venue for exchange of experiences and technology in doing youth ministry.

It has deepened youth ministers’ conviction in the ministry and enabled them to widen their vision for the young.

For many youth delegates, the experience of Church in the Asian youth events was extraordinary. The sense of unity and solidarity allowed them to understand the church as a community, as a family of faith. The spiritual formation offered by the programs and activities, were Christ encounters for them; meeting him in a relevant way in their young lives and challenging them to renew their lives according to His design.

Goals and Priorities

In March 2004, the Youth Desk initiated a move towards more concrete direction for Asian youth ministry by organizing a consultative body meeting. This was composed of representative youth ministers from the 3 subregions. Together, they began the steps towards building a vision for youth ministry and considering the top priorities of the Youth Desk in the next five years.

These are the following:

1. Empowering youth ministers towards holistic development of youth by:

• organizing continental and subregional programs based on life and spirituality
• facilitating exchange of programs among countries
• making available a directory of Asian resource persons and centers for formation

2. Providing assistance to Episcopal conferences and youth commissions by:

• establishing network among youth commissions
• providing information on youth ministry endeavors within and around Asia (E-mails/websites / newsletter (electronic) )
• raising awareness on youth ministry to bishops, priests and lay people

3. Promoting understanding and witnessing to justice, peace and
   option for the poor by

• establishing links with organizations and movements for justice and peace
• developing a resource center for youth modules on values development and integral spirituality formation

Structure

1. Youth Desk Team - a small group of people that regularly plans, monitors and sees through all programs of the Youth Desk.
2. Consultative Body - composed of subregional representatives regularly consulted by the youth desk for its plans and programs; the term of this body will be until the next AYMM.
3. Ad Hoc Teams - organized for specific purposes either selected by the consultative body or recommended by commissions. Their term only last until the end of their particular project or program