A document approved by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of India
March 2014
I. BACKGROUND
Building on the achievements of the first of the current series of Five Year Plans, the number of clusters in India with intensive programmes of growth rose from a little more than 40 in 2006 to over 160 in 2010. Advanced clusters contributed to this fourfold increase by acting as “seedbed” clusters, extending the growth process to neighbouring clusters. Since Ridvan 2011 communities and institutions have undergone a detailed planning process based on the guidance of the Universal House of Justice. The outcome of this planning has been to set a goal to increase the total number of clusters in India in which a programme of growth is under way (including the 225 clusters from the last Plan) to 550 by Ridván 2016.
Since then activities have been steadily increasing in villages and neighborhoods. In several clusters some of these small geographic units are host to more than a hundred activities. This concentration of activities has served to heighten, in those who live in these villages and neighbourhoods, a sense of ownership of the process. As increasing numbers of clusters raise their capacity to sustain a large number of activities by involving more and more individuals in the institute process and accompanying them as they enter their chosen path of service, structures to nurture and sustain these activities are naturally emerging. Regional institutions have enhanced their collaborative capacity and have also been able to systematize spaces for reflection at both the cluster and the regional levels. Many regions have also decentralized their institutional structure – from serving regions to now serving sub-regions. Doing so has provided greater support to cluster agencies. At the same time, inter -regional and zonal spaces for reflection were created, providing an opportunity to institutions and coordinators serving the training institute to gain further insights, share experiences and learn from each other.
II. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE YOUTH CONFERENCES HELD IN 2013
A year ago the Universal House of Justice called for 114 youth conferences around the world. Of these, 10 conferences were held in India and nearly 12000 youth participated. The release of the letter dated 8 February 2013 from the Universal House of Justice initiated a process of consultation among institutions on how to engage youth in conversations on civilization building. This consultation flowed from the national level to the regional level and quickly to the grassroots. The identification and orientation of facilitators was an important part of these efforts. It began with inviting individuals to serve as large group facilitators, who in turn helped identify those who could serve as small group facilitators. Significant time and energy was invested in raising the capacity of some 600 friends who served as facilitators – some of whom were already serving on institutions while others were just beginning their path of service. All of them participated in a series of orientations held throughout the country, well before the conferences began. These facilitators played a crucial role in the successful unfoldment of the process of advancing the conversation among the youth.
This ongoing consultation made it possible to map out regions, clusters and even villages and neighbourhoods in terms of understanding the capacity and needs of the youth in the country. Closely supported and accompanied by the large group facilitators, the small group facilitators reached out to a significant number of youth to continue the conversation inspired by the 8 February 2013 letter of the Universal House of Justice. Many regional institutions consciously extended invitations to these conferences to youth from clusters which had been earlier identified as goals of the Plan. Many of them had natural links to clusters where the community-building process was already underway, such as through family or friends. This process was well supported by Auxiliary Board members, cluster agencies, and training institutes.
The conversation continued for several months and was reinforced by the study of other materials such as the books of the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme and those of the Ruhi Institute. This resulted in many youth having completed at least one such book before attending a conference.
Youth were organized in groups of 20 and 80 based on geographic proximity. The close interaction and the deep conversations on spiritual matters over the course of several months fostered love and fellowship amongst the youth, helping transform the environment of the conferences.
The in-depth study of the materials developed for the conference allowed for the conversation to scale new heights. Participants felt encouraged to share reflections, thoughts and insights. As the true potential of thousands of youth was unveiled, earlier pre-conceived notions held about them were also gradually removed. The conferences also saw the unlocking of tremendous capacity as the young participants creatively expressed their understanding of concepts and insights through art and music.
Following the conferences, training institutes, taking the help of cluster agencies and conference facilitators, followed-up with several participants, encouraging them to build on the conversation on the role of youth in building a new civilization. By taking them through the institute process, training institutes helped these youth to further enhance the necessary qualities, attitudes, abilities and skills needed to serve society. This intensified the process of growth in several clusters including those where the process had just been initiated. For many communities this was the first time they had experienced such vibrancy in the community building process and, whole-heartedly supported by adults, it provided an opportunity to revitalize community life. The initial signs of the emergence of a programme of growth could now be seen in new clusters, while advanced ones moved towards the next stage of their development.
This systematic and strategic approach of inviting youth to attend the conferences and engaging them in the community building process has clearly led to the advancement of involved clusters, villages, and neighborhoods, which have learned to work at new levels of intensity. It is also clear that this upsurge of individuals who are willing to enter the institute process and are eager to begin walking a path of service presents a challenge for the institutes and the institutions when it comes to training, closely supporting and accompanying them. In many clusters there is a need to increase the number of individuals who shoulder the responsibility of advancing the institute process and to further enhance the structures of the training institutes in meeting this demand.
III. EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF THOSE SERVING AS TUTORS AND RAISING THE QUALITY OF STUDY CIRCLES
As mentioned above, training institutes in India are now faced with the challenge of assisting large numbers of youth to study the sequence of courses in a manner that strengthens bonds of friendship and reinforces unfolding conversations about collective learning and service, building a better society, and educating and empowering younger generations. Many would like to become animators of junior youth groups and teachers of children’s classes. To this end, the institutes will continue to organize regular and effective intensive campaigns, especially for youth.
At the same time, each group of youth needs to be supported by someone able to create a spiritually empowering environment similar to what was experienced during the youth conference and as described in section 28 of the second Unit of Ruhi Institute Book “Walking Together on a Path of Service”. Help will be required to facilitate their study of the institute books and to lovingly support them in their initial efforts to serve. The experience gained from the way facilitators of large and small groups worked before, during, and after the conferences has given us important insights about the way those serving as tutors could nurture and accompany study circle participants and assist them to arise to serve on their chosen path of service.
The capacity acquired by some 600 individuals - many of whom are youth - who served as large and small group facilitators during the conferences can now be channelled into effectively serving as tutors of study circles in neighbourhoods and villages. However, much more needs to be learnt about how increasing numbers of individuals, especially the youth, can be encouraged to serve as tutors. One strategic approach could be to pay systematic attention to developing the capacities of these friends and of other youth who, although not having served as group facilitators, have shown a strong capacity for service, including those recently acquainted with the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh. Special training sessions could be organised for them to proceed through the sequence of courses and spaces could be created for them to reflect on their service.
A large percentage of participants who attended the youth conferences in India came from some 50 to 60 of our most advanced clusters and from their neighbouring clusters. The majority of those who served as facilitators of large and small groups also came from these areas. It is therefore natural to look to these clusters for expanding the number of those serving as capable tutors and to raise the quality of tutoring. This will not only address the current needs of advanced clusters but will also raise resources that could work in neighbouring clusters.
IV. SUGGESTED WAY FORWARD
In its message dated 28 December 2010, the Universal House of Justice advises us that there are a “multiplicity of ways in which it (the first milestone) can be reached.” We have now gained significant experience from the youth conferences as to how we may extend our conversation to a large number of youth, even those from new clusters. At the same time, training institutes are striving to address questions such as how to increase the capacity of these young persons and support them on their path of service. In the coming cycles leading to Ridván 2016, institutions and communities are planning to initiate programmes of growth in some 180 additional clusters. One way that has proven effective in the last Plan is for advanced clusters to serve as “seedbed” clusters. These advanced clusters can help initiate the process of growth in new clusters by incorporating the recent learnings from the youth conferences.
1. Raising a pool of individuals serving as tutors: The period of time immediately ahead could be used to closely nurture and further raise the capacity of a number of believers in each of these advanced clusters by inviting them to re-visit Ruhi Institute Book 7 as well as other institute books and supporting them as they gain experience in their cluster with the help of their coordinators and Auxiliary Board member. This will raise several hundred additional individuals to the pool of resources in India, who can dedicate their service as tutors in the 50 to 60 most advanced clusters that have the potential to serve as seedbed clusters.
2. Mobilization towards neighbouring clusters: Two individuals could be identified who would serve as mobile tutors for clusters which are close to certain selected advanced clusters. The Cluster Growth Committee could allocate a teaching team to support these individuals assigned to serve neighbouring clusters as tutors who would regularly visit the youth in the neighboring cluster. Additional support from other friends living in the advanced cluster can be provided in consultation with the Cluster Growth Committee, the Auxiliary Board member and the cluster coordinators. The mobile tutors could stay in the neighbouring cluster for a period of time long enough to finish at least one institute book at a time. These participants of study circles could be assisted by the tutors to identify their paths of service by visiting other core activities either in the neighbouring cluster or in the advanced one. The individuals serving as tutors would also have numerous opportunities during this period to interact with individuals from different walks of life. They will hopefully be able to raise a sizeable number of friends in the emerging cluster by continuously taking them through the sequence of courses and supporting them in their chosen field of service.
3. Further expanding the circle of friends: The expanding conversation taking place among the youth who attended the youth conferences is attracting a greater number of their peers. This is particularly pronounced in the most advanced clusters, where new youth groups are being formed in an additional number of villages and neighbourhoods. To reinforce this movement, youth gatherings could be organised in some of these selected advanced clusters. It would be natural to also invite youth from other nearby clusters to these gatherings. During the months leading to these youth gatherings, the core group of individuals in the neighbouring cluster, assisted by regular visits from the mobile tutors, will further expand their circle of friends. As was done in the months prior to the youth conferences, conversations using the messages dated 8 February 2013 and 1 July 2013 of the Universal House of Justice and sharing insights and experiences of walking a path of service will be carried out, which will encourage and enthuse them to attend these youth gatherings.
4. Orientation of facilitators: Similar to the earlier experience of raising up a group of individuals to serve as facilitators - whose role in advancing the discourse before, during, and after the conferences was vital - a number of individuals should once again be identified in preparation for these forthcoming youth gatherings. Care will need to be taken that effective orientation and training is provided to them well in advance of the youth gatherings. It is hoped that by time of these gatherings, individuals from the new neighboring clusters will also have been identified to serve as facilitators.
5. Youth Gatherings: With the help of this new group of large and small group facilitators, the materials and messages studied at the youth conferences can once again be studied at these youth gatherings. Viewing the newly released video “To Serve Humanity” can also enhance the discussions. The conversation on civilization building which would also include the three spiritual prerequisites for the success of all Bahai undertakings which the Guardian indicated ‘stand out as preeminent and vital’; rectitude of conduct, a chaste and holy life and freedom from prejudice, could thus be extended to this group of friends.
6. Systematic follow-up and support: Once these youth gatherings conclude, it is envisaged that the facilitators will involve the participants in the institute process and assist them to walk their chosen path of service. This process can be repeated at the cluster level as the capacity of the friends will have increased, allowing them to take care of an expanding, increasing number of people.
7. Extending the conversation to other segments of population. As Baha’i youth and their friends have been increasingly conversing about service and its implications, this is also contributing to an environment conducive to universal participation. More and more friends and families in the rest of the Bahá’í community are also being inspired to arise to serve. Careful thought may also be given to extending the conversation about the Revelation of Baha’u’llah and its implications for the betterment of society to the families of the youth from the wider community.
V. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
It seems clear that these 50 to 60 advanced clusters in India have the potential to host these youth gatherings and to invite participants from a number of their neighbouring clusters. For the process to unfold systematically, certain institutional arrangements have to be put in place.
1. Auxiliary Board Members: An Auxiliary Board member who, in many cases resides there, intimately supports these advanced clusters. The Board member will consult closely with his or her colleagues. The Auxiliary Board member has to play a role in raising a selected number of individuals to serve as tutors. Thought needs to be given as to which individuals are best suited to work with the neighbouring clusters, bearing in mind such factors as natural socio-cultural contacts, language, geographic proximity and accessibility. In close collaboration with the cluster institute team and the cluster growth committee, one Board member could work with one or two such advanced clusters. This would allow the Board member to pay close attention to the processes of growth in these clusters, including neighbouring ones. The Board member could also raise assistants who would work closely with and support the friends in the advanced clusters as they prepare to serve in the neighbouring clusters. Board members need to be encouraged to appoint assistants specially assigned to the neighbouring clusters.
2. Expanding the current scheme of coordination to integrate ‘facilitators’. A thought can be given as to how we may expand the current coordination scheme at the cluster level so that those friends, who have effectively served as facilitators, could become part of the scheme.
3. Coordinator for neighbouring clusters: “The strategy for advanced clusters to work with its neighbouring clusters provides an opportunity to pay close attention to the way the institute activities are planned and coordinated.” As outlined in the document dated August 2008 titled “Advancing Neighbouring Clusters”, a coordinator could be included in the institute team of the selected advanced clusters: “The Cluster Institute Team will work with wide latitude under the guidance of the Regional/State Training Institute and in intimate collaboration with the Auxiliary Board members and the Cluster Growth Committee to make and implement decisions about the goals, plans, strategies, budgets of institute activities in their own cluster as well as the neighboring clusters and channel the needed resources.”
4. Cluster Growth Committee: In close consultation with the cluster institute team and the Auxiliary Board member, the Committee could appoint a dedicated visiting team to support those serving as mobile tutors and pioneers to the neighbouring cluster for an extended period of time.
5. Spaces for reflection and cycle of activities: When they are able to attend, these friends could gain experience through different cluster activities, reflection meetings, gatherings for study circle participants, children’s class gatherings and junior youth gatherings. This will give the friends from the new clusters various opportunities to learn. It is wise to introduce these clusters from the very beginning, to the concept of cycles. This will infuse a sense of rhythm into the activities. The friends should be encouraged to regularly organize spaces for reflection in the neighbouring cluster.
6. Regional Level: There is a lot that needs to be learned about arrangements at the regional level that will allow the institutions to take care of the needs of a wide spectrum of clusters, particularly the needs of emerging clusters. One idea that may be explored is to have an additional regional institute coordinator where necessary. This regional coordinator could be dedicated to the emerging clusters and would work closely with and support those cluster coordinators assigned to neighbouring clusters. He or she could also facilitate necessary resources such as funds and ensure the smooth flow of information, material and encouragement by working closely with these coordinators. The additional regional coordinator may also arrange for a regional or sub regional space for reflection for all such coordinators, from time to time. However, it should be borne in mind that all of this must be approached in a spirit of learning and arrangements may vary from region to region.
7. Selection of advanced clusters to act as seedbeds: Regional Councils and training institutes, in consultation with Counsellors, could identify the most advanced clusters as well as the neighbouring ones. The Regional Council, Auxiliary Board member and the training institute will then finalize a list of advanced clusters and neighbouring clusters, as well as identify friends who could potentially serve as tutors and coordinators for neighbouring clusters. Other logistical arrangements for the youth gatherings such as the date and venue may be decided in due course.
8. Financial aspect of the youth gatherings: Consciousness will need to be raised among believers towards contributing to the Baha’i fund in order to support these gatherings. This would also serve to increase levels of ownership. Friends should be encouraged to contribute in either cash or kind.
9. Intimate collaboration among institutions and agencies: Regional Councils will need to consult with Counsellors, Auxiliary Board members and training institutes as to how to build capacity and provide sustained encouragement to the agencies in the advanced clusters. Consideration will also need to given as to how to best orient the friends working in the neighbouring clusters. The Auxiliary Board members, the Local Spiritual Assembly (in clusters where there is only one Assembly), Cluster Growth Committees and the cluster institute teams will need to work intimately together at the level of the cluster, through constant consultation done in a spirit of loving collaboration.
It is hoped that the above areas of attention or steps will be implemented by the institutions before Ridvan 2015.
VI. ADVANCING THE CONSULTATION
To advance this conversation among the youth and to ensure the unfoldment of this process, it is paramount to have unity of vision and to understand this process as being an organic, spiritual enterprise that increases the capacity of the individual to serve through fostering love and friendship. Collaboration between the institutions and agencies serving at all levels and creating an environment conducive to encouraging the community to take part in this spiritual endeavor is crucial for successfully reaching out to the larger population in hundreds of clusters of the country.
March 2014
I. BACKGROUND
Building on the achievements of the first of the current series of Five Year Plans, the number of clusters in India with intensive programmes of growth rose from a little more than 40 in 2006 to over 160 in 2010. Advanced clusters contributed to this fourfold increase by acting as “seedbed” clusters, extending the growth process to neighbouring clusters. Since Ridvan 2011 communities and institutions have undergone a detailed planning process based on the guidance of the Universal House of Justice. The outcome of this planning has been to set a goal to increase the total number of clusters in India in which a programme of growth is under way (including the 225 clusters from the last Plan) to 550 by Ridván 2016.
Since then activities have been steadily increasing in villages and neighborhoods. In several clusters some of these small geographic units are host to more than a hundred activities. This concentration of activities has served to heighten, in those who live in these villages and neighbourhoods, a sense of ownership of the process. As increasing numbers of clusters raise their capacity to sustain a large number of activities by involving more and more individuals in the institute process and accompanying them as they enter their chosen path of service, structures to nurture and sustain these activities are naturally emerging. Regional institutions have enhanced their collaborative capacity and have also been able to systematize spaces for reflection at both the cluster and the regional levels. Many regions have also decentralized their institutional structure – from serving regions to now serving sub-regions. Doing so has provided greater support to cluster agencies. At the same time, inter -regional and zonal spaces for reflection were created, providing an opportunity to institutions and coordinators serving the training institute to gain further insights, share experiences and learn from each other.
II. LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE YOUTH CONFERENCES HELD IN 2013
A year ago the Universal House of Justice called for 114 youth conferences around the world. Of these, 10 conferences were held in India and nearly 12000 youth participated. The release of the letter dated 8 February 2013 from the Universal House of Justice initiated a process of consultation among institutions on how to engage youth in conversations on civilization building. This consultation flowed from the national level to the regional level and quickly to the grassroots. The identification and orientation of facilitators was an important part of these efforts. It began with inviting individuals to serve as large group facilitators, who in turn helped identify those who could serve as small group facilitators. Significant time and energy was invested in raising the capacity of some 600 friends who served as facilitators – some of whom were already serving on institutions while others were just beginning their path of service. All of them participated in a series of orientations held throughout the country, well before the conferences began. These facilitators played a crucial role in the successful unfoldment of the process of advancing the conversation among the youth.
This ongoing consultation made it possible to map out regions, clusters and even villages and neighbourhoods in terms of understanding the capacity and needs of the youth in the country. Closely supported and accompanied by the large group facilitators, the small group facilitators reached out to a significant number of youth to continue the conversation inspired by the 8 February 2013 letter of the Universal House of Justice. Many regional institutions consciously extended invitations to these conferences to youth from clusters which had been earlier identified as goals of the Plan. Many of them had natural links to clusters where the community-building process was already underway, such as through family or friends. This process was well supported by Auxiliary Board members, cluster agencies, and training institutes.
The conversation continued for several months and was reinforced by the study of other materials such as the books of the junior youth spiritual empowerment programme and those of the Ruhi Institute. This resulted in many youth having completed at least one such book before attending a conference.
Youth were organized in groups of 20 and 80 based on geographic proximity. The close interaction and the deep conversations on spiritual matters over the course of several months fostered love and fellowship amongst the youth, helping transform the environment of the conferences.
The in-depth study of the materials developed for the conference allowed for the conversation to scale new heights. Participants felt encouraged to share reflections, thoughts and insights. As the true potential of thousands of youth was unveiled, earlier pre-conceived notions held about them were also gradually removed. The conferences also saw the unlocking of tremendous capacity as the young participants creatively expressed their understanding of concepts and insights through art and music.
Following the conferences, training institutes, taking the help of cluster agencies and conference facilitators, followed-up with several participants, encouraging them to build on the conversation on the role of youth in building a new civilization. By taking them through the institute process, training institutes helped these youth to further enhance the necessary qualities, attitudes, abilities and skills needed to serve society. This intensified the process of growth in several clusters including those where the process had just been initiated. For many communities this was the first time they had experienced such vibrancy in the community building process and, whole-heartedly supported by adults, it provided an opportunity to revitalize community life. The initial signs of the emergence of a programme of growth could now be seen in new clusters, while advanced ones moved towards the next stage of their development.
This systematic and strategic approach of inviting youth to attend the conferences and engaging them in the community building process has clearly led to the advancement of involved clusters, villages, and neighborhoods, which have learned to work at new levels of intensity. It is also clear that this upsurge of individuals who are willing to enter the institute process and are eager to begin walking a path of service presents a challenge for the institutes and the institutions when it comes to training, closely supporting and accompanying them. In many clusters there is a need to increase the number of individuals who shoulder the responsibility of advancing the institute process and to further enhance the structures of the training institutes in meeting this demand.
III. EXPANDING THE NUMBER OF THOSE SERVING AS TUTORS AND RAISING THE QUALITY OF STUDY CIRCLES
As mentioned above, training institutes in India are now faced with the challenge of assisting large numbers of youth to study the sequence of courses in a manner that strengthens bonds of friendship and reinforces unfolding conversations about collective learning and service, building a better society, and educating and empowering younger generations. Many would like to become animators of junior youth groups and teachers of children’s classes. To this end, the institutes will continue to organize regular and effective intensive campaigns, especially for youth.
At the same time, each group of youth needs to be supported by someone able to create a spiritually empowering environment similar to what was experienced during the youth conference and as described in section 28 of the second Unit of Ruhi Institute Book “Walking Together on a Path of Service”. Help will be required to facilitate their study of the institute books and to lovingly support them in their initial efforts to serve. The experience gained from the way facilitators of large and small groups worked before, during, and after the conferences has given us important insights about the way those serving as tutors could nurture and accompany study circle participants and assist them to arise to serve on their chosen path of service.
The capacity acquired by some 600 individuals - many of whom are youth - who served as large and small group facilitators during the conferences can now be channelled into effectively serving as tutors of study circles in neighbourhoods and villages. However, much more needs to be learnt about how increasing numbers of individuals, especially the youth, can be encouraged to serve as tutors. One strategic approach could be to pay systematic attention to developing the capacities of these friends and of other youth who, although not having served as group facilitators, have shown a strong capacity for service, including those recently acquainted with the Revelation of Bahá’u’lláh. Special training sessions could be organised for them to proceed through the sequence of courses and spaces could be created for them to reflect on their service.
A large percentage of participants who attended the youth conferences in India came from some 50 to 60 of our most advanced clusters and from their neighbouring clusters. The majority of those who served as facilitators of large and small groups also came from these areas. It is therefore natural to look to these clusters for expanding the number of those serving as capable tutors and to raise the quality of tutoring. This will not only address the current needs of advanced clusters but will also raise resources that could work in neighbouring clusters.
IV. SUGGESTED WAY FORWARD
In its message dated 28 December 2010, the Universal House of Justice advises us that there are a “multiplicity of ways in which it (the first milestone) can be reached.” We have now gained significant experience from the youth conferences as to how we may extend our conversation to a large number of youth, even those from new clusters. At the same time, training institutes are striving to address questions such as how to increase the capacity of these young persons and support them on their path of service. In the coming cycles leading to Ridván 2016, institutions and communities are planning to initiate programmes of growth in some 180 additional clusters. One way that has proven effective in the last Plan is for advanced clusters to serve as “seedbed” clusters. These advanced clusters can help initiate the process of growth in new clusters by incorporating the recent learnings from the youth conferences.
1. Raising a pool of individuals serving as tutors: The period of time immediately ahead could be used to closely nurture and further raise the capacity of a number of believers in each of these advanced clusters by inviting them to re-visit Ruhi Institute Book 7 as well as other institute books and supporting them as they gain experience in their cluster with the help of their coordinators and Auxiliary Board member. This will raise several hundred additional individuals to the pool of resources in India, who can dedicate their service as tutors in the 50 to 60 most advanced clusters that have the potential to serve as seedbed clusters.
2. Mobilization towards neighbouring clusters: Two individuals could be identified who would serve as mobile tutors for clusters which are close to certain selected advanced clusters. The Cluster Growth Committee could allocate a teaching team to support these individuals assigned to serve neighbouring clusters as tutors who would regularly visit the youth in the neighboring cluster. Additional support from other friends living in the advanced cluster can be provided in consultation with the Cluster Growth Committee, the Auxiliary Board member and the cluster coordinators. The mobile tutors could stay in the neighbouring cluster for a period of time long enough to finish at least one institute book at a time. These participants of study circles could be assisted by the tutors to identify their paths of service by visiting other core activities either in the neighbouring cluster or in the advanced one. The individuals serving as tutors would also have numerous opportunities during this period to interact with individuals from different walks of life. They will hopefully be able to raise a sizeable number of friends in the emerging cluster by continuously taking them through the sequence of courses and supporting them in their chosen field of service.
3. Further expanding the circle of friends: The expanding conversation taking place among the youth who attended the youth conferences is attracting a greater number of their peers. This is particularly pronounced in the most advanced clusters, where new youth groups are being formed in an additional number of villages and neighbourhoods. To reinforce this movement, youth gatherings could be organised in some of these selected advanced clusters. It would be natural to also invite youth from other nearby clusters to these gatherings. During the months leading to these youth gatherings, the core group of individuals in the neighbouring cluster, assisted by regular visits from the mobile tutors, will further expand their circle of friends. As was done in the months prior to the youth conferences, conversations using the messages dated 8 February 2013 and 1 July 2013 of the Universal House of Justice and sharing insights and experiences of walking a path of service will be carried out, which will encourage and enthuse them to attend these youth gatherings.
4. Orientation of facilitators: Similar to the earlier experience of raising up a group of individuals to serve as facilitators - whose role in advancing the discourse before, during, and after the conferences was vital - a number of individuals should once again be identified in preparation for these forthcoming youth gatherings. Care will need to be taken that effective orientation and training is provided to them well in advance of the youth gatherings. It is hoped that by time of these gatherings, individuals from the new neighboring clusters will also have been identified to serve as facilitators.
5. Youth Gatherings: With the help of this new group of large and small group facilitators, the materials and messages studied at the youth conferences can once again be studied at these youth gatherings. Viewing the newly released video “To Serve Humanity” can also enhance the discussions. The conversation on civilization building which would also include the three spiritual prerequisites for the success of all Bahai undertakings which the Guardian indicated ‘stand out as preeminent and vital’; rectitude of conduct, a chaste and holy life and freedom from prejudice, could thus be extended to this group of friends.
6. Systematic follow-up and support: Once these youth gatherings conclude, it is envisaged that the facilitators will involve the participants in the institute process and assist them to walk their chosen path of service. This process can be repeated at the cluster level as the capacity of the friends will have increased, allowing them to take care of an expanding, increasing number of people.
7. Extending the conversation to other segments of population. As Baha’i youth and their friends have been increasingly conversing about service and its implications, this is also contributing to an environment conducive to universal participation. More and more friends and families in the rest of the Bahá’í community are also being inspired to arise to serve. Careful thought may also be given to extending the conversation about the Revelation of Baha’u’llah and its implications for the betterment of society to the families of the youth from the wider community.
V. INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS
It seems clear that these 50 to 60 advanced clusters in India have the potential to host these youth gatherings and to invite participants from a number of their neighbouring clusters. For the process to unfold systematically, certain institutional arrangements have to be put in place.
1. Auxiliary Board Members: An Auxiliary Board member who, in many cases resides there, intimately supports these advanced clusters. The Board member will consult closely with his or her colleagues. The Auxiliary Board member has to play a role in raising a selected number of individuals to serve as tutors. Thought needs to be given as to which individuals are best suited to work with the neighbouring clusters, bearing in mind such factors as natural socio-cultural contacts, language, geographic proximity and accessibility. In close collaboration with the cluster institute team and the cluster growth committee, one Board member could work with one or two such advanced clusters. This would allow the Board member to pay close attention to the processes of growth in these clusters, including neighbouring ones. The Board member could also raise assistants who would work closely with and support the friends in the advanced clusters as they prepare to serve in the neighbouring clusters. Board members need to be encouraged to appoint assistants specially assigned to the neighbouring clusters.
2. Expanding the current scheme of coordination to integrate ‘facilitators’. A thought can be given as to how we may expand the current coordination scheme at the cluster level so that those friends, who have effectively served as facilitators, could become part of the scheme.
3. Coordinator for neighbouring clusters: “The strategy for advanced clusters to work with its neighbouring clusters provides an opportunity to pay close attention to the way the institute activities are planned and coordinated.” As outlined in the document dated August 2008 titled “Advancing Neighbouring Clusters”, a coordinator could be included in the institute team of the selected advanced clusters: “The Cluster Institute Team will work with wide latitude under the guidance of the Regional/State Training Institute and in intimate collaboration with the Auxiliary Board members and the Cluster Growth Committee to make and implement decisions about the goals, plans, strategies, budgets of institute activities in their own cluster as well as the neighboring clusters and channel the needed resources.”
4. Cluster Growth Committee: In close consultation with the cluster institute team and the Auxiliary Board member, the Committee could appoint a dedicated visiting team to support those serving as mobile tutors and pioneers to the neighbouring cluster for an extended period of time.
5. Spaces for reflection and cycle of activities: When they are able to attend, these friends could gain experience through different cluster activities, reflection meetings, gatherings for study circle participants, children’s class gatherings and junior youth gatherings. This will give the friends from the new clusters various opportunities to learn. It is wise to introduce these clusters from the very beginning, to the concept of cycles. This will infuse a sense of rhythm into the activities. The friends should be encouraged to regularly organize spaces for reflection in the neighbouring cluster.
6. Regional Level: There is a lot that needs to be learned about arrangements at the regional level that will allow the institutions to take care of the needs of a wide spectrum of clusters, particularly the needs of emerging clusters. One idea that may be explored is to have an additional regional institute coordinator where necessary. This regional coordinator could be dedicated to the emerging clusters and would work closely with and support those cluster coordinators assigned to neighbouring clusters. He or she could also facilitate necessary resources such as funds and ensure the smooth flow of information, material and encouragement by working closely with these coordinators. The additional regional coordinator may also arrange for a regional or sub regional space for reflection for all such coordinators, from time to time. However, it should be borne in mind that all of this must be approached in a spirit of learning and arrangements may vary from region to region.
7. Selection of advanced clusters to act as seedbeds: Regional Councils and training institutes, in consultation with Counsellors, could identify the most advanced clusters as well as the neighbouring ones. The Regional Council, Auxiliary Board member and the training institute will then finalize a list of advanced clusters and neighbouring clusters, as well as identify friends who could potentially serve as tutors and coordinators for neighbouring clusters. Other logistical arrangements for the youth gatherings such as the date and venue may be decided in due course.
8. Financial aspect of the youth gatherings: Consciousness will need to be raised among believers towards contributing to the Baha’i fund in order to support these gatherings. This would also serve to increase levels of ownership. Friends should be encouraged to contribute in either cash or kind.
9. Intimate collaboration among institutions and agencies: Regional Councils will need to consult with Counsellors, Auxiliary Board members and training institutes as to how to build capacity and provide sustained encouragement to the agencies in the advanced clusters. Consideration will also need to given as to how to best orient the friends working in the neighbouring clusters. The Auxiliary Board members, the Local Spiritual Assembly (in clusters where there is only one Assembly), Cluster Growth Committees and the cluster institute teams will need to work intimately together at the level of the cluster, through constant consultation done in a spirit of loving collaboration.
It is hoped that the above areas of attention or steps will be implemented by the institutions before Ridvan 2015.
VI. ADVANCING THE CONSULTATION
To advance this conversation among the youth and to ensure the unfoldment of this process, it is paramount to have unity of vision and to understand this process as being an organic, spiritual enterprise that increases the capacity of the individual to serve through fostering love and friendship. Collaboration between the institutions and agencies serving at all levels and creating an environment conducive to encouraging the community to take part in this spiritual endeavor is crucial for successfully reaching out to the larger population in hundreds of clusters of the country.
