YOUNG CHRISTIAN STUDENTS/YOUNG STUDENTS MOVEMENT
What is YCS/YSM:
- It is not a leadership training movement
- It is not a talent/skills finding movement
- It is not a movement of activities at all
- It is not taking up popular social work
- It is not a group of cleanliness and maintenance
It is a student movement where students come together in small groups of 8-10 to share their interests, pr
oblems, experiences, anxieties etc and find a solution of their own through the YCS methodology of See, Judge and Act i.e. Hence,
- It is a growth oriented movement
- It is a gathering of experiences of evaluation
- It is a life oriented movement
- It is purely cell based movement. History: It was started in 1929 as the offshoot of YCS which was founded by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn of Belgium in 1920. Though its roots were found in India in 1950 through the visit of volunteers from Germany, Sri Lanka and Miss Betty King from Australia, it was officially organized by Sr. Jeanne Devos on 16th January 1966 at Chennai. It was officially recognized by the CBCI in 1969 and Sr. Jeanne Devos became its first National Animator. YSM was affiliated to it for the sake of the students of other faith in 1970 and in the same year YCS/YSM was affiliated to the IYCS international. Present Scenario: At present, the Movement has around 202865 students and 3088 dedicated Animators, youth workers spread out in 12 regions. The Movement has formed active and dynamic church leaders, social workers and liberators who are involved in the process of socio-economic-political-religious welfare of the people all over the country. In the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore the Movement has around 2065 Students and 60 dedicated Animators in over 44 schools and 10 parishes. The Movement is still in the formation and in the growth of starting in all the parishes. VISION : To evolve a new society, where people live in harmony, where there is total freedom for the complete growth of the individual, where each and every person is respected in dignity hence valuing peace, love, truth, justice and equality. Aim : “A just Society” - God’s Kingdom. Objectives : Change self – Change others
Personality development
Leadership through Talent exposure
Faith formation
Building up a better future
Fighting for social justice and peace
Methodology: See, Judge and Act
(Awareness, Reflection, Action and Evaluation)
Characteristics: It is a movement of gathering and sharing of experiences of the members and evaluating the life situations to form an attitude towards value based pro life actions. Hence,
It is a Student movement
It is an awareness movement
It is a religiously inspired movement
It is an action oriented movement
It is a cell based movement
Spirituality: All accept one another as brothers and sisters; hence a family atmosphere is created to treat each other as real human beings. Relationship with self – Knowing oneself
Relation ship with the Other - Process of becoming
Relationship with God – Presence in the Reality
Cells are the basic units of the movement. Student members become a well knit group in sustaining the fraternal relationship in sharing the life experiences to accept each other as their own. Animators are the backbone of the movement. Animator is a friend, guide, the one who accompanies the members always in their growth process. The Animator needs to have a deep faith in God and Prayer, Commitment to Word of God, commitment to Student members and colleagues and commitment to God’s Kingdom. He/She needs to be a visionary and learner, accepting and listening to students as they are in their spiritual and growth process. STRUCTURE OF THE MOVEMENT:
Cell : Group of 8 – 12 having a Leader and Secretary for the Cell
Unit : Cells together form unit having President, Secretary, Treasurer, Reporter
Diocese : Units together form Diocesan team (DTA/DTS)
Region : Dioceses together form Regional team (RTA/RTS)
Nation : National team (NTA/Exco) - National Chaplain, National coordinator,
Convener, secretary, treasurer – Office in Chennai, India
Asia : Asian team – Office in Manila, Philippines
International IYCS : International team – Office in Paris, France
The Search:
The search magazine is a quarterly news letter of YCS/YSM National movement. It has been published regularly since 1985. It helps to pen our feelings and experiences. YCS/YSM NATIONAL OFFICE
Rev. Charles Menezes
National Director-YCS/YSM
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.ycsysmindia.com
YCS/YSM REGIONAL OFFICE
Rev. Fr .Esthakiyus
Regional Director-YCS/YSM
Illaya Deepam P.B.No:146, Karumandapam, Tiruchirapalli-620001
Ph: +91 2481279/2480552 E: Mail: [email protected]
ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED BY YCS/YSM CHENNAI
1. Commitment day – One day programme for the beginners to learn about the movement and commit themselves with a n oath to live by YCS/YSM vision, aim and methodology.
2. Office bearers election – The unit, zone, Diocese, Regional members/representatives come together to elect their leaders who are led to training about their role in the movement.
3. Leadership Training – All the office bearers come together for overnight programme to know their role as cell leaders and unit office bearers to conduct cell meeting and activities of the movement.
4. Village Exposure Camp – Members come together for a exposure in the remote village set up for 5 day programme where they work for half day and learn about the need of hard work, the other half day is spent on various topics as input sessions, entertainment and talent exposure, prayer and leadership roles, they cook and do the basic household chores, visit the houses for reality check.
5. Talent Exposure Camp – This is one day programme where students come from all the units together to exhibit their talents like; group singing, group dance, collage, essay, chart making, speech, clay model, skit, rangoli, etc and may be sports and games like volley ball, cricket, throw ball etc.
6. Rally – Rally is taken out on the day of YCS Diocesan gathering on Social and Student related issues, a public meeting is held in a prominent place along with some prominent persons from politics or government office and a memorandum is presented to the government authorities on related issues. Eg: RTE, Children rights, Corruption, save earth programme etc.
7. Founder’s day – Nov 13th. This day is spent to study about our founder Cardinal Cardin’s life and philosophy.
8. Exposure visit – This is an important programme of the movement where students are led to various spots like slums, village houses, market places, dumping yards, juvenile homes, remand homes, awareness walk to parks, woods, forests, hiking etc to take a reality check and basing on the exposure cell meeting is conducted to take appropriate action.
9. Training programmes – RTI, RTE, Consumer forum, Writing and collage skills, Life skills, Human and student Rights, Children rights and child labour etc.
10. Animators Training – In the national level this is 7 day residential programme. Regional level 3 day programme, as well as in the Diocesan level 3 day programme may be organized. At the diocesan level Animators meet in the beginning of the year to plan for the present year’s activities along with DTS and at the end of the year an evaluation to be conducted along with a day’s outing.
11. Spiritual programmes – Half day recollection, pilgrimages, residential retreats, inters religious prayer services may be organized for ht student members.
