(ANS – Barcellona) – On 6 June in Barcellona the Federation of Don Bosco Youth Centres in Catalonia (FCJDBC) organised a round table discussion with various experts on youth issues. It was an opportunty to share and discuss the opinions of different organisations and authorities on youth issues such as: new forms of relaxation, voluntary service and the involvement of the young, attention to diversity and to intercultural issues, work and emancipation.

Taking part were representatives of the Local Government of Cataloina, the city of Barcellona, members of archdiocesan organisation, the Universities, Associations and Schools. All  were in agreement that youth policies cannot be compartmentalised but need to find a place in all the adminstrative policies and, in particular, in the sectors of education, health and employment.

Among some of the questions raised during the day were the following:

• “Young people need to play a real part. Has anyone asked them what they consider important for them?”;
• “In the current situation, no matter what they do, they can see no way out”;
• “There are three main problems: youth unemployment, new housing, the danger of public high-quality education disappearing”.
• “They don’t see policies to improve employment prospects.
• “Young peoples’ participation does not have sufficient impact on public affairs”;
• “There is a shortage of leaders or role models for the young to lead them”;
• “A more personalised formation for the young is needed;
• “Young people have difficulty in formulating a life plan”;
• “Open up to the young places such as the parishes!”;
• “They need to be taught to take part in things!”;
• “We need to re-introduce the notion of service in a society of consumption”;
• “We need to give more weight to what we actually can do well, which is no small thing!”

This was also an opportunity for FCJDBC to prepare for the 17th  National Congress for Salesian Youth Centres planned for next October in Logroño. In addition to the ideas arising from this public discussion in Barcellona there will be those from a similar meeting on their own at the weekend.

Published 18/06/2012