(ANS – Havana) – The Centre of Psychological and Sociological Studies, Havana has convened several research groups from 10 countries to present studies and research on four thematic areas relating to children and youth issues, from 12th to 14th November. Within the framework of social integration or disintegration of the young, a study by the Salesian Youth Ministry (SYM) multidisciplinary team, Chile, which presented the work done by the Salesians for the integration of young people, was also selected.

Paula Villalobos and Yasna Gonzalez, researchers from the SYM multidisciplinary team presented the study, the only one from a religious congregation. Villalobos explained that a survey, submitted in the context of the ongoing process of renewal of the SYM in Chile, was conducted in March 2012 in four Salesian schools in Santiago, as well as youth centres and parishes, to gauge the opinion of young people on Salesian ministry, irrespective of their participation in the activities or not.

The results of this first approach made it possible to conclude that the young people give a lot of value to the sense of belonging to pastoral groups, given that community experience helps them in personal development.

Compared with other surveys presented in the same thematic area, in Uruguay, Ecuador, Mexico, Angola and Cuba, the work of the multidisciplinary team in Chile hit the target because it was a closer look focused on positivity and opportunity.

As to why they submitted the application to take part in this International meeting, Yasna Gonzalez said: "We did it because we believe that the Salesians have to begin to integrate, to be a benchmark and learn from the experiences of other realities of the civilized world, not only in the church world". The researcher also noted that the selection of their survey made it possible to highlight the spiritual dimension of youth experience, which is an important dimension, given the nature of the organization that convened the comparison.

The two researchers finally reported positively on the attention aroused among other speakers that such a multidisciplinary research group exists within a religious congregation.

Published 29/11/2012