An Overview of Young Neighbors in Action
Q. What is Young Neighbors in Action?
A. Young Neighbors in Action is a weeklong service experience for teams of youth and adults. Thirty-nine Young Neighbors events are being offered in nineteen sites around the United States, along the Mexican border, and in Canada during the summer of 2006. The program will involve an expected 2500+ participants. Young Neighbors brings a strong, Catholic perspective to the work of assisting people in need.
Q. Who sponsors the program?
A. Young Neighbors in Action is sponsored and directed by the Center for Ministry Development, a national, non-profit agency that works each year with 100+ dioceses in the United States and Canada. CMD specializes in providing quality leadership training programs and resources for ministry leaders. Among the programs developed by CMD are the national Certificate in Youth Ministry Studies Program (for adults) and Youth Leader (for youth).
Q. Where will young people stay and work while taking part in the program?
A. Lodging and meal facilities will vary from one site to another. These “home site” accommodations range from retreat centers and college campuses to camp forms and parish schools. Sites have been selected to provide easy access to work sites and comfortable and secure living arrangements. Detailed information on lodging facilities is sent out to teams in the spring.
A. Job Sites, sponsored by church and social service agencies, differ from place to place. Work opportunities include: working with children and families in need in homeless shelters and soup kitchens, summer recreation and tutoring programs, painting and minor repairs to family homes and agencies. Teams that come together will work and travel together throughout the experience. Jobs and sites are selected with safety in mind; all work and travel takes place during daylight ours. Information on work sites and equipment needs is sent out in the spring.
Q. What will team members do when they’re not involved in service?
A. Back at the “home site,” participants take part in a mix of recreational, cultural, educational, and worship activities. Structured group activities are planned for each evening – even Wednesday when the group recreates together at a local Y, athletic center, state park, or beach. The event is very much a “team experience,” providing participants with the opportunity to learn, serve, relax, enjoy, and grow together.