HELP KEEP SIKHI ALIVE IN YOUTH

[sher_panjabi]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Guru Pyaaree'o it has evident that generally our youth are drifting away from Sikhi.

I don't want to wallow and dwell on how Gurdwaras have let us down, on how parents have not fulfilled their duties or on how no parchaar is done in your area!

Let us not think about the problem! Let us address the problem and DO SOMETHING!

Please share ideas we can (realistically and practically) do to encourage the Sikh Youth to explore and come closer to Gurmat.

Bhul chuk maaf karnee ji

Manvir Singh

[sher_panjabi]

Problem in my area:

* Sikh children ignorant about Sikhi

* Sikh parents not knowing enough or not bothered enough to teach kids about Sikhi

* Pakistani boys on the look out to make Sikh girl-friends. Cases of Sikhs girls leaving home.

Action:

* Started Weekly Gurmat Class on Friday evenings

How to get children together?

* Making small flyers

* Got names of Sikh children from secondary school and sent messages via Tutors and teachers about Gurmat classes

* Phoning parents

* Constant advertising at Gurdwara

* Word of Mouth

What can you do together?

* Rehraas Sahib (if in evening)

* Discussions (held with no adults present - when no adults, youngsters tend to be more open)

* Learning how to do Sukhaasan, Prakaash, Ardaas

* Quizes, Competitions

* Making Langar together

* Sharing each others Dukh Sukh and sharing our thoughts amongst the Youth Sangat

[Singh_Shiromani]

Young Sikhs Birmingham

A Humble Request To ALL Young Sikhs In Birmingham

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa!!

Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!!

Guru Roop Khalsa Ji the General Meeting of “Young Sikhs” Birmingham will be held at Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick (High Street, Smethwick), on Saturday 29th January 2005 at 7.30pm in the Tea Hall (Hall no: 1).

Issues:

· Self determination for the Sikh Nation (Khalistan)

· Establishment of State funded Sikh schools

· India’s Hidden Genocide - Campaign for Truth & Justice

· Promotion of the Sikh identity & the Panjabi language

Forthcoming YOUNG SIKHS/PANTHIC Programs

Young Sikhs works for the Chardi Kala and Unity of The Khalsa Panth. This is an important meeting in which issues regarding the Panth will be discussed, Issues discussed in this Meeting are issues that affect the Panth and every Sikh and Not Just one single organisation, anyone willing to join Young Sikhs is requested to come to the meeting.

Refreshments Will Be Available After The Meeting.

Panthic Sevadaars

Young Sikhs Birmingham

Email: YoungSikhsBirmingham@hotmail.co.uk

[Singh_Shiromani]

Thats the only reason we are running this to keep Sikhi alive in Young Sikhs, anything that anyone would like to discuss will be discussed.

[Singh_Shiromani]

Hopefully with Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji's Kirpa And Your Sehjog, we can make this a National and International, Young Sikhs Organistion, with Branches already set up in Derby and Leicester and Birmingham next then Coventry, and other places.

[GuruManeyoGranth]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

sqsMgiq mih ibswsu hoie hir jIvq mrq sMgwrI ]3]

sathasa(n)gath mehi bisaas hoe har jeevath marath sa(n)gaaree ||3||

In the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, this faith is established, that the Lord is with us, in life and in death. ||3||

Agree with you Veer Jee - we have got a serious problem in our Panth in how to attract youth into the Panth.

As the above quoted Pangtee states - only SatSangat can establish faith in the True Satgur and His omnipresence - this is the atmosphere that should be created in our Gurudwarae. However, these days, Gurudwarae have just become a social place of gathering, with a very few going to get Darshan of the Guru and learn. Gurudwarae have also assumed an irrelevance to much of the youth that do not understand Panjabi.

We have the same kind of Gurmat classes that you suggested above in our area. But we chose to target children between 5 and 13 years old, as these are the age where children are most willing to listen. Beyond that age, we found that the youth were not willing to listen and hated/resented that they were being "preached" to. Only

those children above 13 who had come from GurSikh families were willing to listen.

But when we spoke to children of between 5 and 13, the stories heard really made an impression on them. They told their parents, and some of their parents who were otherwise just "Punjabi Sikhs", actually became interested in "Sikhi". Therefore, an introduction to Sikhi was launched for some parents - which we hope will pay dividends and bring them closer to Sikhi.

Influence of parents is most important - in our Gurmat class, we only have 1 hour a week for Satsang, and there is no control over what else happens for the rest of the week. However, the class has only been running for 3 years, and who knows what long-term impact it will have on the children.

Waheguru - Please bless us with the Sangat of Guru Pyarae -

[Khalsa_starr]

Hasn't anyone suggested reaching outside the sikh community?

I myself was not born into the sikh faith. However, i found the faith attractive and right as i later found out about it. Perhaps we should try and attract more youth (and older people) to become sikhs.

Ofcourse we wan't to deal with our own youth as well, so the list that was mentioned was a good example.

[singhnee~22]

every year at the university of calgary, we do Sikh Youth Week, where we make huge trifolds of information, and ppl from uni come by and read all the information, we get people to play gatka as well, and distaar tieing etc etc...

check this website out:

http://groups.msn.com/dashmeshmissionsyoc/...snw?albumlist=2

click on pictues, and all the way down to sikh&panjabi week 2002

[buddasingh]

this is a bit of tangent to other excellent posts here, but a small part of the puzzle for everyday life...

Acknowledging that some parents need to offer more guidance in the form of authority...

Be silly, it's ok to be silly. The young and esp. the very young need YOU to "act THEIR age". Punjabi culture teaches many of us to act like accountants with children ( any accountants sorry , consider this example a sacrifice). If you think this is referring to your parents, watch for tendencies to be just like them next time you're around kids.

For parents, leaders, others in roles of authority, a general human trait is difficulty realizing that it is possible to balance authority and equality with children. With eastern cultures, we err on the side of authority failing to really connect with the child. The balance is a skill, but one that makes the difference between a child following instructions and an eager child feel like s/he is leading by following instructions.

Esp. men,... learn that no strength or poise is lost in joking, laughing and being carefree with children. Bringing hope, laughter, and confidence where the child's carefree world is completely validated creates the building blocks of Chardikala.

[sher_panjabi]

In Birmingham I have heard that "Smethwick Youth & Community Centre" is doing a good job.

They do discussions, make funny videos with kids and do fun trips.

Making a Youth support network is also important. Also Birmingham I believe that there is a Sikh Helpline - for kids to ring in with problems such as bullying

may maharaaj bless all those who are doing this type of seva!

Ps. Bhaaji Jujhaar Singh from Birmingham = inspirational! He is the main sewadaar helping out in the above mentioned things.