ABOUT US

HISTORY OF YCS MOVEMENT

YCS has its’ roots in YCW which was founded by Cardinal Joseph Cardijn in 1920s in Belgium after the 1st world war. YCS is an offshoot of YCW movement dates back to 1929 in Belgium.

 Cardinal Joseph Cardijn inspired this movement.

- Born in Belgium on 13 Nov.1882

- His father had a small coal merchant’s business. As a small boy he was helping his father. His hobbies were talking to beggars, cobblers, sailors, bakers etc in the village square. He used to help them in their work. His mother used to give him money saying “Have money – you will meet beggars- give or spend. Choice is yours”.

- He was Sensitive to every type of human suffering. But one group got his attention. They were factory workers. He heard their cry. He used to peep and see them working from his home. Workers were going with their children to work. He used to wonder where the little ones were going - places they do not belong to! So as young he had a deep concern for people, a great sense of justice - qualities which YCS greatly values.

- After his school studies his parents thought of taking him a job in the factory with the other working-class boys. But he had other ideas to become a priest. He joined the seminary. After some time, his father died. Seeing his father who had worked hard all his life, he swore to become a priest of the working people. While on holidays from seminary, workers saw him as a little priest who joined with other forces that oppressed. This wounded him. But he vowed ‘I will give my life to saving the working classes of the world’.

- He was ordained Priest on 22 Sept. 1906. He went around finding solutions for the workers from the trade unions, scouting etc. But was not satisfied. In 1916 during the war, he worked actively in the underground. He was arrested for speaking against German armies. During this time in prison, he set plans and directions for YCW.

- First YCW: First he founded a group for young women needle workers and also a group for young working boys. He said “we are setting out to conquer the world”. In 1924 the young trade unionists became YCW with the founder Joseph Cardijn as National Chaplain.

- First: He wished to create the most powerful, strongest, most united organization in which workers feel the solidarity of their interests and the invincible power of their union.

- Second: To enable each worker to educate his own individuality, to uplift himself morally and intellectually so that he may feel the need of more wellbeing and more justice.

- Approach: Changing the whole environment that surrounded young workers. His saying “You don’t give tonic to the fish that is suffering from the effects of polluted water, you have got to change that water……the environment”

- In March 1925 Pope Pius XI received the founder in Rome and gave the Movement the sanction of the Church.

- On 12th Feb.1965 Pope Paul VI consecrated him as a bishop and made him Cardinal.

- Cardijn passed away on the night of the 24th July 1967 at the age of 85.

- “We are still at the beginning, we are always at the beginning, we are just beginning” was his famous saying.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.” –Robert Frost

HISTORY OF THE MOVEMENT IN INDIA

Its roots were found in India in 1950. In 1961 our first contact with YCS was with the visit of an YCS leader from Germany and an extension worker from Sri Lanka. In 1960-1962 YCS units were formed in Chennai and Bangalore through the help of Miss Betty King, an YCW extension worker from Australia. Some student groups were attempting to build up their objectives and Sr. Jeanne Devos ICM, inspired the student groups of Madras and Bangalore to communicate with each other. Thus, the first study session was held at Madras on 16 Jan 1966. In 1968 some guidelines for the movement were outlined by students in Madras and presented to CBCI. On 6th December 1969 YCS was officially recognized by the CBCI as national apostolic student movement (Catholic Action Movement) with the appointment of Sr. Jeanne as the first National Chaplain. In 1970 YSM was recognized for the students of other faiths. On 14th August 1970, YCS/YSM was affiliated to IYCS. With the formation of CBCI Youth Commission YCS/YSM was recognized officially by CBCI in September 1981 as National Catholic Organization engaged in service of Young and Humanity.

Present Scenario: At present, the Movement has over 2 lakh student members and more than 3000 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-spiritual welfare of the people all over the country.

Asian Coordination: It has a long history tracing back to 1940’s with the first experiences in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Laos and Cambodia. In 1960’s it extended to Thailand, Burma and India. In 1977 Asian team was formed and mandated by international team. Sr. Jeanne Devos became the first Asian Chaplain. Asian office was set up at Singapore. In 1981 it moved to Hong Kong and 1995 it moved to Manila.

International coordination: The Indian Movement was accepted as member movement of IYCS in the 1970 World Council.

WHAT IS YCS/YSM

 It is a student movement where students gather together in small groups of 8-10 to share their interests, problems, experiences, anxieties etc and find a solution of their own through the YCS methodology of See, Judge and Act, i.e. Awareness, Reflection, Action and Evaluation.

 - 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 Instead,

 - 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.

VISION, AIM, OBJECTIVES

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 : “Building a New Society”- “A just Society” - God’s Kingdom.

OJECTIVES: Change self – Change others - This means

• To enable the personal growth of students and young teenagers promoting and strengthening their faith and commitment to society.

• To enable the students to have better understanding of religion and a deep personal experience of God in their life.

• To start, organize, revitalize and strengthen the Movement at Regional, diocesan and unit levels.

• To help the students to realize and respond to the daily life situations according to the signs of the time.

• To create awareness and enable the young to participate in the life of the society as a liberating force.

• To orient the students towards building up a Basic Human Community at all levels.

• To train the young through self-discovery, personality development, interpersonal skills, analytical and critical thinking, counselling, formation, animation and group reflection.

• To foster a good and effective leadership committed to faith and social norms.

• To enable the students to take up their responsibilities by strengthening their values, attitudes and faith.

• To make greater efforts to organise the rural and unorganized students/young and conscientize them for their integral development.

• To bring unity, peace and harmony promoting ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue

• To foster Eco-spirituality and holistic health

• To collaborate with other similar and likeminded Movements and organizations.

• To work in fellowship and solidarity with young people all over the world and to serve the real and concrete needs of young students.

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 prolife actions. Hence,

• It is a student movement – by the students, of the students and for the students. It makes the students aware of their dynamic presence in the history, “the context” of students and respond to their particular needs

• It is an awareness movement – Students become aware of the society and the situation in and around your vicinity. They become aware about who they are, how they relate to others, what inspires and conditions them, how they need and can change to grow, their historical situation in which they live, the happenings around them, mentalities and values prevalent among them and forces that are at work in their society.

• It is a religiously inspired movement – Students need to believe in God and Values which enable them to work for the other, environment and nature. It helps them realize their spiritual heritage and inspires them to achieve the goals of the movement.

• It is an action-oriented movement – Members are given life orientation and clear knowledge of the hardships of life by involving oneself in the social action. The result may not be effective but he attempts itself has a formative value as the members begin to transform their own mentalities and of others who join hands with them in the action process.

• It is a cell-based movement – Members will make their cell a family of theirs to feel, to belong and to live for one another. It creates an atmosphere where they feel accepted and respected, helps them discover their talents and weaknesses, invites them to grow in responsibilities and take up leadership roles, helps them broaden their insights, gives an opportunity to form ones personality, discovers ones value system and orientation towards concern for others, breaks through the barriers of self-centeredness and divisions and creates a strong belief in the group and its members through communication and willingness to listen to others.

5 RULES TO THE MEMBERS OF YCS/YSM

1. Pray daily for Peace – to be an agent of peace and reconciliation. A sincere prayer to cultivate inner attitude of forgiveness and reconciliation which desires for the welfare of all especially one who has damaged one’s reputation, resulting in peace within oneself and promote peace in your neighbourhood and country and world.

2. Skip a meal once a week – to express solidarity with the hungry and contribute the savings to those in need. It helps you grow in sensitivity to the plight of millions who are deprived of the necessities of life. Skipping meal means sacrificing something very dear to you like ice-cream, snacks, saving pocket money etc, with which you help others which in turn helps you to enliven your spirit and attitude of helping.

3. Do a good deed a day – without a selfish motive, to develop concern for the nation. Nation building is a responsibility of everyone, not of ministers and social workers. Through this we help strangers on the streets and needy people.

4. Honour Parents, Teachers and Human beings – They are considered God visible in our midst. Respecting teachers and parents is common. But do we consider honouring the maid servant, the peon and all those who are in the lower strata of the society? Respect is a token of good gesture but honour comes from the heart as a result of genuine spirituality. Hence honour all especially the poor and week.

5. Respect the mother earth and save its resources – These expresses saving its resources like water, electricity, trees etc. Maintain cleanliness in your surroundings like railway tracks, public toilets, not throwing plastic items, etc. This makes you sensitive towards environment and as a part of self-discipline.