Jr Youth Group · Ages 12–15 · Free
Character building for teens
A weekly program to build character, develop leadership, and channel young people toward service
About the program
Groups where teens grow in character and confidence, and come to see themselves as protagonists in their own neighborhoods.
What is it
What is a junior youth group?
The Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program is a global movement that motivates young people ages 12 to 15 to contribute to the well-being of their neighborhoods and the world at large. The program is founded on the idea that, to help young people achieve their highest potential, education needs to address both their intellectual and spiritual development. While inspired by the Baha'i Faith, the program does not approach education in the mode of religious instruction. It affirms that young people have a vital role to play in helping communities grow.
In these groups, junior youth are mentored by older teens and young adults, referred to as “animators,” to develop their spiritual qualities, intellectual capabilities, and capacity to serve society. Each week, animators and junior youth study materials based on moral and spiritual concepts and talk about how to navigate a complex world, resist negative forces in their lives, and promote social progress. They engage in meaningful discussions and artistic expression (through drama, cooperative games, visual arts, and storytelling) and acts of community service, all of which help them form strong moral identities.
Animators strive to help junior youth realize their own potential, channel their energies, and develop their talents to serve their neighbors, family, and friends. Along the way, many animators discover that the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program brings joy and purpose to their own lives as well as in the lives of the young people they serve with.
A positive influence
A counterweight to the forces pulling teens down
Between social media, peer pressure, and a culture that rewards selfishness, teens absorb messages every day about who to be. Most of those messages don’t serve them. This program gives them something different: a small group of friends who actually care about each other, a mentor who takes them seriously, and a weekly space where character and service matter more than status.
The friendships formed here are real. Teens challenge each other, serve their neighborhoods together, and hold each other to a higher standard. That kind of bond — rooted in shared purpose, not just shared interests — becomes one of the most protective forces in a young person’s life.
Find a program for your teen
What a session looks like
Thoughtful study, sports and games, and meaningful service
Stories and discussion
Each session centers on a curriculum of texts that explore various themes relevant to the lives of junior youth. All of the titles are concerned with developing language skills and the power of expression. Some address mathematical concepts and social issues, while others seek to prepare young people to approach the investigation of physical, social and spiritual reality in a scientific manner.
Animators work through these texts with participants in a conversational style in which everybody's contributions are taken seriously. Though the moral concepts in the materials are drawn from the Baha'i teachings, they are not religious in nature, nor do they address subjects that are specifically Baha'i.
Service and action
Junior youth groups include an element of community service. Groups plan and carry out service projects in their neighborhoods, working with parents and community members in efforts that can range from organizing cleanups or visiting neighbors to tutoring younger children and working with local organizations and governments to address real issues like public safety, environmental health, and more.
The program connects high ideals to real action.
Art, games, and friendship
Every session also includes time for creative projects, sports, and cooperative games that create and deepen lasting bonds of friendship.
Teens have a place where they belong and where they're known.
Common questions
Questions parents ask
Is this a religious program?
Not in the way you might expect. The materials explore questions of character, purpose, and service that appear across every spiritual tradition. The moral concepts draw from the Baha'i teachings, but they are not religious in content. There is no religious instruction, no expectation of belief, and no pressure to join anything.
Most participants are not Baha'i.
Why does the Baha'i community offer this program?
Baha'is believe that young people between 12 and 15 are at a critical stage of development — forming their identity, their values, and their sense of purpose. Rather than leaving that process to chance, the Baha'i community invests in programs that release the intellectual and spiritual powers of young people and channel their energy toward service to others.
The program is offered free of charge because Baha'is see the development of young people as a responsibility shared by the whole community, not a service to be sold.
What is the Baha'i Faith?
The Baha'i Faith is an independent world religion founded in the 19th century. Its central teaching is the oneness of humanity — that all people belong to one human family and that building a just, unified society is the purpose of religion in our age.
There are roughly 6 million Baha'is worldwide and an active community across Greater Boston. You don't need to know anything about the Baha'i Faith to participate in this program, and no one will ask you to.
What does "spiritual empowerment" mean?
In this program, "spiritual" refers to the qualities that make us fundamentally human: empathy, curiosity, a sense of justice, generosity, humility, and a love for others.
Empowering a young person with these virtues means developing the powers of the human spirit that make them healthy, confident, and eager to contribute to the world around them.
Who mentors the teens?
Each group is accompanied by an older youth mentor, called an animator. Animators are typically young adults from the neighborhood who have completed training in how to create an environment of mutual learning and support.
They are not teachers delivering lectures. They walk alongside the teens, learning with them.
My teen is 11 (or 16). Can they still participate?
The program is designed for ages 12 to 15, but there's flexibility. An 11-year-old who is mature enough, or a 16-year-old who wants to continue, can often be accommodated. Get in touch and we'll find the right fit.
Is it free?
Yes, completely free. No fees, no materials cost, no fundraising.
What is a jr youth group?
A jr youth group — short for junior youth group — is a small group of teens ages 12 to 15 who meet weekly with an older youth mentor. Together they work through materials that develop powers of expression, explore themes of identity and purpose, and carry out service projects in their neighborhoods.
The full name is the junior youth spiritual empowerment program. It's offered by the Baha'i community, but it's open to everyone and most participants are not Baha'i.
How much of a time commitment is this?
Groups meet once a week for about 90 minutes. Some groups also organize occasional service projects or camps with other groups in the area.
There's no minimum attendance requirement. Come when you can.
Get started
Find a program for your teen
Tell us a little about your family and we'll connect you with a group in your area. The program is free and open to all families.
A real person will follow up within a few days.