"How Do We Get New People and YAD Members to Participate More in YAD Activities?"

          One of the many informative activities that we took part in during the Malaysia Conference was a group discussion. In my case, Ven. Man Ke and Ven. Man Xing skillfully led my group in addressing the issue of "How we could get more people involved and actively participating in YAD activities?" Our strategy was to divide the topic up into little sections and in little groups, brainstorm some possible solutions.

          The first section dealt with the needs of the youth: "What are the needs of the youth today?" Even though some youth may not show it, deep down they really value the support and guidance of their parents the most. At the same time though, they would also like the freedom to make some decisions that directly affect their lives e.g. who they want to be friends with, their career choices, etc. Their desire for independence is also portrayed as they strive to participate in more meaningful activities, in an effort to better understand everything that is happening around them. They wish to gain more insight into the ways of the world.

          Once we have identified their needs, we can go one step further to investigate what the Fo Guang Shan Temple and YADs have to offer them: "What do the Fo Guang Shan Temples and Young Adult Divisions have to offer these youth?" Being part of a Fo Guang Young Adult Division is a very demanding job that requires youth to bear certain responsibilities, such as helping organize or ushering at concerts along with special dinners as well. There are countless golden opportunities to develop strong leadership skills in a variety of activities, whether they are small, quiet group games, or leading a group of fifty youth to participate in the Yee Hong Walkathon or to volunteer at the Toronto Street Festival. Dharma Classes allow for youth to acquire a deeper understanding of what Buddhism and life are all about. Temples provide extensive collections of resource books for those in search of literary fulfillment in a relaxing and tranquil atmosphere. Thus, we can effectively set up an appealing YAD activity simply by recognizing the needs of the youth today and linking them to what the temple and YAD have to offer.

          Lastly, one important aspect of Buddhism is to "hand down the light." "How can we successfully motivate youth and children to become more interested in Buddhism and YAD activities?" One idea is to regularly have the YAD members help organize and lead activities designed for children. Not only does this strengthen the YAD members' leadership skills and patience, but it also gives a chance for children to become more interactive with their older leaders. Using this method, they can become more actively involved at an early age, and consequently be more prepared to take on the role of an outstanding Fo Guang Youth in the near future.

          By making good use of these ideas and suggestions, our YAD will be able to see where to improve and bring about changes for the better, hence becoming even more successful in attracting new members, who will be willing to actively participate in the planned activities.

BLIA YAD of Toronto

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