Young Lasallians

jonmglyn@gmail.co 711 806 91

This is who you are born to be - it is who you really are. Unfortunately, the pressure to tolerate and accept the widespread practices of dishonesty, corruption, greed and abusive behaviour is very great. If we yield to the pressure to accept and adopt these very negative attitudes of tolerance, we do ourselves damage. We can develop a deep sense of shame and guilt, as we see ourselves as less than we should be - less worthy, less valued - and when we have a negative selfimage, we fail to develop genuine selfconfidence and personal pride.

In 2002, I began to organise a YACA Forum once a month. The aim was to provide our young ‘pledgers’ with a regular event, at which they could meet, talk, share and encourage each other. Students brought their friends from other schools and soon there were YACA Pledgers in every school in Port Moresby. The YACA Forum took place on the first Saturday of the month. A keynote speaker then addressed the Forum. Speakers included Governor-General Sir Paulias Matane, Dame Carol Kidu, Sir Mekere Morauta. Prominent people leapt at the chance to support these Forums. Topics varied widely. After the address, the young people broke into discussion groups that later presented their comments and proposals to the Forum. The reports were collated, and a paper was produced summarising the results and conclusions. The event finished up with refreshments - sometimes a sausage sizzle - and general mingling and sharing together.

‘Transparency International’ began providing secretarial services for YACA and took responsibility for organising events. The Forums were scaled down considerably. YACA was promoted at the annual Mike Manning Youth Democracy Camps, and soon there were YACA Pledgers in schools all over the country. The YACA Affirmation is powerfully attractive to young people. However, YACA Groups have generally failed to develop outside the school environment. The Groups have failed to combine. It was my hope that young leaders would take effective, proactive ownership of YACA, and develop the movement into a national association, that would both provide an effective voice for its members.

We should be seeing YACA as the Youth Against Corruption Alliance instead of as an Association. Pledgers who adopt the Affirmation and recite it every day, to remind themselves of the need to be always resistant to corruption can be members of a youth group, Church group, sports team, or social group of any kind. There are so many other youth movements, groups and teams out there, and YACA should not be in competition with any of them. An Alliance of ‘pledgers’ who publicly and outspokenly reject all forms of corruption will serve to support the groups to which the ‘pledgers’ belong and make them morally stronger.

If pledgers want to form a group they may do so. However, the Affirmation is not about ‘we’ or ‘us’. It is about the one - ‘I’, ‘me’- selfaware, self-believing, self-confident.

By Melinda Maro

LSLS GOES DIGITAL AND ‘CONNECTS’ 14 PNG STUDENT LEADERS

Lasallian Youth Ministry seemingly creates new goals each year in its history. The digital Student Leaders Seminar happened on 20-21 January for five hours each day. It saw the whole Team, including School Youth Ministers, the new Lasallian Volunteers and past members numbering 45 young Lasallians leading the e-gathering. There were 150 student leaders from almost all District colleges zooming and participating from Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand. (Pakistan were to run their own program locally).

Dagia Aka, the former National Youth Coordinator was a guest speaker on the final day of the e-gathering. He spoke on the topic “Servant Leadership”. His appearance was a pleasant surprise for the PNG team.

NATIONAL LASALLIAN STUDENT LEADERSHIP SEMINAR

The 2021 Papua New Guinea Lasallian Student Leadership Seminar was successfully conducted at Lasalle Technical College in Hohola, National Capital District. The Seminar was held on Friday 26th February to Sunday 28th February 2021. It was attended by the SRC Executive members from the five Lasallian Schools in NCD and Central Province.

The Seminar was extra special because of the passing of the Late Grand Chief, Sir Michael Somare during the week. It was only fitting that the National Lasallian Student Leadership Seminar coincided on the weekend of Sir Michael Somare’s passing.

The themes for the break-out rooms included “Effective Communication”, “Planning a school event” and “Public Speaking” and of course ice- breakers to relax and build a sense of community.

It was very relevant and will help me during my time as a student leader in 2021 and beyond. I would definitely recommend to future leaders and wish that more leaders from my school were able to attend.

The time and energy spent by the facilitating Team to organize the seminar was well rewarded with students judging the Seminar “an eye opener”, and “amazing” of the sessions and the workshops.