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Pathways

The International Sai Young Adults Pathways subcommittee aims to empower the spiritual learning and development of the future generation of Young Adults (age 18–22) by creating a strong support system through mentorship and relevant learning with the application of Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings in daily life. The ages of 18 to 22 are one of the most crucial age brackets for Young Adults (YAs), as having finished school and moved on to further study or work, is a period of great change and development for YAs. Therefore, it is crucial for YAs in this period of life to have a greater understanding of Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings, especially as they begin to make key life decisions and navigate their spirituality in a social world.

In light of the above, we believe that a variety of relatable initiatives and materials will better cater to this exciting and important phase and also support the transition into the YA programme. Between the months of July-October 2020, Pathways conducted and analyzed a series of mini-focus groups as well as a survey given to Young Adult participants aged 18-22. The findings of this research has since charted the course of the way Pathways seeks to support this new generation of Young Adults, most primarily through developing content and initiatives in collaboration with various international Young Adults subcommittees, including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Bridges is a series of 7 toolkits to guide Sai Young Adults (YAs) to foster a deeper connection with each other and ultimately with Sri Sathya Sai Baba. These toolkits serve as an important resource for SSE Group 4 students in particular as they transition into the Young Adults Programme and ‘bridge’ the gap as they travel from one chapter into the next of their spiritual journey.

    The objective of Bridges is to provide a general guide on various topics ranging from thoughts on how to introduce Group 4 students and new YAs to young adulthood and the Sai Young Adults Programme, developing mentorship opportunities for Group 4-YA teams at a centre/regional level, creating opportunities to engage with the community and build connections between Group 4 SSE students and YAs.

    The 7 toolkits include:

    1. Introduction to the YA Fold
    2. Mentorship
    3. General Hangouts
    4. Devotional Programmes
    5. Selfless Service
    6. Joint Teaching
    7. Study Circles

    Overall, these toolkits fulfill three overarching goals:

    1. Providing an introduction to the Sai Young Adults Programme, with each toolkit guiding YAs on how to welcome and initiate YAs into the YA community through various joint activities and initiatives.
    2. Developing connections between Group 4/new YAs and current YAs, with each toolkit recommending activities and opportunities to establish and build strong relationships between these age groups.
    3. Reinforcing the spiritual connection with Sri Sathya Sai Baba, with toolkits involving Swami’s teachings as well as suggestions for opportunities that YAs can present for group reflection and discussion on how joint activities connect to Swami’s teachings.

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    With Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s blessings, may these set of toolkits guide you, inspire you and serve as a ‘bridge’ to connect with YAs and Bhagawan as you progress on your spiritual journey.

    For more information on Bridges and if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to pathways-team@sathyasai.org.

  • Sadhana Quest - In 2021, Pathways, in collaboration with the Serve the Planet (STP) international YA subcommittee, held a 30-day sadhana challenge that young adults around the world participated in. As part of the challenge, YAs not only self-tracked their observance of go-green practices during this time, but also participated in various fun and engaging weekly eco-friendly workshops that challenged and inspired YAs to connect these eco-friendly practices to their impact on Mother Nature and their own spirituality. To access more information on the sadhana challenge, please view the Go Green Environmental Sustainability Committee newsletter or view the STP subcommittee’s page here.
  • SSSIO Sri Sathya Sai Compendium for Young Adults - In 2022, the Young Adults International Engagement (YAIE) subcommittee, with the support and collaboration of Pathways, released the SSSIO Sri Sathya Sai Compendium for Young Adults. This compendium serves as a guidebook for YAs seeking to understand the life and teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and includes countless reflections and discussion points on frequently asked questions (FAQs) asked by YAs around the world. To access the compendium, please visit the YAIE subcommittee’s page here.

The International Young Adults Pathways subcommittee strives to continue in its core objective of inspiring YAs to continue with their spiritual journey independently and with confidence. To do so, we will continue to provide YAs with:

  • access to selected, relevant content, based on Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings
  • information on Sri Sathya Sai activities within and outside Sri Sathya Sai Centers
  • materials to enable them to keep in touch with Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings whilst they are away from their conventional Sai environment (SSE classes/Sai family)
  • support YAs to re-integrate into centers, Sai-related and YA activities especially as they change cities for study and work

For further information about the Pathways subcommittee or if you would like to implement a Pathways program in your Sri Sathya Sai Centers/region, please contact us at pathways-team@sathyasai.org