Perceptions and lived experiences at the Salesian Oratory in Senglea : a study of 14- to 16-year-olds

Abstract

Youth Centres play an important role in the community as they provide young people with a space where they meet their friends, pass the time in a safe environment, and learn. The Positive Youth Development (PYD) perspective believes that youngsters need this ecological resource where they meet nurturing adults and peers; pursue and nourish sparks; develop healthily; and thrive. The Salesians of Don Bosco are known for their work with the young, and their Youth Ministry is built on the holistic development of youngsters. Hence, this study looks at these frameworks and aims to understand how the perceptions and lived experiences of young people influence their participation in the Salesian Oratory in Senglea. A qualitative approach was employed, whereby participants were invited to share their experience of the phenomenon. The sample consisted of six 14- to 16-year-olds who had been attending the Oratory regularly for at least one year in the current or previous years. Data was collected through one-to-one, semi-structured interviews and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The main findings continue to indicate that young people need a place where they belong, where they can exert their control, and where their voice is heard. Youngsters also appreciate leaders that use and respond to humour, are friendly, get to know them, are able to connect with them, and have an open or youthful mindset. Young people might not necessarily understand the full reasons behind educational activities, but they still absorb values, skills and knowledge imparted. If young people are guided and assigned tasks according to their strengths, they learn to start taking an active role, become aware of their potential, begin to take initiative, and contribute. These emergent factors have implications for youth work, and through this study, youth workers or leaders might gain further insight on what is considered important by young people and ways on how to make them participative. A main limitation of this study is that it was held during a pandemic which affected and changed the dynamics at the Oratory. Recommendations that were made following this study are that Salesian leaders are given training in Positive Youth Development (PYD) since it goes hand in hand with the perspective undertaken by the Salesian Youth Ministry; youth work based in a religious organisation is given more prominence during the course; and that the Maltese educational system focuses more on the features of PYD to optimise young people’s development.