CONVERSATIONS
Newsletter for the spiritual striving of youth in NorthAmerica

Youth Initiative Team

On the Monday morning after the Heartbeet conference in May (see Newsletter 2005, nr 2 for a report), a meeting of individuals who are involved with the Anthroposophical Youth work in the U.S. took place. They explored the question:  What is the Youth Section? discussing Rudolf Steiner's The Younger Generation and the nature of the Youth Section of the School for Spiritual Science. At that meeting a group that would explore the work and possibilities of anthroposophical youth work in North America was formed.

This group worked to understand the Youth Section and considered how to support its further development on this continent.  Many of the group members met in Ann Arbor and participated in a lively open discussion about the Youth Section.  Two themes emerged: broadening and deepening.  Both the intensification of the study of Steiner’s work and the expansive welcoming of interested fellow seekers are a part of the work of the Youth Section.

After the last Heartbeet conference in October (see elsewhere in this issue for a report), another meeting took place at which it was proposed to form a Youth Initiative Team, which could help organize youth conferences, connect people, and help carry the work of the Youth Section in general.  The team consists of people taking up specific tasks and representing initiatives such as conferences. Rachel Schwartz, Hannah Schwartz, Per Eisenman, Eowyn Levene, Peter Buckbee, and Tiemen Woutersen volunteered to be on the initiative team. Luc Schloss, David Stripling, Eric Schneeberger, Noemi Glenn, Marc-Antoine Brodeur, and Jindan Mann were not able to attend but agreed to be a part of the team. The team will ask one or two older members to advise. The team will hold open meetings at youth conferences at least once a year. The Heartbeet conferences have created a healthy rhythm in which the Anthroposophical Youth work has grown and deepened. We hope that the forming of the Youth Initiative Team will facilitate the work so that this trend can continue.