The Parish Youth Council (PYC) is a body that comprises all youth Societies and/or groups in Parishes as well as individual youths who do not belong to any youth group.
The purpose of the PYC in Parishes is to serve as an avenue for the youth to expose their potentials and talents given to them by God to make known His Good News of salvation.
The PYC also represents the interest of all the youth in the Church; co-ordinate their activities, as well as organize programmes that would bring the youth of the Parish together for their spiritual and societal development.
The executives of the PYC represent the youth at the Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) and other constituted bodies like Committees.
Parish Youth Councils when formed in Parishes like ours (OLA), also serve as a liaison between the youth and the PPC as a help to concentrate, understand and commit with the youth on their struggle, activities, challenges and problems.
Youth Representation on the PPC
In some Parishes in Ghana, it has been a privilege for the youth to be heavily represented which is a healthy process.
With the representation of the youth, they can form a caucus in the PPC and ensure that problems pertaining to the youth are not sidelined and that the Council is kept on track.
If the PYC is well nourished and taken good care of, it would become a precious gem in the OLA Parish. However, it does not mean that the youth should be pampered but should rather be guided and used for the service of the Parish when the need arises.
As a matter of fact, a well and properly constituted PYC which is given equal representation and a voice to all youth in Parishes, can also serve as a training ground for future Parish Councils.
Effective PYC
In Parishes, a period of say a week is given to the PYC to plan, organize and execute a youth week programme where members play all key roles such as readings, interpretation, taking collections, conduct bidding prayers, singing, ushering and making announcements and commentaries.
Such celebrations pertain to the World Youth Day (WYD) on every Palm Sunday but the Parishes in their own wisdom, should also set a week apart from WYD, for the youth to organize programmes like Youth Masses on Weekdays, Jamborees, Youth Harvests, Cultural Dances, games, Musical Concerts, Excursions and so on.
These activities, when fully supported and financed by the Parish could be an opportunity for having a future proactive and productive Parishioners.
Another productive area that the Church could encourage the PYC is the formation of Parish Credit Union to engage the youth who are invariably in need of job. Small scale industries could be generated for up and coming young entrepreneurs, thus giving the youth some economic power and independence.
A sense of responsibility must be instilled in the youth of OLA so that they can exhibit their God-given talents. The Church, through its various Parish Societies has diversity of gifts and talents and these should be utilized in the service of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
