A Day of Reflection, Formation, and Mission at Salesian Family Youth Center
On September 26, the Salesian Family Youth Center welcomed more than 24 members of our staff for our annual staff training. It was a day set aside not only for professional development, but also for reflection, community building, and remembering why we do the work we do.
For this training, all of our staff came together at the Youth Center. Bringing everyone into the same space gave us an opportunity to step away from our daily responsibilities, get to know one another in a different way, and reflect on the mission that unites us as a team.
The atmosphere throughout the day was one of collaboration and openness. Through different activities, conversations, reflections, and presentations, our staff had the opportunity to look at both their professional responsibilities and their personal commitment to the young people and families we serve.
Why Are You Here?
One of the first reflections of the day centered on a simple but important question: Why are you here?
For me, this question goes to the heart of our Salesian identity. Our presence at the Salesian Family Youth Center is about much more than having a job or receiving a paycheck. There is a deeper reason behind our decision to work with young people and families.
For many of us, this work is an opportunity to give back to society through the gifts, talents, experiences, and opportunities that we ourselves have received.
When we understand the reason behind our presence, our daily responsibilities can take on a different meaning. A conversation with a young person, helping a family, creating a welcoming environment, or simply being present can become part of something much larger.
Learning How to Be Present With Young People
Another important part of the training focused on how we approach young people and how we can strengthen our understanding of the Salesian Preventive System.
The Preventive System reminds us of the importance of Reason, Believes, and Loving-Kindness. These principles guide the way we interact with young people and help us create an environment where they feel safe, respected, welcomed, and valued.
Loving-kindness, in particular, is essential to our Salesian presence. Young people need to know that they belong. They need adults who are willing to listen to them, encourage them, recognize their strengths, and walk alongside them.
Through a skit and reflection, our staff had an opportunity to consider how our everyday interactions can either strengthen or weaken that sense of belonging.
The feedback from our staff showed that this reflection resonated with many of them. One staff member reflected on learning different ways to interact with children and how to better give consequences. Another shared that the training reminded them that we are responsible for the environment we create at the Youth Center and that we should work harder to make it more welcoming and respectful.
These may seem like small changes, but they are precisely the kinds of changes that shape the experience of a young person.
Taking Care of Ourselves So We Can Serve Others
Throughout the day, the conversation also moved beyond our work with young people and toward our own personal well-being.
Several staff members reflected on the importance of self-care, mental health, time management, self-respect, and being present.
One staff member shared that they learned the importance of prioritizing mental health and recognizing when it is necessary to ask for help. Others reflected on separating personal life from work, being more present, letting go of what we cannot control, and being intentional about the way we speak to others.
These reflections reminded us that our ability to accompany young people is connected to how we take care of ourselves.
We cannot always control what happens around us, but we can continue working on ourselves, learning, growing, and becoming more intentional in the way we respond to the people around us.
A Moment of Spiritual Reflection
Luis and Andres led our staff through a Lectio Divina, inviting everyone to reflect on God's call. This gave us another opportunity to step away from the practical aspects of our work and consider the deeper spiritual dimension of our mission. Our work as Salesians is rooted in a call to accompany young people, and taking time to listen and reflect allows us to reconnect with that purpose.
For many staff members, the day became an opportunity to reflect on their own journey and the reasons they continue to serve.
From Reflection to Action
The final part of the training focused on the question: What are we going to do with the information we received today?
A training day has little meaning if what we discuss remains in the room. The challenge is to take what we learned and bring it back to our programs, our relationships with young people, our coworkers, and our families.
Our staff made commitments ranging from improving communication and time management to becoming better leaders, creating stronger boundaries, being more intentional in their interactions, taking better care of themselves, and continuing to improve their work with young people.
One staff member summarized this commitment by saying, “I commit to being better than yesterday.”
Another staff member reflected on the importance of self-reflection, recognizing that without taking care of ourselves and reflecting on our own actions, it becomes more difficult to improve.
These commitments are important because our mission is lived through our daily actions.
A Growing Salesian Community
We were also grateful to have two members of our Board, Evelyn and Miriam, participate in the training alongside our staff. They joined the activities and conversations as regular participants, sharing their perspectives when appropriate.
Their presence was a reminder that the mission of the Salesian Family Youth Center belongs to a broader community. Staff, leadership, board members, families, supporters, and young people all have a role in building and sustaining the work we do.
We were also excited to have Televisión Española with us as they continue working on a documentary project highlighting the work of the Salesians in Boyle Heights. Their team is spending time in our community, recording the programs, people, and daily work that make up our Salesian presence here.
Their presence during this period gives us another opportunity to share the reality of the community we serve and to show the many ways in which the Salesian mission is lived out each day in Boyle Heights. The project is connected with Pueblo de Dios, a program of Televisión Española that features stories of people and communities involved in service and social mission.
You can learn more about the program through Televisión Española – Pueblo de Dios.
More Than a Training Day
As I looked around the room throughout the day, I was reminded that our annual training is about much more than completing a required activity.
It is an opportunity to stop.
To listen.
To reflect.
To reconnect with our purpose.
And to ask ourselves whether the way we are working reflects the mission we say we believe in.
It was encouraging to see our staff take the different reflections seriously and intentionally. More than 24 people came together from different experiences, responsibilities, and backgrounds, yet we were able to spend the day asking many of the same questions: How can I improve? How can I better serve young people? How can I support my coworkers? How can I contribute to creating a place where young people feel that they belong?
Those questions will continue beyond September 26.
The real work begins when we return to our programs and put those reflections into practice.
As Salesians, we believe that our presence matters. The way we welcome a young person matters. The way we listen matters. The way we correct, encourage, communicate, and accompany matters.
Our hope is that this training helps each member of our team continue growing—not only as a staff member, but as a person committed to the young people and families of Boyle Heights.
Our mission is lived one relationship at a time. And it starts with being present.
Thank you for reading our e-news! Please keep us in your prayers.
Comments