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Religious leaders should reach outDate : 22 November 2010 The Straits Times - Religious leaders should reach out 22 November 2010 SOCIALLY alienated young people are more likely to be tempted into joining gangs to seek a sense of companionship, and institutions such as churches, temples and mosques can do plenty to help such youth. A few months ago, I visited Masjid Darul Makmur, a mosque in Yishun, during a field trip for a university module. During the visit, I learnt that the mosque has laid out extensive plans to reach out to the youth in the local Muslim community, involving them in diverse activities. I was very impressed that the mosque leadership had taken a proactive role in providing young people with a sense of belonging, which effectively prevented them from seeking other social in-groups such as gangs. The mosque also actively uses social media such as Facebook to reach out to the youth. I think more religious leaders should leverage on such technology to learn more about young people, gain their support and deter them from joining gangs. When young people join gangs, it's a sign that society has been unable to provide the sense of belonging that they crave. Religious leaders and community-based organisations can help to provide that crucial sense of belonging. Ow Yeong Wai Kit, 22, is a second-year arts and social sciences student at NUS (With thanks to SPH - StraitsTimes.com) Note : No reproduction or downloading of this Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) article is allowed in any medium. Permission has to be obtained from SPH. |
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