More than 1,000 youth gather for meeting of oratories and youth centers

(MissionNewswire) More than 1,000 youth from different parts of Andalusia, Spain gathered in the Salesian house in Huelva to participate in the XXXII edition of the Meeting of Andalusia’s Oratories and Youth Centers.

The event, organized by the Carabela Youth Association, featured fun and engaging activities for youth, including sports leagues, crafts, games, Zumba, fairs, and more. The goal of these gatherings is to offer youth recreational and leisure activities, sports, and a space where they can be themselves and meet other youth.

“It’s important that youth have an opportunity to meet and socialize with peers their age, allowing friendships to emerge and bonds to form,” said Father Gus Baek, director of Salesian Missions, the U.S. development arm of the Salesians of Don Bosco. “Students also learn important social skills and have opportunities for growth and maturity.”

Salesian missionaries have been working for many years to provide educational and workforce development opportunities for poor youth and women in Spain through residential, technical, and vocational training programs.

Salesian centers in Spain operate close to 50 vocational and technical training centers that employ 1,300 teachers and offer 17,000 students a chance to gain an education. All Salesian centers have the support of companies from a variety of business sectors to give students real-world work experience.

Close to 32 percent of young Spanish workers under the age of 25 are unemployed and a growing number of them can’t afford to buy enough food to live. Poor youth with few employable skills struggle the most to find and retain stable employment. Women in Spain face inequality in the workforce. They earn up to 14 percent less than men and represent only 34.5 percent of those listed as the highest earners in Spain.

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Sources:

ANS Photo (usage permissions and guidelines must be requested from ANS)

ANS – Spain – More than a thousand young people at XXXII Meeting of Oratories and Youth Centers of Andalusia

Salesian Missions – Spain

World Bank – Spain