A Youth Movement?

FZY is an organization that spans across many age groups and many different backgrounds. Our members are diverse, not only in thought but also in needs. The role of FZY, in my view, is to provide the stage to voice opinions whilst supporting the needs of members. 

FZY officially went younger and opened the doors to chanichim of age 12 and above. Although there is not a camp for this age group, weekly activities organized by the  movement team at the time created the opportunity for an expansion in our member base. The original ofarim challenge was to engage the age group whilst creating an FZY atmosphere that lead to a natural progression into camps and further into passionate and active members of our movement. 

It is clear, from the past, that successful movements have a core of chanichim that have grown up within the movement and created connections with the ideology. A prime example of these core groups are the chavurot. The chavurot, that are still successful in the North and Essex, have provided the platform for young members to feel involved and have great experiences. However in London these chavurot have unfortunately disintegrated. Regrettably this has resulted in a lack of opportunities for young members from London to grow a strong bond with our movement. 

The ofarim program is still new to FZY and despite lack of interest, I still believe there is an opportunity to provide social and educational programs for the age group. FZY can still play a major role in todays younger community. FZY can provide the right support system for our ofarim during difficult times such as bar/bat mitzvah. Peer support is an important part of our chanichim lives and I personally believe that FZY has the structure to encourage a support network between all of the different age groups within the movement. 

FZY is a youth movement, to me this means interaction with the youth of today throughout the year. FZY is an organization that strives to get the most out of our members whilst providing an environment in which people feel comfortable to express themselves as who they really are. By providing support systems FZY can create links between all the age groups and create a core group of members. This can only help with the development of the movement.