ACT TODAY, CHANGE TOMORROW: A NEW GENERATION OF APOSTLES SPEAKS OUT!

Messages and actions from pilgrims

At Act Today Change Tomorrow young people were asked for action ideas to build a world where people are treated with dignity and respect. This is what they said.

• Treat others as you want to be treated, respect everyone's differences. Make all people feel welcomed and included no matter how different they may be. It will make a difference in their lives.
• Even the smallest action can make a difference. God loves us all and God knows the life that we will lead, he has a purpose for all of us. We can try and help those who need it, but we must do it in a way that does not compromise that person. Small actions could be: getting to know someone you don't usually associate with, smiling at someone, being positive makes a positive atmosphere, education, sharing experiences.
• Live by the rule ‘love thy neighbour'.
• Awareness - stop fuelling the negative stereotypes, be careful of your reactions.
• Speak out against the groups that are talking bad about others, so that through your model, others learn to treat others with compassion.
• You can spread stories that have inspired you to other people.
• Organise fundraisers to help kids.
• Start small, like give a hug to someone then move on to bigger things.
• Start with a local issue. Talk to your year group about helping out at a Vinnies literacy program.
• To see as Jesus saw, to judge as Jesus judged and act as Jesus acted, will help me to create a world with dignity and respect. To continue doing see-judge-act will probably help young people to achieve transformation and total human development.
• Make a difference to have justice, peace and integrity of creation not tomorrow but today.
• We have to respect God then ourselves. Respect ourselves by taking care of out body not just physically but also mentally and spiritually.
• We can create a world with dignity and respect if we act accordingly with responsibility, accountability, transparency and justice.
• Be ourselves, acknowledge and name the good around them. Use their passion for justice, conservation, peace etc in their own world/ work/ sport/ socializing/ home. See how their values and ideals are gospel and Christ centered.
• Everyone is entitled to: opinion, dignity, being there for someone, being ‘the shoulder', listening, offering advice, frown upon wrong doing, standing up for what you believe in, fighting for the underdog, charity, awareness.
• Listen and contribute, have respect for each other, work together, help each other, care for each other.
• To stand up to people and to not care what other people think. To speak out if someone is getting make fun of no matter the consequence of what people may think of you.
• I think young people can create a world where everyone is create with dignity and respect by first showing to others what they all believe and then showing others how they themselves treat others as a child of God. They can get together with their friends and befriend the friendless, visit the elderly. Volunteer, feed and help clothe the homeless. Young people can also stop bullying, and they can speak out.
• Change yourself before changing others, greet everyone with a big smile, stop the negativity and focus on the positive outlooks and volunteering.
• Try to include everyone in your circle of friends, treat everyone in a positive way, God loves each of us the same. Do unto others as you want others to do unto you.
• Standing up for what is right, being consistent, have a clear mind before acting, encourage support, don't be biased, don't bite off more than you can chew.
• Use the Golden Rule; don't belittle someone if you don't agree with them. Don't hold grudges, don't put people down! Find ways to prove bullying is bad e.g. A mock accident. Think positive.
• Stop people from bullying and making fun of people. Value life, find God daily and pray. ‘Thorns with the roses'- stand up even if it un-cool.
• Start with our own families to show dignity and respect, stand up for people who are picked on, seek out someone playing or eating alone, take time to work in a soup kitchen.
• I feel it is important to include everyone, no matter their background or reason for discriminated against. I try to carry out this inclusiveness everyday.
• Respect each other- give other the opportunity to talk, Volunteering- soup kitchens etc. providing the basic necessities of life. Living your life through God's example, opening up your doors to those in need- safety houses.
• Start petitions.
• Start in your own little world (family and friends)
• Start by treating everyone you meet with respect and people will follow.
• Reviewing in YCW/YCS groups and develop actions to attempt to achieve dignity and respect. Treat others with respect and acceptance and openness. Being a voice for others, sticking up for others.
• When you see an unfair situation where someone is in a bad position, don't just stay but act and try to do something even if it's a little thing. If everyone acts in this way, we could build a better world.
• Promoting a society of equality and acceptance whilst discouraging discrimination.
• Learn how to lead and engage your community.
• Standing up for people in need, talking to lonely people, smiling at sad people.
• Say hello to the person in the corner or left out and start a random conversation, it makes them feel included and special.
• Think of a reminder e.g. DAR (dignity and respect) rhyming with CAR, so that we can encourage each other to turn around situations that we come across where people are not being treating with Dignity and respect.
• Use technology e.g. Facebook, blogs to spread the word.
• Creating a world of peace beings with learning to respect yourself enough to know your worth and allow the Holy Spirit to work within you. Once a foundation is create, people can then look to that person as an example of the faith, who is able to communicate about Catholicism with confidence.
• Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary use works (St Francis), Being God's voice by using your own other will hear God through you raising awareness, be a witness, sharing our love, our Christianity with friends, moving past comfort for the sake of truth.
• Be friendly, smile. Create a Facebook support group and youtube videos to spread the word, respect others. Empower youth by giving them a voice.
• Stand up for what you believe in: Don't underestimate standing up for a person who is being bullied, without support they will not reach their potential and who knows what their potential may be in the future.
• Invite a new person to YCS, smile and say hello to the person in the corner (the person left out), Keep a positive attitude at all times. Try to find something good in every situation.
• Treat others like you want to be treated.
• Praying, standing up for what you believe.
• Don't judge before you get to know someone, love those around you, put yourself in other's shoes, and accept everyone's differences, live in the moment- don't regret, and don't look too far ahead.
• Raise awareness, treat people equally, act at the time, don't be selfish, reduce self pity, and take time to care.
• If you want to see the change, you have to be the change. Treat other people with love and respect and be persistent in staying true to yourself. It lies on in the individual, but each individual carries the potential to bring about change. Set the examples have a clear vision and live your life by it. Find the ‘how' we all know the ‘why'.
• Be more active in our faith. Being open and honest about situations ignorance is as bad as ignoring. Share you own experience.
• “Be the change you want to see in the world” (Gandhi). Start by treating everyone with respect. Other will do the same. Small actions- hugging and comforting someone who is upset, greeting someone who looks lost or alone, sitting with someone new at church.
• Observe the Great Commandment, ‘Do unto others as you want to be done unto you.'
• Being there for them by loving them as you would treat yourself and others.
• Pray and learn to recognize God in all of life in every person, gift, suffering or struggle. Seeing God's loving hand in all and responding with love.
• Charity: St Vinnies and Caritas. Visit another country, find out what it is like and understand. Stand up for people being bullied.
• Help out people less fortunate through charities and stuff, stick up for people who are being bullied, treat everyone with respect.
• Treat everyone equitably rather than equally, respect other people's opinion.
• Respect everyone, reach out to people in need, pray, give advice, share experiences with them and have a positive attitude.
• Respect other people's opinions, culture and views in life, listen to each other and give positive feedback. Believe in each other and to follow up actions.
• We can make a difference by recognizing ‘the child of God' in each person and recognizing the moment in front of you. It is also important to recognize what type of friends you want to have.
• Have dignity and respect for yourself. Be rational and civil when spreading your ideas and respectful to those with other opinions.
• Exchange programs to Sri Lanka to gain perspective and contrast of the different world we live in and how we can create change. Don't gossip because it destroys relationships.
• Be aware of limitations and strengths.
• Experience sharing with other people. Work to protect poor people and don't give up.
• Sharing experience, accepting each other. Smile- always smile.
• Helping homeless people- get in a situation where I feel comfortable to talk to them by getting others to come with me.
• Respect, understand, empathise- put yourself in other people's shoes, don't judge straight away.
• Do unto others as I have done to you, say thank you. Listen more, talk less.
• Listen to others; use the love of God and the positive way of the lord. Ensure all people from different cultures show compassion towards each other.
• Young people need to realize that there are other people that share their faith. Leading people to acknowledge faith with something as simple as one good deed inspired by faith. For example Fair Trade chocolate, refuse to eat chocolate that isn't fair trade, and find a simple way to make a point.
• Not being afraid of speaking about your concerns. Lead by example and don't be judgmental, judge yourself before judging others. Knowledge to know where you stand and have self confidence.
• We can create this world by treating every person fairly regardless of race, colour, religion, economic status, education or occupation. Acting on situations that respond to the needs of the common people in the community. We must also live life following God's values and examples.
• Encourage other people and be helpful in anyway.
• Equality- respect others.
• Help others, everything you do counts. Adopt a can do attitude. Work with others who share your intentions and give you support.
• To be listened to as they are a valued child of God, treat others equally and empower them.
• Stand up and speak out using your skills, talents, knowledge and abilities to stand up for the person and advocate with them. Treat others as you would like to be treated in the likeness of Jesus. Informing yourself and others around you of issues in the world and changing your lifestyles to support these ideas.
• Respect your colleagues work and give as much to the poor.
• Don't judge others. Plan an event to bring an issue to people's attention. Inspire people to make a change.
• Don't belittle someone, don't hold grudges try and work out any differences. Show a bullying scene with the students in your own school to get a strong effect. Have fun and think positive.
• We must overcome all the fears we hold inside of ourselves and that hold us back from treating others as children of God. If we say we are going to something to make such changes, than we need to do what we say we are going to do. Actions speak louder than words.
• Start with small actions to create a ripple effect.
• Instead of conflict work together by bringing different cultures together, help those less fortunate.
• End previous prejudices of the past in your community.
• Joining some Catholic group that teaches young people about God. Young people like us can travel to other countries and teach about our religion and what it can do to use and build up each others faith, by telling them a real story and experience.
• Educate ourselves, talk to people about being a child of God. Seek advice and help this problem is not too hard. Be confident- if older people haven't fixed it yet then they don't have the skills or motivation, we do. Be ambitious- big problems can be fixed too.
• Love, respect in the spirit of God it will make a difference.
• We need to create an atmosphere that treats everyone like Jesus did, like they would like to be treated.
• Change our behaviour, giving a smile to everyone. Start an awareness campaign.
• Pray. Get to know other people given them a chance.
• Lead by example! We can make a difference by being a leader, lead friends and classmates to better the world so that we are all God's children.
• Being aware of issues, the Golden Rule and simple act of kindness.
• Start small: 1 small action from you, even a smile or hello can start a snowball effect that you may not even be aware of.
• Raise awareness to those that are unaware of the employment situation in other countries.
• Motivate people to act now, not to get emotional and walk away. As a child of God we should be able toe help all the time as he helps us.
• Respect everyone, lead by example and start small- e.g. People at school will follow.
• Stand up for people reach out for people in need, share experiences.
• Doing small things to make a big change, maybe reach out to people you know and proceed from there.
• Reach out and listen. Encounter the poor get to know them. Share hopes, dreams and life stories with other people. Step out of our comfort zone. Our faith isn't at big events, but our small actions daily.
• Speak for the voiceless, involve others and empower them to act.
• Respect yourself and know what you're preaching, set the example.
• Remove social stereotypes.
• Start a YCS group for young children to have the information to reach different peers groups to realize they are all children of God through mentoring groups.
• Young people must be taught to have respect and equality, empower other to speak out.
• Every young person uses the method see, judge, act. Use the golden rule in how we treat others. Consider a cause and take on just one concern or issue and your time and talents to the right of all God's people.
• Start with the little things and be alert about unjust circumstances around me.
• Informing youth of their basic UN human rights and through protesting and evangelization.
• Continue promoting youth organizations. See reality with eyes of compassion and to work for justice and equality for all.
• Support each other, don't accept insults and stand up for others and be Christ to them.
• Be the Love generation. Don't worry be happy, listen to people with an open mind and pay attention when they're talking.
• I believe that there is a bit of God in everyone and we should treat them as you would treat God.
• If you feel something is wrong speak out, tell someone, gain support. From there all your ideas can make a change. Silence doesn't change the situation, action and speaking out does.
• Lead by example, entitle everyone to their own opinion and be willing to listen to those in need. From upon wrong doing, increase awareness, stand up for what you believe in and be ready to act.
• Acknowledge our gifts and voice our insecurities.
• Treat people as if they are part of your family, respect and love them.
• Treat everyone as equal. Don't be selfish give to charity and the poor.
• Hugs and Kisses
• Promote a global sports festival, where people can participate without qualifying so anyone can join. It can create a world which treats everyone with dignity and love.
• Encourage young people to ask for the resources they need in order to perform small and large actions as many students lack such support and resources.
• Reach out in your community- do your bit.
• Smile, hug or high- 5 someone down the street: brighten their day, Try and break the stigma between lower classes to move the world forward.
• Respect other, love one another as Jesus loved us, No dictatorships.
• Talk and get to know people and become their friend.
• Love yourself and others.
• Standing up for what you feel is right, encouraging others to stand on your side, don't be biased to what you support, don't bite more than you can chew.
• Everyone should raise your hand for each and every person who needs help from you. As well as encouraging others to give their hand for the ones who need help.
• By starting in your personal environment, treat others the way you want to be treated, Review of Life See, Judge, Act. Make personal sacrifices to help other disadvantaged brothers and sisters. Be compassionate in the way we treat others, do what you preach and be a witness.
• Don't belittle someone because of their own opinions. Inform young people of the consequences of bullying in a way that will leave a lasting impression. Practice what you preach. Compliment others so they stay positive the rest of the day. Allow yourself to get our of your comfort zone. “It is a mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it.- Aristotle”
• By helping and caring about people, no matter who they are or what they do.
• Respecting other people's opinions not just the people you like.
• Smile! Treat everyone with respect and try and get them to do the same.
• Treat people with respect and dignity. Everyone should do something small everyday to make a small difference; this will ripple on and create a better world. Remain focused and keep goals consistent. Smile at people everywhere you go. Pray, recognize God in every life event, respond with love.
• Learn to Lead, Programs like YCS ‘NUTS' teach young people how to do this constructively. Engage the community in issues successfully. With creditability in the eyes of the community through branch out and challenge and confront the community.
• Lead by example.
• Treat everyone equitably rather than equally, it may not take into consideration their circumstances. Don't discriminate and respect other opinions.
• Doing little thing each day to help others, smile. Offer avenues/ support groups for young people to discuss their issues.
• By starting small with issues that engage your community e.g. Body image, bullying. Once your communities involved its easier to change larger problems. Lead by example.
• Lead by example. Be the change you want to see, join groups that focus on issues your passionate about.
• Start small, start local
• School educational programs: workshops, guest speakers, compulsory integration of themes into lessons. More camps, concerts.

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