ICYCW DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES

INTRODUCTION

The International Co-ordination of Young Christian Worker Movements (ICYCW)

presents this Declaration as an explanation of the vision and basic principles of the
YCW Movement and a guide to its authentic character.
These principles are intended to be a focus of unity and strength for each National
Movement and for the YCW throughout the world.
It is the hope of the ICYCW that the National Movements which it co-ordinates
will be inspired by this vision of the Movement and put it into practice whilst
keeping their own autonomy and identity.

PART ONE: THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE Y.C.W MOVEMENT

THE ORIGINAL VISION

“An organisation of young workers with a view to the conquest of their eternal and
temporal destiny” (J. Cardijn)
1. The Young Christian Worker Movement (YCW) was born in Belgium in 1925.
It is founded on the insight, faith and initiative of a young Catholic priest, Fr.
Joseph Cardijn and a group of young working people.
2. At the origin and heart of the YCW is a wonderful truth clearly and frequently
proclaimed by its founder. It is the truth of faith: that young workers are
created in the image of God and have a God given dignity and an eternal
destiny. Next to this is the truth of reality: most young people are not aware of
this great dignity and find it hard to discover because of the conditions and
values which surround them.
3. The YCW was founded as a response to this contradiction. Its mission is:
 To be a real sign of God’s loving presence amongst young people of the
“popular milieu”
 To free young people from all situations which contradict and offend their
dignity and destiny as sons and daughters of God and help them discover
their own irreplaceable personal vocation.
 To be a living witness to young people of God’s life-giving action and plan
in Jesus Christ.
 To proclaim the Good News of the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God.
 To propose faith in Jesus Christ and live by it.
 A MOVEMENT BY YOUNG PEOPLE, FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
“The working class character of the YCW is expressed in the fact that it deals
with, and wishes to solve, the workers’ problem” (J. Cardijn)
1 The Y.C.W. Movement was founded to carry out a special mission amongst
young men and women of working class culture. This means that the YCW has
a preferential option for the kind of young people who are not highly
advantaged financially or educationally, for those who live in the less well to do
areas and find it hard to make their voice heard. It is for young workers of city
and countryside, apprentices, those on vocational training courses, those with
insecure jobs and the unemployed.
It also includes the kind of young people who would like to make a
commitment to this option and to the mission that the YCW offers..
Note: when the term “young people” is used in this document it is meant in the
sense just described.
2 The YCW is concerned about the life of young people of this background and
culture in all its aspects of family, work , education , leisure and culture.

THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE MOVEMENT

“We need an organisation of young working boys and girls which takes them out
of their isolation, their abandonment, their powerlessness, which groups them,
trains them, helps them and represents them in order to teach them and enable
them to re-christianise their whole lives, their entire environment, the whole
mass of young workers, in conformity with their divine vocation and the divine
plan” (J. Cardijn)
1. . The main purpose of the YCW is to proclaim to young people that the life, death
and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the gift of the holy spirit is decisive for their
true happiness and freedom.
2. This proclamation necessarily involves the YCW in action to strengthen the hope
and secure the freedom of young people who suffer personally and collectively
from all kinds of alienation, oppression and exploitation.
3. This freedom means that young people are able to experience an adequate quality
of life and that they can set out on the path to discover the deeper meaning of
their life. It allows them to have hope for the future and to embrace values that
can truly bring them fulfilment.
4. In this work of liberation the YCW sees itself in solidarity with all men and
women who struggle and suffer with the same hopes, dreams and purpose.
5. The YCW sees itself as part of the long struggle for freedom in the world. It shares
the vision of the worker movement in its stand for equality, solidarity, justice
and peace .It is committed to making sure that the basic conditions needed for
true human fulfilment are possible for all young people.

6. The YCW seeks to enable young people to be active collaborators with God in the
work of building the new world of His Kingdom of which the Church is a visible
sign. The YCW offers a faith experience of Church gradually gained through
discovery of Jesus Christ, reflection in a small group on the Word of God, lived
Christian experience and meaningful celebration of the Sacraments, especially
the Eucharist.

THE SPECIFIC TASK OF THE YCW

“Give me leaders and I will raise the world” (J. Cardijn)
1. The particular way in which the YCW works to fulfil its main purpose is to call
young people and train them to be leaders in their daily lives and amongst
others, militants and apostles for the sake of the Kingdom.
2. A young person who freely and whole-heartedly chooses and commits themselves
to the YCW service of other young people is called a militant.
A leader/militant is called to be:
 Critically aware of the real situations, in which he/she and other young
people live and work, and perceives where change in needed;
 Conscious of the values of God’s kingdom, knows Jesus Christ as friend and
brother and trusts in the support and guidance of the Holy Spirit;
 Actively creative, with others, in being a leader in daily life and enabling
others to have an experience of the YCW movement.
3 Some of them are called to be leaders at the service of the Movement. This service
is to help members to become aware of their dignity and to live out the true
meaning of their lives and so enable others to become leaders or militants.
4 To form young people as leaders the YCW engages them in a gradual ongoing
program of reflection and action. Through this process a young person becomes
more critically aware and more sensitive to the link between faith and life. The
YCW program helps a young leader to have a greater sense of responsibility and to
be more able to plan and take action. This leads to the transformation of both those
involved and reality itself.
5 The YCW is a school for life. Its programme of formation seeks to integrate the
human and spiritual aspects of a young person’s life. It takes into account and
brings together personal and psychological, social and political, ethical and
religious issues.
6 The YCW has the specific intention of guiding young people on a formative
journey on which they are brought out of isolation, helped to reflect more deeply
on life and faith, and prepared for responsible involvement in today’s world.

To Continue with part Two