Youth Follow-up
Tertiary Track Report

The declaration by the South Africa Leadership Assembly (Sacla) Tertiary Track Youth Follow-up held at the Youth for Christ Training Centre in Magaliesburg, Gauteng, in July 2004 there by declares the following:

We, the delegates from different student’s ministries across South Africa acknowledge the issues that the assembly has discussed as they relate to the giants (HIV-aids, Racism, Unemployment, Gender, Poverty, Violence and Crime,) which are faced by the broader South African youth.
We believe that each tertiary ministry has an import role to play as a catalyst on institutions of higher learning to impact these giants.
We therefore firstly resolve that in Redefining mission in the Tertiary context against the backdrop of the giants as highlighted by Dr. Andiswa Flatela the following issues are important:

We further resolve, based on the important input of Sam Njela, that the key principles to affect change in the tertiary ministries are:

1. Spiritual dynamics: We show know the spiritual dynamics on the campus.

2. Personal dimension: We need to have a personal life of moral purity.

3. Social dynamics: We should be willing to be uncool to be with in the will of God.

4. Values: We should not be scared to advocate Biblical values.

5. Approach of people to Aids: HIV-Aids is not God’s judgment but when we sow in the flesh we shall reap in the flesh.

6. Relationship: Our relationship should be revolutionary.

We further resolve, based on the important input of Past. Pelham Lessing, that the Tools for Transformation and Moral renewal include the following:

Tool 1: There Needs To Be A Vision For Transformation and Moral Renewal. (Prov. 29:18)
· Look Upward – Hear from Him what’s on the Agenda.
· Look Outward – Circumstances society finds itself in.
· Look Inward – Develop, Equip and Empower ourselves for the task at hand.
· Look Forward – Prepare, plan the way ahead.

Tool 2: There Needs To Be Deliberation for Transformation and Moral Renewal
· We have to be in conversation with different fields.
· We have to draw different fields together. (It serves as a bridge builder to various fields.)

Tool 3: There Needs To Be Action for Transformation and Moral Renewal.
· Define the Problem
· Analysis of the Situation
· Behavioural Options
· Making a Decision
· Go out and implement the Decision.

We further resolve, based on the important input of Prof Frans Bezuidenhout, that the we need to Create a New Professional and Academic Generation with integrity: Beyond the baggage of division. We as student ministries need to:

· Act with integrity
· Be honest
· Be open and transparent in your actions
· Know and act within your limitations
· Be objective at all time
· Never discriminate against others
· Set a good example
· Have the courage to make a stand
· Be accountable for all your actions

The marketing of Christian Ministries and their activities should be done in a more creative way and we should make more use of media like campus radio, TV and other multi-media tools.

All tertiary ministries are challenged to Network with other Christian ministries on their campus and with other campuses and try not to reinvent the wheel.
The key steps in networking are the following:
1. Knowledge: Get to know and understand other ministries
2. Respect: Respect all other role players
3. Trust: Build trust between different organizations
4. Intimacy: Moving in and out of one another territory
5. Partnership: Working closely together and doing joint projects

There was general consensus that we need to take responsibility for transformation on our campuses. We need to find ways and means to impart the skills we have to the structures on our institutions.

In the debate surrounding the curbing of the HIV-Aids virus, many different views were reflected, namely:
1. Direct distribution of condoms via Christian counselling centres manned by Christian ministries;
2. Advocating of abstinence as the only stance taken by Christian ministries.
There is a need for more debate around this issue and each ministry need to develop their own stance on this issue.
Ministries should further engage in further discussion on the issue of affirmative action. Other issues that were not dealt with were:
· Unemployment (Economic Policy including Government policies on Job creation strategies,
· Gender (Role of men & women),
· Reconciliation (Power and justice issues)
· Africanism and Spirituality
· Affect of globalization on the transformation of tertiary ministries

We therefore put forth before Sacla Tertiary track these issues that were discussed and we believe that this is a true reflection of the inputs and debates that were made by speakers, facilitators and delegates. We therefore make a declaration of intent of the above mentioned issues that we have discussed and we further entrust tertiary ministries will find space in their programmes to implement these suggestions under the guidance and support of the Sacla follow-up committee.

written by Mr David Nefdt, SACLA National Tertiary Track Co-ordinator