Don Bosco (1815-1888) was a talented educator and
animateur. He was particularly
concerned with the needs of young people. His work initially
looked to encourage work with children and young people in the sorts of
settings familiar to youth workers. The main form he adopted was the youth
oratory - a mixture of what might be called a youth club and a youth parish.
Later he was to turn his attention to schooling, particularly trade
schools. His educational system is often described as the 'preventive
system'. It was an approach built on love and the character of the
educator. The concern, in Don Bosco's words, was for learners 'to obey not
from fear or compulsion, but from persuasion. In this system all force
must be excluded, and in its place charity must be the mainspring of
action'. He taught that educators should act like caring parents; always
be gentle and prudent; allow for the thoughtlessness of youth; be alert
for hidden motives; speak kindly; give timely advice; and 'correct often'.
Alongside love, Don Bosco stressed the importance of reason and religion.
His educational method was largely developed through reflection upon his
own experience and disseminated through letters, talks and example.
Don Bosco also founded the Salesian Society - now the third largest Catholic religious order in the world - in 1859. The Society was named after St. Francis de Sales who was known for his kindness and gentleness, a trait which Don Bosco wanted his Salesians to acquire. In Britain they have focused on the provision of Catholic secondary schools initially for 'the aspiring working class', homes and residential schools for children at risk, and more recently local community projects and retreats.
