RIJ IT: a network we are weaving

Throughout the months from February to April 2026, the Teresian Association International Youth Network (RIJIT) continued moving forward in Asia, Africa, the Americas and Europe. They are forging relationships and connections, becoming established and sparking hope, even though the final picture is still taking form.

Emi Paniagua and Magda Alcalá, coordinators of the Teresian Association International Youth Network (RIJIT), point out that during this period the continental meetings have enabled them to recognise several different paths. It is not yet a consolidated network; it is a living process that is taking shape through the real experiences of those who accompany young people in different places within the Teresian Association.

Four Continents

In Asia, the group emphasises the need to strengthen a sense of belonging, starting with simple, realistic local initiatives tailored to contexts that are very different from one another.

In Africa, there has been a strong call for a more structured learning process for mentors and young people, alongside the challenge of building on what already exists rather than relying solely on external resources.

In the Americas, the RIJ has been going through a period of discernment on how to maintain continental ties and how to move from one-off meetings to more stable forms of participation.

In Europe, the aim is for the group’s process to help highlight experiences open to young people from different places, although it has also highlighted the difficulty of moving from shared reflection to concrete, jointly responsible decisions.

Starting small

What we have experienced in recent months confirms an important insight: the RIJ does not come to life simply by organising international meetings or coordinating a series of scattered activities. It takes shape when people recognise one another, listen to each other’s stories, identify common needs and dare to take feasible steps, however small. The network begins to exist wherever someone decides not to walk alone.

At the same time, this period has laid bare some real difficulties: it is hard to sustain participation, define responsibilities, prioritise amongst many ideas, and move from the desire for a network to effective coordination in practice. In some places there is fatigue, a lack of focus or silence; in others, there are expectations that the steering group should propose ready-made solutions.

All this is part of the learning process: networking demands a different way of getting involved – with more shared responsibility, more patience and less reliance on rigid structures.

A real possibility

international initiative, but a shared question that is maturing across four continents: what future does the Teresian Association wish to build with young people and those who accompany them?

The Teresian Association International Youth Network is still under construction. It is progressing at a varying pace, with open-ended explorations and questions that should not be settled too hastily. Yet it is also moving forward with an increasingly clear conviction: wherever there are young people, mentors and communities willing to listen to one another, connect and act together, there is a real possibility for the future of the Teresian Association mission.

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Magda Alcalá and Emi Paniagua.
Images generated using AI.