The Preventive System established by St. John Bosco focused on treating all young people with respect through gentleness, patience and reasonable guidance. Religion and faith development are essential for maturity. Young people are accompanied by Salesian youth ministers who treat them with loving-kindness, as Bosco was instructed to do in a dream at age nine, knowing that this dynamic expression of love is most effective for those who are poor and neglected.

1. Religion Loving-kindness Reason Salesian Youth Ministry The Preventive System Salesian Youth Ministry The Preventive System

2. The Preventive System Reason Don Bosco understood that every person regardless of age or status deserves to be treated with respect. He believed that by treating young people with respect they would learn to be respectful themselves. Instruction, guidance and direction should reasonable. In this system the young person will learn to be self possessed and responsible.

3. The Preventive System Religion is absolutely essential to Don Bosco’s system of education and ministry. Religion and faith development bring the young person and the minister to a deep expression of the person of Jesus. Without this no effective maturity can be reached. Don Bosco taught his coworkers and the young people that they must be united to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to Mary, the mother of God. Religion

4. The Preventive System At the age of nine Don Bosco had a dream in which he was told by a guide that he was to treat the children around him with loving-kindness. In the Salesian system the young people are accompanied by the Salesian youth minister with this dynamic expression of love we call loving-kindness. Don Bosco knew that youth respond to gentleness and patience, especially those who are poor and neglected. Loving-kindness