Travel Teacher & Homefront Pioneer Advisory Service

Important aspects of the Five Year Plan

Travel teaching and homefront pioneering will remain important aspects of the Five Year Plan launched at Ridvan. Regular circulation of the friends on teaching circuits and special teaching trips stimulates activity and can strengthen both the traveller and the communities visited. Travel teaching is the forgotten Third Condition for success in our efforts (see article in the Feb Bahá'í Journal)

Two lists 

In preparation for the Plan, the Travel Teaching Service is setting up two files to bring together the needs of communities and the talents and capacities of the friends. We are working closely, and share information with the Four Bahá'í Councils in this project and information shared with one institution is shared with the other.

The first is a list of communities throughout the UK who need and would welcome travel teachers - either on a regular basis to help with teaching projects and deepening programmes, or for special events and projects.

The second is a list of Bahá'ís who are prepared to help meet those needs and to travel, either on a regular basis to other communities to help with their teaching and consolidation programmes, or to make make special visits to or tours of other communities to provide additional support. We already have a short list of such friends, we would like to see it greatly expanded.

Remember though, we have only a limited number of friends who have offered at this stage to Travel Teach. We may not, therefore, be able to help with every request for help in the short term. Please let us know.

What can 
Communities 
do? 

1. What regular firesides/deepenings/other activities do you have that a visiting travel teacher might help with?
2. Do you have special needs? (e.g. someone who can talk with Christians/Muslims/academics/schools/the socially disadvantaged, someone who is musical)
3. What help can you give visiting teachers, if needed?
4. Are there any special circumstances affecting the teaching work in your area about which visiting Bahá'ís should be aware?
5. Does the community have procedures in place to handle visitors at short notice if an opportunity should arise?
6. Are there any members of your community who are willing to travel teach? If so, are you able to offer them any support if they need it?

What can 
Individuals 
do? 

1. What are you willing (and unwilling) to do. (e.g. Can you speak at a fireside or conduct a deepening - and what subjects would you prefer to speak on, or would you prefer to visit isolated believers for a friendly chat? Would you be willing to help with public activities: public meetings, exhibitions, meeting local dignitaries ...?)

How else can you help?

2. How far you are able to travel, how frequently you can make trips, and what help you may need - assistance with travelling expenses and accommodation for instance.
3. Tell us too, without false modesty, something about yourself - your Bahá'í and other experience, what special talents and interests you have. This will help the communities you visit to plan, publicise and make best use of your time. Do you have special qualifications or achievements that might be of interest to the local media?

Let us know by: 

Email to Travel Teaching Service tts@bahai.org.uk or
fill in the questionnaire on the TTS web site www.bahai.org.uk/tts/.