CAFOD helps train young leaders across East Anglia
Papal blessing honour for Suffolk ship visitor Julian
February 4, 2020
Ignite youth team set spiritual fires across East Anglia
February 7, 2020
Students from secondary schools across East Anglia met at Notre Dame High School in Norwich in January for the second of three CAFOD Young Leadership training days. Jane Crone reports.
Year 12 students from St Alban’s High School in Ipswich and St Benedict’s High School in Bury St Edmunds joined Notre Dame for a day of activities through which they explored their motivation for taking the challenge of putting their faith into action.
School chaplains and CAFOD staff and volunteers led a series of activities through which students were able to explore their faith and Catholic Social Teaching in a lively but prayerful and thoughtful way. The St George’s CAFOD group also joined for part of the day.
Alex Savage, host chaplain at Notre Dame said: “CAFOD Young Leaders gives our students hands-on opportunities to develop their leadership skills whilst gaining a deeper understanding of complex issues. Young people no longer have to wait until their chosen career for their voice to be heard. Their opinions are changing the world today.”
Working with their school chaplains the young leaders finished the day by making plans for football fundraisers in their schools for CAFOD’s Lent Fast Day on Friday March 6.
Afterwards, one student from St Alban’s reflected on his own experience of being a refugee: “No permanency, no freedom, no-one to help. Everyone for themselves. Anger, lost, depression, sometime a little happiness. This is what a refugee has to go through – so did I. The CAFOD Young Leaders programme allows me to use my God given talents to raise money so others don’t have to go through what I have seen and experienced.”
To find out more about the Young Leadership programme see cafod.org.uk/youngleaders.
