YCW Holds Leadership Training For Over 100 Young People

The YCW recently held a large leadership training session for over 100 young people at St Cecilia’s RC High School in Longridge, Lancashire.

Marc Besford, National President of the YCW in England and Wales, spoke to the young people about the focus of the YCW on building leadership amongst young people by developing their confidence and skills in their own lives. He explained how this was rooted in the SEE-JUDGE-ACT method and inspired by the message of the Gospel and Catholic Social Teaching.

The session began by exploring attitudes to leadership and challenging some of the assumptions about what makes a leader. For example, rather than thinking a leader is only someone in a high-profile and powerful position, Marc highlighted an alternative definition from YCW founder Joseph Cardijn:

“A young leader is a friend and companion to others, not someone giving orders; they are not a stranger but someone who shares the same difficulties. Young people must be leaders in their homes, with their parents, brothers and sisters, at their place of work, when they go to lunch and when they speak to anyone.”

This sparked lots of discussion amongst the young people and their answers helped to open up the idea that each one of them are called to be leaders.

This fed into the next section about how they can put this idea into action - can they do something to help someone else? Can they raise awareness of an issue? Can they be an advocate for change?

Finally, the session ended with an invitation to joining an IMPACT or YCW Group where they can continue to develop their own leadership skills and deepen their faith through the YCW Method.

Marc Besford said of the day: “It was an amazing opportunity to get to speak to so many young people and send out the message directly that they have the power to be the difference in their own lives and the wider world. I hope they all came away from it with a sense that the YCW is there to give them that chance and will always support them to be strong Christian leaders.”

Latest YCW Chaplains Training - Saturday 9th November

As part of our commitment to training new and existing Adult Companions and Chaplains, we are hosting an event on Saturday 9th November 11am-4pm at our Trafford Park HQ.

The day will have a range of activities on offer, including: updates on the latest campaigns, resources for groups and the leadership programme and sharing of best practice.

We are also pleased to announce that John Battle will be talking to us about the importance of being the difference in our communities. John is a fantastic speaker, who will undoubtedly inspire us all to go our from the day enthusiastic about out YCW missions.

Please email marc@ycwimpact.com if you can attend - even if it is only for part of the day.

All are welcome, especially those who are new to the YCW and are interested in learning more.

YCW Welcomes Another New Member Of The NEC

The YCW NEC has another new member to welcome. Chris Allison - who is part of the Billingham YCW Group - will be joining the NEC as Assistant to the National Secretary.

Chris, 22, has just finished his BA in Business Studies from Teesside University, where he wrote his dissertation about the abolition of zero-hour contracts. His experience in the world of work as a barman on a zero-hour contract whilst studying at University inspired his dissertation. He currently works as an Administrator at a Secondary School.

He is an active member of the parish community as an altar server and through the YCW has been involved in many different types of social outreach within the parish.

Chris has also completed the Papal Cross Award for the John Paul II Award, which runs in the Hexham & Newcastle Diocese.

Welcoming Chris to his new role, Marc Besford the National President said: “I’m very pleased to have Chris join us on the NEC. His combination of YCW experience and understanding of the challenges in the world of work will make him an excellent fit for us.”

St Monica's IMPACT Group Continue Environmental Action

Earlier this year we shared how the Impact group at St Monica's in Flixton had used the See-Judge-Act method to look at the issue of the environment and protecting our common home. This followed on from the Bishop of Salford, John Arnold, writing a letter to all parishes asking them to think about our world in light of Laudato Si.

Now the Group wanted to share what else they have been doing to deepen their experience on the issue:

The topic of plastic waste in the Ocean was introduced to our Impact group by one of our members.

He led an enquiry about the topic, mentioning all of the damage that is being caused to the Earth's lifeline and ways we could prevent it.  After much discussion, we came to the conclusion that this is a major world problem and need to be acted upon. The Pope has called us all, as stewards of creation, to sustain the planet, in his encyclical "Laudato Si".

In response to this call, we contact the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) to see what could be done, and how we could make a difference.  We found out that a clean up was taking place at Blundell Sands on Sunday 30th June and were invited to join them on their mission.  We spent the majority of the day clearing the beach of plastic waste and came away with a sense of pride and achievement, and a big black bag full of plastic.

Marc Besford, YCW’s National Training and Development Worker, congratulated the young leaders saying: “Once again this action goes to show the power of young people working through the YCW Method and taking responsibility to be the difference in our world. I am looking forward to hearing what else they have been working on.”

Here are some pictures from the day.

YCW Welcomes The Working Sisters Of The Holy House Of Nazareth To HQ

This past weekend members of the YCW National Team hosted Sr. Erika and Sr. Maria of the Working Sisters Of The Holy House Of Nazareth to the YCW HQ. We had a great conversation about our common missions in the world of work and shared about our respective histories in Britain and around the world.

The English Sector of the religious order is based in Peterborough and established there due to the sizeable Italian community there in years past. Since then, the "Working Sisters have broadened their reach to the wider community around the parishes in the local area. Globally, the Working Sisters also have a presence in Italy, Brazil and Burundi.

Part of their mission is to take on jobs - such as factory or warehouse work, social care and others - in order to “evangelise the working world” through sharing themselves with the straightforward and daily lives of the worker. Naturally this was a familiar outlook to our own movement.

We even shared a similar origin. The Working Sisters told us of Fr Arcangelo Tadini, a local parish priest who saw the plight of working women forced to leave their homes in order to find work in spinning mills out of town. Their description of returning like “squashed lemons” made us recall Cardijn’s realisation upon seeing his friends and former classmates coming home from the harsh factory conditions. In response, Fr Tadini built a mill for the local workers to come to, managed in such a way to ensure their dignity and began the Congregation of the Working Sisters.

Marc Besford, YCW National President said: “It was fantastic to invite the Sisters up to our HQ and hear so much about our common history and mission. I am looking forward to collaborating with them in the future and perhaps establishing a YCW presence in Peterborough.”

Trafford Park YCW Group Update

The latest meeting of the YCW Group based at the Trafford Park HQ met last month to work through a gospel enquiry.

Fr Mark Connolly, the Group Chaplain, proposed the enquiry be based on a passage from St Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 3:14-20:

A Prayer for the Ephesians

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

The group reflected on what it is to consider ourselves loved by God, even if we know it “surpasses knowledge” and what this means for our daily lives. The challenge to try and grasp this about ourselves is also at the heart of how we see our fellow workers, friends, family and neighbours too. If we are loved, so are they and if they are, we must treat them as such.

It was a helpful reminder to all of us that our God-given dignity is shared freely with us and with all. In response, we explored the need for mutual respect and humility in society - something that many felt was in short supply. The Group decided that their action was to do more to promote such values in their daily lives and will feedback at the next meeting as to how this went.

There was also the opportunity to update each other with any other aspects of work or life that the Group members wished to raise. This is a helpful way of growing in solidarity with each other and strengthening the bonds of friendship within the Group.