CAFOD Young Leaders’ mid-year report
Halfway through the year, Julia from CAFOD’s Youth Team looks back at the achievements of our Young Leaders so far.
CAFOD’s Young Leaders are sixth-form students from across the country who inspire other young people to support CAFOD and take action, from fundraising to raising awareness of the issues CAFOD campaigns on.
120 amazing sixth-form students from the Dioceses of Brentwood, Clifton, Hallam, Portsmouth, Southwark and Westminster are training as CAFOD young leaders. Alongside their A-Levels, they have committed to CAFOD training days and taking action on injustice in the UK and overseas.
SPAM – Speak at Mass!
This Lent, our Young Leaders have been learning presentation and communication skills. They’re getting ready to speak at school assemblies and at Mass to help fundraise for CAFOD’s work this Lent.
Raising awareness of our Lent appeal is really important as the UK government will match every pound donated to this year’s Lent Fast Day appeal up to the value of £5 million, from Wednesday 18 February to Friday 17 May. This means that donations from young people will have double the impact, helping even more people living in extreme poverty overseas.
“I now know how to develop and present a good speech.” – Scott
A changing climate
Our young people from St. Joseph’s in Reading have been providing a masterclass in young leadership.
This month they ran an assembly on the One Climate, One World campaign which inspired a year seven group to write an article for their school magazine. They’ve also been organising a Lent Fast Day fundraiser and a #Showthelove Valentine’s Disco which they have secured a local newspaper to write an article on. They’re keeping their school engaged on Instagram and Twitter too!
CAFOD young leaders have also been: setting up display boards in their schools; running a fundraising basketball tournament and organising a #fortheloveof heart signing activity. Some even recorded a voiceover for CAFOD’s climate change animation!
Join CAFOD’s climate change campaign
Light the Flame
Forty young volunteers will be representing CAFOD at the Flame2 event at SSE Area, Wembley. They’ll be engaging other young people with a CAFOD chatterbox challenge during the lunchtime activities and participating in the arena event.
“I have gained clarity on how to look at the world, and confidence in interacting with other people.” – Will
Sarah, CAFOD’s Youth Team Leader, says “CAFOD’s young leader training is about giving young people skills, and empowering them to take action on behalf of those living with poverty and injustice. We take our inspiration from young people taking the lead across the globe, sometimes in very challenging situations.”
“We’ve received great support from all the schools engaged with the training programme and are working in partnership with the Clifton Diocesan Youth Service.”
We’re absolutely inspired by our Young Leaders, with their passion for justice and all the action they are taking to make our world a fairer place.