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.”
