Youth SVP is a voluntary Christian organisation. When you join a Youth SVP group, you volunteer to offer one-to-one help and support to people in need in the local community. It was founded in 1833 in Paris by a 19 year old student called Frederic Ozanam and his university friends.
The SVP youth group was set up in St Patrick’s in 2006. The aim of the group was to use their Christian values and principles to actively serve people in their community.
Our first placement was in The Withies nursing home, pupils visited once a week. When there they played games with the residents, they sang to them or they just listened to their stories and helped them when they could.
The group currently have a placement at St. Gilberts, one of our feeder primary schools. They visit every other Tuesday and work with Year 2 pupils, they teach them games that will help them with their numeracy skills, like snakes and ladders.
The group are also responsible for the Christmas charity collection for Cornerstone that we do each year.
As a Catholic school we felt that our pupils had a lot that they could offer the community, we were proved right and the group has gone from strength to strength.
Pupils also find that this active service is a real bonus on CV’s and college applications. It is seen as a valid part of the service section for the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
The group is always chosen at the end of Year 9 and will start their work in September, the placement will run throughout Year 10. There is a Year 10 assembly at the start of every year by the Year 11's to attract new members.
If you are interested in joining the group and think that you are up to the challenge contact the RE department to find out more.
Camp Vincent is the chance for hundreds of Youth SVP members from all over England and Wales to get away together for 4 days in July and meet lots of new people. You stay in comfortable indoor accommodation at Ampleforth in North Yorkshire.
There is a packed programme of activities, events and social time led by trained young leaders – many of whom joined Youth SVP themselves when at school.