28 July, 2017

By Anne Stewart, SHCJ

Step into the Gap, CAFOD’s gap year programme, is an opportunity to volunteer in the UK, gain experience, and develop leadership skills. The 8 Step Into the Gap volunteers had their final evaluation at the Cherwell Centre in Oxford July 8-9. It was a very good weekend and as always the community made everyone very welcome.

This year’s volunteers are now moving on:

Hannah who has been in Blackpool is now going to Sheffield Hallam University to study Fashion and Design.

Sophie, a former St Mary’s student from Blackpool, is going on to Lancaster University to do Social Work/Sophie was at the Just Youth Project in Salford.

Lizzie again a former pupil from St Mary’s in Blackpool is going to come back to Blackpool and join a Ministry Experience programme run by the Anglican Dioceses of Blackburn. Lizzie who is an Anglican, will be living on a big housing estate and working in an Anglican parish. Lizzie went to the University of Chester and has a degree in Geography and International Development. She has spent the last year in Salford at the Just Youth Project.

Charlotte is going back to Durham University to do a Masters Degree in Theology.

Rod is also going back to university to do further studies. He has a degree in Theology from Nottingham University and is now going to Dublin to do a Maters in Philosophy at Trinity College.

Sophie is going to do a PGCE in Worcester.

James who has been in Blackpool is moving down to Somerset and is looking for a job/he has a degree in Geography/Development and wants to work in the charity sector.

Bridgid who has been with the Youth Ministry Team in Hexham and Newcastle Dioceses has been offered a job working for a project which combines faith and sport. It is an Anglican initiative based in the Cotswolds and Bridgid will be working with young people though sport.

The new volunteers for 2017-18 had their initial induction in London last week and there will be more information about them in September. We have two new placements this year at Leeds Trinity Chaplaincy and at the Youth Ministry Centre at Kintbury. The international placements for this coming year have not been finally confirmed yet but could be in Sierra Leone and El Salvador.

We are so grateful to the Society’s European Province for their continued support. Please continue to pray for the project and especially for those moving on this summer.