A joint initiative from the St Vincent de Paul Society (England and Wales) and CAFOD, saw a group of 16 participants come together for a full-packed week of work experience and new adventures.
Running from 7th to 13th July, the young adults were welcomed to Romero House based in Waterloo, which is the head office for both CAFOD and the SVP. Using this as their base for the week, the group were able to take a first-hand delve into the work both charities do.
The busy but rewarding week gave attendees the opportunity to look at all aspects of the respective charities and help them understand the day-to-day functions of how they are run. From Fundraising and Communications to Social Policy, the delegates were given a front-row seat on how the charities operate, giving them an opportunity to see if a job in the charitable sector would be for them.
As this was a residential trip, with the cohort staying in the heart of London, they were also treated to a number of leisure activities from a Political Justice Tour of London, a sight-seeing tour and a visit to St George’s Cathedral with a Commissioning service by Fr Dermott.
The week was a great networking opportunity for everyone, offering them the chance to build connections alongside the chance to visit the Capital and gain insightful experience whilst still at university. Aged from 20 to 25-years-old, the group came from a range of different universities including Cambridge, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Plymouth and Cardiff.
Due to the incredible feedback and success of this year’s work experience, it is hoped that the initiative can be run again in 2025, giving more young people the opportunity to gain experience in the charity sector.
The SVP is committed to inspiring young people to help turn concern into action and hold the values of the Society of helping those who need it most. More details about the charity's work with young people can be found by visiting: https://svp.org.uk/involve-young-people