Section Navigation: Section Home BCYS - it's all in the name Safe working with young people The Team Our Vision for 2006/7

Mission, Vision and Strategy

This is what drives us! Our aspirations 2006 - 2008.

Put Out Into The Deep - the Diocesan Vision

An essential part of our vision is to encourage the gifts and qualities of young people... and to offer welcoming, spirit-filled communities which are attractive to the young. For many years our own Brentwood Catholic Youth Service has worked unceasingly to create the spirit which inspires a Church where young people can experience a real and living faith in Jesus Christ... a Church which recognises the unique passion of youth.

The Mission of the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service

The Brentwood Catholic Youth Service (BCYS) exists to strengthen and inspire young people in their journey of life and faith. We give young people the chance to gain fresh insights and develop their personal values in the context of a loving relationship with Jesus in daily life.

The Vision of the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service

Brentwood Catholic Youth Service will achieve our mission by:

• Warmly welcoming every young person, irrespective of their background or belief, and giving every young person a sense that they are gifted, loved and valuable
  
  
• Inspiring young people so that they are passionate about the part faith plays in their life, helping young people to pray, and training young people in the skills they need to pass on their faith to others
  
  
• Ensuring young people are involved and included in the delivery and evaluation of everything offered by the BCYS
  
  
• Inspiring adults to minister to young people and training them in the skills they need to do this
  
  
• Encouraging young people to take an active role in leadership in the BCYS, parishes and schools, and providing the practical and spiritual support for them to fulfil this role in a way which inspires those that they lead
  
  
• Supporting and developing Walsingham House as a retreat house for young people where ministry by young people and faith in Jesus Christ is at the heart of each retreat
  
  
• Developing a sense of vocation within young people, heightening their social awareness and encouraging them to think about who they are called to be by Jesus Christ
  
  
• Providing exciting and meaningful events and pilgrimages that can be reached by young people from all areas of the Diocese
  
  
• Regularly listening to those working with young people in schools and parishes, in particular school chaplains, to ensure that the opportunities offered by the BCYS meet their needs, and that what we offer is distinctive from and complementary to what is already offered by schools and parishes
  
  
• Using up-to-date technology to maintain contact with young people, parishes and schools, particularly through a well managed website and database
  
  
• Collaborating with relevant national and local agencies to provide further resources and opportunities for young people and those working with them
  
  
• Ensuring that the BCYS conforms to the highest standards in respect of Child Protection and Health and Safety as an example of national best practice
  
  

Vision to action - the Strategy of the Brentwood Catholic Youth Service

This strategy builds on the events, pilgrimage, retreat and training programmes in place in Spring 2006, which are taken as given, and which are to continue.

Short Term - 2006/7

1. Manage the relationship with our website provider so that we maintain the high standard of the website, complete the work on the database and the website community so that these are fully functioning
2. Continue to develop resources for parishes
3. Enlist voluntary help from adults, beginning with the recruitment of a part time, voluntary fundraiser
4. Implement adequate financial management and budgeting for the BCYS and WH
5. Research and pilot a mentoring programme for young leaders
6. Review and develop the monthly Youth Mass in Brentwood
7. Set dates for regular mailings (hard copy and electronic) to young people, schools and parishes, and begin to send publicity, application forms, etc., within these mailings
8. Define the role of one or two volunteers to help the Director of Training & Resources
9. Provide retreat opportunities and structured spiritual input for leaders
10. In conjunction with the Bishop, Finance Director and Vicar General, to resolve the funding and location issues for WH
11. Evaluate the relationship with national Catholic Youth Service

Longer term goals (2007 and beyond)

1. Establish a BCYS Management Committee for increased accountability and support
2. One or two confirmed volunteers supporting the Director of Training & Resources
3. Establish a mentoring programme for young leaders and investigate a model of support through discipleship
4. Have a network of adult friends and supporters
5. Have a named lay parish contact in 70% of parishes, with a system to keep contact list updated
6. Have evaluated local needs and developed a strategic approach to trying to meet them
7. Allocate appropriate time, money & people resources to enable BCYS participation in WYD 2008 to be successful
8. Have collated a "Directory of Resources" - a bank of contacts and ideas for parishes, perhaps in the form of a pack

To view our vision from last year goto: BCYS Vision 2005 »