From 2004 the CYO team were joined by a 4 piece girl band, ‘Collective’ who worked with schools running lessons in RE, music and dance and with churches performing in high energy concerts and joining in with regular youth work.
In 2008 we ran our first Sanctum prayer space for a week in school. Such was the impact and interest that this project has gone on to be run over 40 times in eight schools and two FE colleges and the model has been adopted nationally and now internationally. A couple of years later the first Beloved course was run in a school, helping a group of 8 girls to address issues of image and identity; as one later said, ‘that course changed my life’. Beloved has gone on to be run in many schools in the area and has inspired similar courses elsewhere.
After Sanctum at Colchester Sixth Form College in 2009 we recognised the need for an accessible style of chaplaincy to meet the pastoral and spiritual needs of students and our first chaplain was welcomed there that autumn. Since then we have provided or supported chaplains in eight schools and colleges across the area and are in discussion with other schools that recognise the value of having a chaplain as part of the life of the school.In the last few years CYO has involved more volunteers who help with Sanctum, with Beloved and with mentoring young people in schools and who encourage and resource those working in primary schools as staff or visitors.
CYO is a community of people, inspired by their Christian faith and committed to enabling the best outcomes for young people in schools. Our vision is to enable the resources of the church to be available to all schools in ways that are appropriate, inclusive and safe and which help young people to grow in their life skills, with a sense of hope for their future and to explore faith in an open and creative way.