Wilson Beare - our Impact Team Leader in Ireland - shares some thoughts about his exciting new role encouraging youth empowerment and participation...

Recently, while giving my office a bit of a clean up, I came across a letter that was sent by a leader from our very first local missions project, Lisa. Reading it again I was struck by repeated phrases “Thank you for taking a chance”, “Thank you for believing in me”, “Thank you for putting you faith in me as a young person”. Lisa finished off by saying “I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if it weren’t for Urban Saints believing in me”. It was so encouraging to read what it meant to Lisa to be trusted in this way, but the other side of the coin is that the project was richer, more dynamic, more relevant for having the voice and gifting of a young person embedded at its heart. 

I’m so excited about my new role in Urban Saints, championing youth empowerment, driving forward initiatives that intentionally seek to meaningfully engage children and young people, embedding their life experiences and voices across the breadth of the organisation. 

I'm excited to have the opportunity to work across all our ministries, to develop and strengthen ways to empower young people and to give space to allow their voice and experience to meaningful influence and shape us as a movement. I’m excited to begin to shape opportunities for further youth development, including work experience, gap year programmes, internships, and training accreditation.

If you have any experience of youth empowerment in your Groups, camps and ministries already I would love an opportunity to hear from you: Email Wilson

I'm excited about all God has for us as we serve together.

Wilson Beare
Mission Support / Impact Team Leader - Ireland

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