Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College go siLENT!

Blessed Thomas Holford Catholic College have gone siLENT this year to experience what effect silence can have on their lives, and raise money to make a difference to young across the UK.

Each day there are lots of activities like Sacred Silence in the Chaplaincy in the morning and phoneless Fridays for 6th formers, but every day form groups have all spent 5 minutes in silence. Below are quotes from students, followed by those from teachers about their experiences of silence in form time.

Students

“The silence has made me feel relaxed and at peace and I found it easy to do. It has made me be able to think about the good things/ people I have in my life and to cherish them and not take them for granted. I also have been able to focus on what type of person I want to be and to be able to have a happy start to each school day.”

“Taking 5 minutes of silence this week has been difficult. I have thought about things. It made me realise how I need to respect silence more and it has made me more relaxed.”

“I think it has got easier to be silent each day. It created a calm and peaceful environment.”

“These 5 minutes of silence have helped me. It has been difficult but it got easier as it went on. It helped me to think how lucky I am to have 2 working parents and a roof over my head.”

“It was easy and it gave me time to think.”

Staff

“5 minutes of silence for my form has been a challenge initially as they really do feel it is their RIGHT to have a bit of a catch up and natter once all form business is done. By Thursday however once we has established some “ground rules” there was a noticeable calm in the classroom. Even latecomers were respectful to the initative. All agreed it gave them more of a focus. Very much appreciated getting used to silence.”

“I have found the 5 minutes of silence extremely effective in from. I find that not enough young people today take the time to be silent and listen to what is happening around them, they are always in a rush, texting, tweeting, etc. These five minutes have offered them the opportunity to be reflective and to take the time to gather their thoughts. Definitely something I will consider to continue with my form.”

“Some moaned, but they were fantastic. I loved it- a very quiet start to the day. I was sceptical at first about whether they’d so it, but they were brilliant.”

You can find out all about siLENT and get involved through our siLENT page!

Courtyard: Youth workers required for innovative new project

Million Minutes is embarking on an exciting journey to find new ways to inspire and equip local parishes to unleash their huge potential to serve the young people in their neighbourhoods.

Over the next two years Courtyard will be piloted in three parishes. It is a youth project designed to develop a fresh approach to equipping parishes to engage and support young people at risk of exclusion in their local communities.

To support this, Million Minutes are seeking three part time youth workers, with a passion for young people and an understanding the Catholic Church. The youth workers will work in the local parishes to inspire and train volunteers to create and maintain relationships with young people who are often ‘hard to reach’, including those not in education or employment. Supported by these parishioners, the young people themselves will discover together how to shape their future, using their own experiences and talents.

Million Minutes is working with a broad collaboration of partners, including Caritas Westminster and Southwark Catholic Youth Services, to launch the project. Courtyard will bring together the insights of experienced Catholic youth workers and draws on the extraordinary creativity of Frank Cottrell Boyce, the work and vision of Fr Christopher Jamison OSB, and Baroness Sheila Hollins’ knowledge of young people in crisis.

Speaking about the project, founder of Million Minutes, Danny Curtin said: “The witness and call of Pope Francis is helping to create a climate of expectation in our parishes that the local Church will reach out to those in need. Courtyard wants to help them to accompany some of the most vulnerable people in our communities, those young people at risk of falling through the gaps and losing a sense direction, purpose and hope.  The Church can help these young people and, through Courtyard, we want to help resource this”.

siLENT: stay silent, raise money, change lives

Lent is just a few weeks away. But instead of cutting out sugar this year, why not use Lent to find some silence? Challenge yourself or your community to cut out the noise in life: go without Facebook or stay silent with us. Sign up now to help young people transform their lives. Sinead, a student from Manchester is taking up the challenge. Watch her video here. Getting sponsored this Lent will help us to transform young lives all over the country. So get sponsored to give up Facebook or stay silent this Lent and help us to do something amazing for young people. You can sign up right now. There are loads of resources for parishes, primary schools and secondary schools on our resources pages. Whatever you decide to do will make a huge difference to young people’s lives. siLENT starts on Ash Wednesday: 5 March. Take part for all, or some of Lent.