Developing the leadership skills of ‘older’ young people is an integral part of each Camp we run. Many of tomorrow’s Leaders will be enjoying Camps as young people today, and we want to do all we can to develop their skills and giftings as we encourage them to grow into Leaders themselves.
Claire Bradshaw (far right of photo) knows first-hand the benefits of coming alongside young people as they learn to serve. She shares her story:
“This year was my 21st year doing Urban Saints Camps at Westbrook in the summer and, after missing last year, this year was extra special. We ran two Camps - Westbrook Mini A and B for three days each, and this year I took on a new role as Service Crew Manager. I have this vision of young people coming through our Camps, into Service Crew and then on to serving as Leaders. My own daughter has done that and so have several young people in my dorms over the years and that progression makes me so excited - seeing these young people grow.
“My role was to model how to serve well, to start to train Service Crew in what being a Christian leader means (in the widest sense), and help them feel part of the team, especially as several had never been to a Westbrook Camp before.
“Our Service Crew are those in school years 12 and 13, too old for Camp, not quite old enough to be Leaders, and last summer we had a special ‘Zoom’ session for years 10 and 11 during our online Camp. This really built interest and excitement and we were able to follow it up with further Zoom sessions and a WhatsApp group during the year to build team before we even arrived.
“Service Crew role on Camp included dining room duties and helping with activities, and my role included mucking in alongside them. It was extra hard work this year, with the extra cleaning required for Covid-19, but they rose to the challenge amazingly and I was truly honoured to work with such a fab group of young people. They worked so hard, and I had to force them to take time off and a break from time to time to rest.
“We also had daily quiet times together, which I focussed around communication, sharing our testimonies, serving and working as a team, to start to train them towards being young leaders in the future. I wanted ideas and skills that would be useful in their everyday life, but linking to what serving at Westbrook looked like, using examples from our amazing wider Westbrook team.
“The Service Crew made my role a pleasure and a joy, and I can’t wait for next year!”
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Urban Saints Camps 2022 are now open for bookings! Find out more about all the Camps taking place this year and get involved - whether as a Camper or one of our amazing volunteer leaders:
Urban Saints Camps online brochure