Our SVP is managed by a team of active students along with our Headteacher, Vice-Chair of the Governors and is attended by several staff members too. Meetings take place every Tuesday lunchtime from 1pm in our School Chapel, located on the 2nd Floor of the Tower Building.
The St Vincent de Paul Society (or as it is often known – the SVP) is an international Christian voluntary organisation dedicated to tackling poverty and disadvantage by providing practical assistance to those in need – irrespective of ideology, faith, ethnicity, age or gender.
The SVP encourages Christians to put their faith into action. SVP members offer one-to-one help and support to people in need in their local community. Today there are about 600,000 SVP volunteers in 144 countries throughout the world, and about 10,000 volunteers in England and Wales.
Youth SVP is a branch of the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. The youth programme was set up in 1999, and since then has assisted over 10,000 young people to take a role in addressing local needs. Our young members identify people that are in need in their local community, and then take an active role in helping them. Whilst some groups engage in fundraising activities, the main emphasis of their SVP volunteering is action.
This work is crucial, as it not only helps address local needs, but also builds the capacity of our young members. As a result of our volunteering we grow in confidence and start to take a more active role in society.
Presently there are over 120 Youth SVP groups in schools and parishes all over England and Wales. At St Joseph’s, we are just one of these many groups.
The groups do a wide variety of good work. The type of volunteering we do can be broadly grouped into four catagories:
Helping the Elderly
Working with the Homeless
Supporting local Children
Assisting the Disabled
