Volunteering with Milllion Minutes - Katerina's Story

Volunteering with Million Minutes has been an incredibly inspiring journey and I feel truly privileged to have experienced it. From the very first day, I was welcomed into a passionate and dedicated team, where I felt safe and valued despite stepping into an environment I knew little about, especially as am not a Catholic. The warmth, kindness, and support I received made it easy for me to grow both personally and professionally.

Joining Million Minutes came at a perfect time for me. After raising my family and completing my studies, I was eager to gain new skills and “fill the gap” in my CV. I was offered the opportunity – along with the freedom to explore creative ideas without fear of failure. Rather than feeling pressure to get everything right, I was empowered to experiment, innovate, and learn from experience. This trust allowed me to develop confidence, resilience, and a deeper understanding of effective communication.

I found myself immersed in a completely new world – one that combined the Catholic community's values with powerful social action. To understand this environment, I engaged deeply with the charity's mission, learning about its work, partnering organisations, and its various audiences. I delved into critical social issues such as racial justice, child poverty; I summarised important reports such as ‘The Cross of the Moment’ from the Boundary Breaking Project, and the final report of the Synod on Synodality, so we could accurately align our communication efforts with the charity's mission. Although the content was complex, each insight gained brought me closer to understanding the meaningful impact we could create and that by listening to diverse experiences and learning from them we could nurture healthier, more inclusive communities.

One of the most enriching aspects of my journey has been meeting inspiring women who are committed to driving positive change in society by creating safe spaces for young people, ensuring their voices are heard, valued and included. Working with Million Minutes has also reminded me that we all have unique gifts to share and important roles to play. Each step we take - no matter how small - can create ripples of meaningful change. By fostering trust, support, and respect, we can build stronger communities for the common good.

A particularly memorable experience was the work on our SiLent campaign, which invited people to spend time in silence, reflecting on the community's needs and how they could help addressing those needs. This year, we introduced an additional element- "Act Loud" - an inspiring call to turn those reflections into purposeful action. Inspired by this powerful message, I reached out to my local Catholic school and offered to help organise a litter-picking campaign in the area around the school. The event is scheduled for May, after Lent, once the school confirms the date with a partnering organisation. This act felt like a meaningful way to support the school community but also to set an example for my child, demonstrating the power of collective effort and the importance of caring for our environment.

Looking ahead, I intend to continue my involvement with the school community to ensure this positive change endures, keeping the area clean and safe for children.

If you're looking for an opportunity to make a difference, I encourage you to volunteer with Million Minutes. Whether you're seeking new experiences, hoping to give back to your community, or simply want to connect with inspiring people, you'll find a warm and welcoming environment where your contributions are valued. By stepping forward, you can play a vital role in creating lasting change - one small act at a time.

---

If you want to get involved with volunteering at Million Minutes, contact us here.

Welcome to Kate - Our Incoming CEO

Kate joins us as CEO with over a decade of experience in Catholic education and Catholic youth ministry; she has worked to inspire action, nurture spirituality and create opportunities for meaningful change. Kate is a former National President of the Young Christian Workers, has been involved in work nationally linked with the Universal Synod on Synodality as well as the Archdiocese of Liverpool’s 2020 synod and has worked as a school and college chaplain. She holds a BA in Theology from Heythrop College, University of London, and is currently completing an MA in Catholic Theology at the Centre for Catholic Studies, Durham University. Kate is also the current Provincial Coordinator for the Salesian Cooperators in Great Britain. 

Originally from Manchester, Kate now lives in Blackburn and is excited to bring her passion for empowering young people and promoting Catholic Social Teaching to Million Minutes. 

Welcome to Katerina - Our Communications Volunteer

We sat down with Katerina, our communications volunteer, to talk about what inspires her and her favourite Christmas traditions.

Q. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Thirteen years ago, I came to this country driven by curiosity and a desire to explore. Now, I’m a proud mum to a young daughter who attends a Catholic school, where she’s learning the values of compassion, community, and dignity—values that resonate deeply with me. 

After spending six years raising my family and pursuing further education, I felt it was time to focus on my own personal and professional growth. That’s why I took the chance to volunteer with Million Minutes, and it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience. 

Q. Why did you decide to volunteer with Million Minutes?

I decided to volunteer with Million Minutes, because I wanted to be part of something meaningful. I believe we are raising a generation of smart, alert, and inquisitive children who have a voice and a vision for the world they live in. These young people are deeply aware of the importance of fellowship, justice and mutual respect, and we must ensure that their voices are heard. By providing them with the necessary resources and support, we empower them to make positive, lasting changes in the world. While I am not a Catholic myself, I’ve seen the positive impact faith and community support can have on young people which is why I was driven to get involved with its mission and help engage more parents and families in supporting the cause.

Q. What have you enjoyed about volunteering with Million Minutes

What I’ve enjoyed most about volunteering with Million Minutes is the variety of exciting and meaningful projects. Whether it’s writing a press release for the launch of Adventurous Accompaniment, summarizing impactful reports like the Synod on Synodality document or the Boundary Breaking project, or drafting content for social media and newsletters, each task has felt purposeful. 

One of my favourite moments has been our team brainstorming meetings. There’s something so energizing about working together to find solutions or spark new ideas. Everyone contributes, building on each other’s thoughts—it feels like solving a puzzle as a team (and I love puzzles). Those moments of collaboration remind me of the power of shared creativity and how much we can achieve when we work together. 

Q. What’s the most frequently used app on your phone?

Hmmm, apart from Yahoo mailbox and What’s App, I think it’s Ebay as I am always buying something for my daughter.

Q. If you could meet anyone (famous or not) from the past/present, who would it be and why?

If I could meet anyone, it would be Mother Teresa. She is an incredible inspiration for compassion and humanity, embodying selflessness and a deep commitment to serving others. Her dedication to helping the most vulnerable in society is a powerful reminder of what it means to live a life of purpose and love. I would love to hear about her experiences firsthand and learn from her wisdom about finding strength in faith and kindness in even the smallest acts.

Q. With the festive season being upon us, do you have any traditions that you look forward to at this time of year?

I absolutely do. My mum is visiting us from Bulgaria for Christmas, and I am really looking forward to spending some quality time with her. My favourite moment of the festive season is Christmas Eve when the whole family gathers to share a traditional vegan meal. It’s a special tradition where we prepare a specific number of dishes- 7 for the days of the week, 9 for the months of pregnancy or 12 for the months in the year. We also bake a special soda bread with a coin hidden inside. Whoever finds the coin is believed to be blessed with health and prosperity for the coming year. It’s such a meaningful tradition filled with love and gratitude, and I cherish these moments of togetherness. 

Q. What would you say to anyone who might be thinking about volunteering?

This experience has been both inspiring and transformative, showing me, how you can contribute to something bigger, while growing personally and professionally. It’s a sharing of knowledge, skills and perspectives that creates a feeling of unity and mutual support. I’ve also seen how effective communication can inspire action and make a real impact.

If you’re interested in volunteering with Million Minutes, get in touch by completing the ‘Contact Us’ form on our website and be part of something meaningful! Let’s build a community that strives to put the voices of young people at the heart of positive change. 

Press Release: Million Minutes launches Adventurous Accompaniment

Million Minutes are excited to announce the launch of Adventurous Accompaniment, an opportunity to explore the art of accompaniment through research-based, high-quality resources and bespoke facilitation. Work with us to explore how this may deepen understanding of Catholic communities and enhance pastoral areas of work. 

We need only to accompany and encourage them, trusting a little more in the Holy Spirit.

Pope Francis, Christus Vivit (2019)

In 2019, Pope Francis released the post-synodal exhortation Christus Vivit, where he emphasised the call for the Church to walk at people’s side - “a church which accompanies” (World Youth Day, 2013). Then, following personal experiences of the need for accompaniment during lockdown, Million Minutes and friends (Aseel Gilbert, Amy Cameron, David Wells, Danny Curtin, Phil Callaghan and Abbot Christopher Jamison OSB), together with the generous support of Jesuits in Britain and The English Benedictine Congregation, came together and commissioned research to better understand how accompaniment was practiced within Catholic spaces. 

This research highlighted a need for a renewed vision of accompaniment, one which allowed each person (the accompanier and the accompanied) to be led by the Holy Spirit on an “adventure” – walking along, side by side. 

Over the last few years, we have worked with parishes, dioceses and organisations to pilot and develop a set of resources and facilitated workshops to understand and explore the uses of Adventurous Accompaniment. 

Synodality seems to sit really well with Adventurous Accompaniment...[it] also involves a change in mindset...to one which involves us all being open to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. 

Adventurous Accompaniment, Pilot Feedback

We are excited to work with Catholic communities across the country, to explore how Adventurous Accompaniment can lead to community-building, participation and mission in your diocese, school, parish or organisation. If you want to find out more, please visit www.accompanier.co.uk. 

The synodal process has renewed the awareness that listening is an essential component of every aspect of the Church’s life: administering sacraments, in particular that of Reconciliation, catechesis, formation and pastoral accompaniment.

XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Final Document (2024) 

Young Caritas Europa Forum 2024

Million Minutes and CSAN staff recently participated in the Young Caritas Europa Forum, hosted by Caritas Europa in Athens.  This was a weekend gathering of young adults from organisations across the Caritas Europa network to share experiences, learn more about the work of Caritas in Europe, and to discuss how to encourage young people to be involved in volunteering throughout the Caritas Network.

Photo courtesy of Rebecca Rathbone, Caritas Youth

Bernie Goddard reflects: “We spent a morning learning about the work which Caritas Hellas does throughout Greece, and in particular the work that the Adama Project does with refugees and migrants. This includes supporting people through the asylum process, especially in looking for work. We then had an opportunity to learn about ways that young adults are working with refugees and migrants in countries such as Italy, Slovenia and Lithuania.  

Many of these volunteers are involved in creating activities for children and families and delivering educational resources in schools, informing young people about the journeys refugees take and the difficulties they often face. 

Our second day started by looking at what motivates us and how we can build charity in our communities. This involved a group activity that addressed how we can engage young people and young adults to actively participate within our organisations. This was a great opportunity to share ideas and look at how Caritas organisations work in each country and enabled us to reflect on our own methods of youth and young adult outreach in England and Wales.    

We ended the afternoon with a scavenger hunt using scenarios which people often face when they are fleeing their countries, where my group looked at fleeing from climate-related impacts on livelihoods. 

The weekend was a fantastic opportunity to learn, network and share the work which we all do within the Caritas social justice networks. 

We wish to thank CSAN, Caritas Europa and all its affiliated organisations, for their hospitality and for providing us with an inspiring and thought-provoking weekend. 

Celebrating Young People: Revival 2024

This year we launched Celebrating Young People: Revival (CYPR), a project that seeks to put youth voice at the heart of change in communities. We worked with seven schools over the year, seeking to better understand young people's perspectives on issues that affect them within their communities. We have taken them on a learning journey to consider how young people can effect change through social action, prayer, and dialogue.

The 6 steps of CYPR have allowed an open platform for students to speak up and be heard. These steps have included asking questions directly, rather than presuming answers. The responses we received have been insightful, honest and challenging.

Importantly, at each stage, the young people's responses have been fed back to each school to give an understanding and perspective on the issues their students are concerned about. The young people have followed, not only by praying for some of theses issues, but also looking at what Catholic Social Teaching says on some of these topics. We also recorded a webinar with young leaders, to ask them about the importance of leadership, and how it feels for them to be inspiring others to be a change in the communities around them.

We celebrated the sixth step of our programme 'Dialogue', with an event at St Vincent's MissionHub in Sheffield. This was an opportunity to thank, encourage and celebrate the young people who were a part of this year's CYPR programme. We spent some time reflecting on the issues that had been raised over the previous steps, affecting both their local communities and the rest of the world. We delved deeper by looking at how young people can - and already are - making positive changes within schools, communities and the world. By calling the group to action in this way, it gave them the opportunity to look at and start planning what could be done to make change within the communities around them.

We hope to continue building relationships with Catholic schools, colleges and students over the next year, journeying with them and continuing to accompany them, guided by their voices on what young people want, need and feel is important to them.

We wish to thank our 7 schools that we have journeyed with this year, as well as Pax Christi and the Diocese of Hallam Youth Ministry for their collaboration and partnership.

We will be running our CYPR programme again over the next academic year. We are currently looking for schools and partners to work with us on this project. For more information contact bernie@millionminutes.org.

Accompaniment in Catechesis and Children's Liturgy

Anita delivered a day of reflection entitled Accompaniment within Catechesis and Children's Liturgy, for catechists and children's liturgists across the South Buckinghamshire Pastoral Area. The group reflected on sections of Pope Francis' letter on the Institution of the Ministry of Catechist and how accompaniment is cultivated through the wide range of formation and sacramental preparation activities being delivered throughout the pastoral area. The group were invited to recall and share their motivations behind wanting to be a catechist, and consider 'who' is being accompanied within and beyond moments of formation and sacramental preparation.

By reflecting together on both highlights and challenges of formation and sacramental preparation, the group were offered words of encouragement taken from Pope Francis to catechists: to live lives centred in Christ, the source of love, and with that be 'happy and full of joy always and despite everything' (Pope Francis, To Participants in the Third International Congress of Catechists, September 2022).

To find and focus on joy within any catechetical programme, whatever the attendance, number of volunteers or retention rate may be, is a key part of this important ministry.

We look forward to hearing more about their journey and the joy they find in accompanying young people in their parishes and we wish them every success along the way.

Towards Impactful Youth Ministry and Outreach - UCM Study Days 2024

In June, Million Minutes and Diocese of Hallam Youth Ministry were invited by the Union of Catholic Mothers (UCM) to facilitate their annual study days. The theme this year was ‘Towards Impactful Youth Ministry and Outreach’.

We discussed our hopes for the outcome of these study days, which included (but was not limited to): knowing more about the issues young people face, how to engage specifically with young people in parish settings and how to attract young people to be active members of church communities.

We reflected on the life span of young people aged 11-18 today, looking at the years 2006-2024. We discussed the many significant political, economic, religious and cultural events that have taken place in that time. Thinking of the UCM members’ own experiences around similar events that have happened in their lifetime, we were able to highlight how significant events and times shape the trajectories of the lives of all young people.

At the start of the second day, we opened by talking about the existing youth ministry work across England and Wales. We used this as a starting point to talk about opportunities that we can pass on to young people in our own settings; taking those existing opportunities for young people, we then considered the systemic changes that we could make in order to enhance existing opportunities or create more of them.

At the end of the final day, we invited small groups to reflect on what they had heard so far. They were encouraged to think again about their motivations for working with young people, where it became clear that they were now better equipped to articulate these motivations. They spoke about how they value young people as individuals, how they must meet young people where they are (and not where they think young people should be), and how they celebrate young people for their joy and enthusiasm.

“We need to recognise that for young people life is not a continuous party. We shall hold them in our prayers to give strength and courage as they encounter difficulties in life”

We are grateful to the UCM for the invitation to facilitate over these study days. It has been a real joy to work with the youthful energy of UCM members. We would welcome any future opportunities to work collaboratively with members of the UCM to accompany young people.

Schools Workshop Facilitation - Holy Cross, Kingston & De La Salle, Saint Helens

At the end of June, Bernie went to Holy Cross Girls Schools and De La Salle School to take part in their respective Faith in Action and Culture days.

After delivering the keynote speech at Holy Cross on the importance of using our voices as a tool for change and putting our faith into action, the students joined Bernie for workshop sessions where they could look deeper into what this means to them. In these workshops, the students looked at how they, as young people, can make a difference by putting their faith into action on issues they care about. In particular, they looked at how they could use their social media platforms to promote inclusivity as well as advocate on issues that they deal with day-to-day.

At the De La Salle school, Bernie looked Pope Francis' encyclical Fratelli Tutti. As part of this workshop, they looked at what culture means to everyone, including our misconceptions of other cultures, and how we can express and celebrate all culture. Whilst there, they discussed the importance of understanding other cultures and the issues faced by young people - both nationally, and as members of Catholic communities. The day ended with a marketplace of stalls, various activities and music - with dancing and food from around the world.

Both days were fantastic, and they provided an excellent opportunity for us to engage with young people, working with them to talk about the issues they hold close as well as celebrating other cultures.

Placing (Young) People at the Heart of Communities – Million Minutes at Called to Action: A Citizens UK Event

“We are never at the end of what we do, nor are we at the beginning, we are in the middle”

-Gabriel, young person, St Bonaventure’s

---

On Tuesday 2nd July, Million Minutes attended Called to Action, a day of celebration, reflection and inspiration run by Citizens UK. One hundred and fifty young people, accompanied by school leadership attended to share the amazing work they have been doing as community organisers, and through this living out principles of Catholic Social Teaching.

Citizens UK’s approach to community involves deep listening and hearing the stories and lived realities of people. Groups encourage others to get involved in campaigns and hold meetings with people in power to hear these stories. This methodology places people at the heart of community and at Million Minutes we advocate for the voices of young people to be at the heart of communities.  

We heard many stories of successful community campaigns including  getting mental health counsellors across all schools in Brighton and Hove council,  advocating for living wage accreditation among employers like London City Airport, Tate and Lyle and the London Excel, securing £1 bus fares for 16-21 year olds across Tyne and Wear, creating resources and promoting dialogue for inclusion and breaking down barriers that cause racism in a community in Birmingham.

We have been inspired listening to these first-hand stories of young people, experiencing their tangible passion for change, and learning about their fun and creative ways of campaigning. These young people are leading their communities, they inspire hope.

Guest speakers including Cardinal Nichols, Raymond Friel and Anita Motha from Million Minutes helped to frame the day in Catholic Social Teaching and the Common Good. The Cardinal reminded us that the Common Good does not and should never exclude people, he told us: “if anyone is left out, then it has failed” – it is no longer the common good. Working for the common good requires us to listen to and serve everyone. Raymond shared the rich history of Catholic social teaching across different cultural contexts, and Anita thanked the group for sharing their profound wisdom with us and called Catholic communities and young people to work together to continue to advocate for the voices of young leaders and changemakers. 

We took the opportunity to ask the youth panel for advice on how CEOs of Catholic charities could help to support this shared goal of working towards the Common Good. They said:

“Be transparent. Don’t make us empty promises or tell us you’re going to do something and don’t. We would rather have leaders be honest and upfront.”

“You should consider being open and taking the ideas of people who think outside the box.”

We have taken this on board and have come away even more energised to work with our Catholic schools and organisations like Citizens UK to place youth voice at the centre of driving change our Catholic communities.

If you think outside the box and would like to get involved with our work, consider joining our board of trustees (over 18), or one of our advisory groups: schools or youth. To find out more contact us at info@millionminutes.org

Towards Hope: Strategy 2023-28

On this feast of St John Bosco, patron saint of young people, and the twelfth anniversary of Million Minutes, we are excited to share our new three year strategy entitled ‘Towards Hope: A Journey of Inclusion, Accompaniment and Renewal’. Looking forward to the next three years we have placed the theme of ‘accompaniment’ at the heart of our work and our mission is to equip the church to more effectively accompany all young people.

To engage in an authentic process of accompaniment we have to walk alongside young people and start listening out for the voices and needs that are highlighted. By working in this way with young people and their communities, we hope to respond to and empower young people and deliver projects that are both youth-centred and transform communities.

‘I am delighted to share some of our hopes and plans for the next three years on such a special feast day. I take inspiration from the life of St John Bosco who gives us a great example of reaching out to young people, meeting them in their environments and communities with a gentle presence and loving kindness. He was renowned for literally walking alongside young people in whatever situations they faced and for advocating for change on behalf of their needs in the height of the industrial revolution, in 19th century Italy. He was considered progressive, innovative, an ‘interrupter’, even counter-cultural; he challenged the status quo by putting the needs of young people at the heart of societal change.

Young people today live in a very different physical world to 19th century Italy. They are living in the midst of a digital and technological revolution in an vastly different geopolitical space. Though their needs may differ but we may take inspiration and hope from St John Bosco who reminds us to ‘read the signs of our times’ and meet the needs of young people where they are at. We know that this process of accompaniment works and can unlock meaningful encounters and the potential for working together for change. We a thrilled to invite others to work together with us to truly understand and serve the needs of young people in our communities.’ - Anita Motha, CEO Million Minutes.

To read more about our plans and dreams for 2023-25 download the strategy paper and contact us to find out how you can support our work.

Celebrating Young People Awards 2022

25 young people across England and Wales were awarded recognition at Million Minutes’ Celebrating Young People Awards 2022

Set against the backdrop of the London skyline, 115 young people, parents, teachers, youth workers and gathered to celebrate young people from across the country and recognise their contributions to their communities. Hosted by Siobhan McDonagh MP at the Terrace Pavilion, House of Commons, it was a truly memorable evening hearing the stories of how young people are actively making a difference and driving change in the world they see around them.

The awards – now in their fifth year – were powered by Million Minutes. Hundreds of young people were nominated in six categories, each celebrating a different aspect of Catholic social teaching lived out in action. As well as two awards for adults, one for volunteer youth leaders and one for clergy or religious.

Anita Motha, Chief Executive at Million Minutes, said:

We had the privilege to recognise and share the stories of young people from our schools and parishes. Their initiative and drive for creating change in their communities, whether through volunteering, fundraising, or advocacy work, is inspirational. Our future relies on young changemakers and it fills us with hope and joy to celebrate their achievements and accompany them in their journeys.

Cardinal Vincent Nichols presented the Pope Francis award to St Peter’s Mini Vinnies, a brother and sister duo, Rebeca and Daniel, who have shown such generosity to their local community. During lockdown 2020 they gathered items for their local foodbank, and even grew their own vegetables to ensure families had enough fresh vegetables as well as tinned food. They drew cards, posters and wrote kind letters to the elderly who were suffering from loneliness. They are remarkable young people who share everything they can, their time, and resources for the benefit of the vulnerable in their community, and have even donated their birthday wish lists for the good of others.

Cardinal Nichols congratulated the duo on their generosity of spirit and the important examples that can be set by the youngest in our societies. He added he was ‘particularly impressed by the selflessness’ shown in these two young people.

To name a few examples of the awards presented, Christine Allen presented the Barbara Ward Award (Caring for the Environment) to Tom and Harvey. In a statement posted on twitter after receiving the award, Tom said:

“Harvey and I are just two if the thousands of young people across the world dedicating their time to tackling the environmental issues we are facing in today’s current climate. We are so lucky to have been given a platform to raise awareness, spread our true beliefs and most importantly to us, encourage other young people just like us to try their best to make a difference for future generations. We strongly believe we still have a chance to save our planet if we all work together, so all we are asking from you is to stop, think, smile and face this climate crisis with all you have”

The new award for 2022 was the Rutilio Grande and Companions Award, sponsored by the Jesuits in Britain was launched. Aleem Maqbool, Religion Editor for the BBC presented the award to two recipients, Fr Paul Wilkinson and Sr Margaret Walsh. Sr Silvana Dallanegra was Highly Commended.

There are countless stories that can be shared from the evening. Andrew received the Dorothy Day Award, he is a gifted photographer using his talents for the good of the community of Brighton and Hove.

Maria was Highly Commended for the St Josephine Bakhita Award, and was nominated for raising awareness of Downs syndrome and promoting the inclusion of people with Downs syndrome in the Catholic Church and wider society

Sport and Cultural Society and St Vincent de Paul from South West London received Highly Commended for the Cardinal Hume Award. They reached out to their local community and beyond, running a food bank and supporting people who suffered due to isolation; during the pandemic, they supported on average 112 families per week.

This has been one of the highlights of our year so far and only the beginning of journey working with our inspirational network of award nominees. Keep in touch with Million Minutes to follow the stories of the Celebrating Young People Awards alumni.

Farewell Daisy - and welcome Anita!

Farewell to Daisy

This week, we say farewell to Daisy, as she journeys on to another CEO role in the youth sector.

Daisy writes, "The scale of what we've been able to achieve during the pandemic, from getting our Beacon Parish Scheme off the ground, to re-launching our Celebrating Young People Awards, whilst promoting an inclusive and open Church that welcomes all young people, is testament of the tenacity and courage of young people across Catholic communities, fighting for a Church with truly 'open doors' in the words of Pope Francis. I have been lucky enough to meet some incredible people in post, and will cherish most fondly our work on LGBTQ+ inclusion as well as the tole of young women in the Church, as well as collaborations with other organisations. I wish Anita and the team all the very best, and I wish the Church continued deepening in understanding of unconditional acceptance and love that makes us all richer."

We are grateful for Daisy's leadership, inspiration, and dedication during her time at Million Minutes. We wish her well in her new role.

Welcome to Anita

We are delighted to announce the appointment of our next CEO. Anita Motha.

Anita will join the team as CEO in May 2022, bringing over fourteen years of experience working and volunteering within Catholic youth ministry and international development. She holds a BA in Music from Newcastle, and a Masters in Education and International Development from Institute of Education, University College London.

She has worked for CAFOD developing and delivering their young adult engagement strategy. Prior to this, she managed Bosco Volunteer Action, the international volunteering programme for the Salesians of Don Bosco for six years. She also has experience volunteering for Christian Aid and worked as a school chaplain in the north east of England. Most recently, Anita has served as Vice-Chair on the Board of Trustees for Million Minutes.

Having grown up across London, Hong Kong, and Dubai, Anita now lives in the Diocese of Brentwood with her husband and two young children.

Million Minutes Chair, Ewan Day-Collins, said, "I am excited to welcome Anita as our new CEO. She brings a wealth of experience and knowledge, and will us into our next stage of development. I and the Board are grateful for Daisy's leadership during her time as CEO. She leaves a strong legacy from which Anita can build"

Million Minutes’ launches its Celebrating Young People Awards 2022

We are thrilled to announce that our popular Celebrating Young People Awards 2022 nominations are now live! These social action awards comprise six awards recognising children and young people specifically (inspired by each of the values of Catholic Social Teaching), one recognising youth workers, and one new award recognising religious and clergy. Applicants will have until mid May to nominate a young person doing amazing social action work or someone working on behalf of young people, and Award recipients and nominees will be announced at an event held in the Palace of Westminster in July 2022, in an event hosted by Siobhain McDonagh MP with special guests in attendance.

We are also proud to announce the launch of a new Award, in collaboration with The Jesuits in Britain, which celebrates clergy and religious who are committed to social action and parish transformation in their communities that is inclusive of young people. The Rutilio Grande & Companions Award will be part of the well-established Celebrating Young People Awards suite.

This Awards suite features six awards that specifically recognise the actions of young people in support of Catholic Social Teaching (The Jimmy Mizen Award for peace, The Dorothy Day Award for community service, The Barbara Ward Award for care for creation, the Josephine Bakhita Award for protecting human dignity, The Cardinal Hume award for living out the option of the poor, and the Joseph Cardijn Award for protecting dignity of labour presented with the Young Christian Workers movement), and an additional award, alongside the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation, which recognises exceptional youth ministry.

To date, almost one thousand young people have been nominated for Million Minutes Celebrating Young People Awards, giving Catholic schools, retreat centres and parishes a means by which to recognise and celebrate young people, as the next generation of social action leaders. Previous award winners have included 18 year old Shanea Oldham from Newham, who won the Jimmy Mizen Award in 2019 for her reconciliation efforts in her community, Jehanut Bari who won the Dorothy Day Award in 2019 for her work in facilitating inter-religious dialogue in Brentwood, and 18 year old Harry Wale in Wigan who won the Cardinal Hume Award for his community work with those facing financial crisis. You can survey our full list of previous award winners from 2019 here.

CEO of Million Minutes, Daisy Srblin, said: ‘We are so excited that after two whole years of uncertainty, we can relaunch our ground-breaking Celebrating Young People Awards for 2022. Young people have been at the forefront of social action during the pandemic, organising food banks and caring for the vulnerable, despite being some of the worst-affected economically, educationally and socially by the last two years. We cannot wait to read and share stories of amazing young people who have been serving their community, to give young people the recognition they deserve. We are also very proud to continue hosting the CYMFED Award, celebrating a youth worker or chaplain working with young people in open and inclusive ways, and the new Rutilio Grande & Companions Award, hosted with the Jesuits in Britain, celebrating members of religious orders and clergy who work for the common good in a way that is proactively inclusive of all young people. We encourage teachers, parishioners, priests, religious, youth ministers, catechists and all those who work with young people in a Catholic setting to consider nominating today.’

We encourage all those who have met inspiring young people or those working with young people, in Catholic settings, to consider submitting an application. Young nominees do not need to be Catholic to be nominated and recognised – and you can access a full list of FAQs here. Young nominees will also have the chance to be considered for a small youth social action grant to continue and strengthen their community work.

Applications for the 2022 Celebrating Young People Awards are open! Visit https://millionminutes.org/national-awards to nominate

Please get in touch with the team with any questions on awards@millionminutes.org

Beth shares her experience of Silence

At the beginning of March, I spent 24 hours without my voice to be in solidarity with young people around the world whose voices are not heard, raising sponsorship for the work of Million Minutes. 

Those 24 hours have given me space to reflect and be an active listener to those around me. It has been a very real challenge for me, and a challenge that I haven’t battled easily. With only one or two minor slip-ups, each interaction with other people presented me with a choice. A choice of whether I would put the energy and effort into playing charades to communicate with them, or if I would just pass up the opportunity to communicate entirely. 

Those who know me, especially my family, were fairly skeptical if I would ‘survive’ the full 24 hours – they thought that I wouldn’t be able to last without sharing my opinion with at least one other person at some point in the day. This was my first point of reflection – do I speak more than I listen? Am I always quick to share my own thoughts before waiting and listening to the voice of others? 
I made a conscious effort that my silence wouldn’t silence others – rather I would listen to them speak – but this was difficult when I couldn’t begin a conversation with them. But my experience of SiLENT goes so much further than these 24 hours – this reflection can be carried through the rest of Lent and beyond. Taking time in conversation to hold my own tongue, and instead, consciously take the time and effort to listen to the voices of those who are not heard loudly enough, or frequently enough.  

While having dinner with my fiancé on Monday evening, he essentially had a one-sided conversation, sharing with me about his day. He asked about mine, and I went to some great effort playing charades for him to guess how my day had been spent – which was nothing exciting or out of the ordinary – but it turned into this huge game. Through the means of waving my arms around and pointing at things, I only focused on the physical actions I had taken, rather than how I was feeling – if I had focused on that, my actions would not have been as funny or wild. A mere twelve hours into my silence, I was feeling quite alone and isolated. While I know that my silence will end soon, this was the first time that I wasn’t able to share how I feel with the person that I am closest to. In these days where the world is terrifying and heart-breaking, leaning on someone that you love makes the weight of anxiety easier to bear. I feel for the people in the world, especially those in Ukraine, who are terrified, anxious, and alone.  

Increasingly, we are becoming aware of the severity of our own mental wellbeing and the effect that a lack of self-care can have on our personal welfare. It can be difficult to reach out for support when we need it, as sometimes being vulnerable affects us in a much greater way. My time in silence this week brought back memories of a time when I couldn’t bring myself to share my thoughts and feelings. It was a stark reminder of how far I had come, and those who had helped me reach this point in my growth. Having this gentle reminder has brought to the forefront how crucial it is to check in with those around me who may be struggling, reaching out that hand of support, to let them know that there is a safe support system around them whenever they may need it.  

This Lent, in fact, this year, I urge each person that reads this reflection takes a moment to consider how important your role is within this world. Understand the impact that your voice has; on yourself, on the people around you, in the Church, and in the world.  

Columban Missionaries announce young 'Changemaker' winners

The winners of the Columban Missionaries’ ‘Changemaker’ media competition have been announced. Young people aged 13 to 18 years old from around the UK were invited to submit articles and images exploring the subject: ‘Anyone can make a difference: 21st Century Changemakers’. Inspired by Catholic Social Teaching, young people were encouraged to reflect on who in the world today is doing something about inequality, injustice, exclusion and environmental degradation, and what can they teach us about our own situations.

The Columbans received hundreds of submissions which were judged by a panel including Ruth Gledhill (Multi-Media Editor at The Tablet), Josephine Siedlecka (Founder and Editor of Independent Catholic News), Daisy Srblin, (CEO of Million Minutes) and James Trewby (Columban Education Worker).

Reflecting on her reading of the images and articles from the competition, Daisy said: ‘It’s clear that young people have a real appreciation for the world’s changemakers, and it is wonderful to see their thoughtfulness and reflection around themes including racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ+ justice and climate justice, all inspired by the values of Catholic Social Teaching’.

Elijah Gilbert of Richard Challoner School, New Malden won first prize in the images section for his collage of people of inspiration. Second place went to Katherine Fawole of St Paul’s Academy in London for her Gouache painting of Greta Thunberg. Oliver Lafite of Richard Challoner School and Paulette De Jose of Holy Cross School in New Malden came joint third, for their depictions of Marcus Rashford and Amanda Gorman (racial justice activist) / Molly Burhans (environmental activist) / Jamie Margolin (LGBTQ+ rights activist)/ Jaclyn Friedman (feminist campaigner) respectively.

Have a look at the winning images here and below:

Article winners (clockwise R-L) Jessica Saxon, Mahi Sikan, Ella Bothwell and Scarlett Peart-Lapidge

In Britain, Jessica Saxon of St George’s College in Weybridge wrote the winning article about US politician and human rights campaigner Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, while Mahi Sikan of Thomas More School in Bedford, wrote about an Afghani woman on a mission to improve the healthcare of her community in very difficult circumstances, and came a close second. Ella Bothwell of St Richard Gwyn in Flint (who wrote a great piece about David Attenborough) and Scarlett Peart-Lapidge of Bishop Thomas Grant in London (who wrote about the Mizen family and their tireless campaigning for peace) were joint third.

Have a read of the winning articles here.

You can find out more about the Columban Missionaries School media competition, and all runners up, here.

All images and information courtesy of the Columban Missionaries’ Changemaker media competition

Million Minutes & Columban Missionaries publish youth synod findings

This month Million Minutes and the Columban Missionaries have published a report reflecting the views of young people, in response to the questions of the Global Synod.

The Synod 2021-23 journey proposes a wonderful opportunity to recognise individuals within our Church community. Million Minutes is dedicated to advocating for the voice of young people across England and Wales. The Columbans are committed to dialogue, justice, and peace. The synodal process is a good opportunity for us to listen to and amplify the voices of young adults. In particular, we are keen to capture the voices of young people who might not have had the opportunity or felt able, to feed into the synod process via other means, because, for example, of feeling ‘in between’ dioceses or having some level of discomfort with participating in local conversations.

This report is a collation of responses from the small group that was gathered together on Zoom on Monday 17th January 2022. This group represents a diverse range of young Catholics from different backgrounds and cultures, aged 17 to 25 years old, and from six dioceses (East Anglia, Westminster, Birmingham, Southwark, Leeds, and Portsmouth). The group was convened by both Million Minutes and the Columban Missionaries, and breakout groups were facilitated by James Trewby, Beth Warren, and Daisy Srblin.

You can download the report here, or using the link below.

Download our Synod report here

Download report

2021: A Year in Review

As we reach the end of 2021, here is our review of the year, including a message from Daisy (CEO) and Danny (Founder), a summary of our key achievements over the past 12 months, and a look forward to plans for 2022.

A Message from Daisy (CEO) and Danny (Founder)

Dear Friends,

What a 12 months it has been! Despite the news of growing Omicron cases, it feels important to remember how far we have come since December 2020. Just 12 months ago we were yet to receive vaccinations, and we were facing a Christmas where we knew for sure we wouldn't be able to see our loved ones. And young people were in the thick of a very difficult time: virtual studies leading to an exposure of both digital and food poverty. This Christmas, while still uncertain, feels a great deal more hopeful than this time last year.

Young people face a difficult future, now more than ever. They remain the age group most likely to be adversely affected by job cuts as a result of the pandemic, and psychological difficulty as a result of the tremendous upheaval they have faced. The economic outlook for young people remains uncertain.

For Million Minutes' part, we are so very grateful to every person who has supported our work. Whether through a donation, or by volunteering your time in our Beacon Parish Scheme; whether by nominating young people for an award in recognition of social action in your community, or engaging in our trainings and webinars; whether you joined us in our 10 year anniversary celebrations; or engaged with SiLENT 2021, raising money for our social action grants; whether encouraging young people to apply for one of our social action grants, volunteering your time as part of our nation-wide accompaniment research or sharing news of our work on social media; you have all, in one way or another, supported the cause of getting young people noticed and appreciated, both in our Church and in society.

We know now more than ever that our work is needed. As schools seek to make sense of the difficult world young people are facing, sharing the universal principles of Catholic Social Teaching and recognition of young people's efforts has never felt more relevant. At a time when parishes wonder who will return in a 'Covid-normal' world, and how best to serve a society facing significant upheaval, youth-centered parish renewal efforts which actively place young people at the heart of communities is crucial. And, as our Church enters into synodal conversations, our questions asking who feels welcome in Catholic communities and who does not feels more important than ever, as we seek a future for the Church that is hopeful, optimistic and full of all of the diverse gifts our community has. We are very proud of the work Million Minutes has achieved in the last 12 months, which is summarised below.

We conclude with the words of the Holy Father in his encyclical Christus Vivit:

Dear young people, my joyful hope is to see you keep running the race before you, outstripping all those who are slow or fearful. Keep running ... May the Holy Spirit urge you on as you run this race. The Church needs your momentum, your intuitions, your faith. We need them! And when you arrive where we have not yet reached, have the patience to wait for us.

May our young people keep supporting us with all their momentum, intuitions and faith, and may we continue to trust all the wonderful gifts they bring.

We hope you enjoy our short summary of our work - and if you like what you see, and feel able to do so, perhaps you might consider a small donation to keep our work on track.

With every blessing for a peaceful Christmas and a hopeful New Year,

Daisy Srblin, CEO, & Danny Curtin, Founder

---

Million Minutes’ Key Achievements in 2021

Celebrating Ten Years!

We kicked off the year celebrating our ten year anniversary on the Feast of St John Bosco. To celebrate our launch ten years ago, our founders gathered online to host a lockdown-special celebration.

Launch of the 'Beacon Parish Scheme'

We have designed, recruited for, and have started delivering a model of what we believe will be the 'gold standard' of Catholic youth ministry in parish settings in England and Wales - a programme that puts the people of the parish and the community of youth at the forefront of its growth, and keeps in mind the community outside the restrictions of parish walls.

Six parishes have signed up in 2021 across Liverpool, East Anglia, Clifton, Leeds and Shrewsbury Dioceses, and at least two more have signed up for 2022!

The Difference Grant-Giving Makes

During SiLENT 2021, our supporters, including schools and retreat centres raised almost £5000 to go directly back into the youth social action grant-giving arm of our work, funding genuine youth-led projects. Those sponsored silence fundraisers also helped create space for us all to reflect on silenced young people around the country.

Supporting Young People to Grow as Local Catholic Leaders

We have a group of 13 young adult 'alumni' (previous CYPA winners) who met eight times over 2020 and 2021, to discuss contemporary issues of importance such as racial inequality and child food poverty.

Since December 2020, we have issued eight youth-led grants, and and 10 'Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati' Local Awards, recognising the incredible work of young people during the pandemic. We look forward to re-establishing the Celebrating Young People Award sin Spring / Summer 2022.

Exploring the Perceived 'Peripheries' of the Church

We have made a mark on some important perceived 'peripheries' for the Church, including pastoral accompaniment to LGBT+ young adults in Catholic settings.
In December 2021, we organised a webinar exploring the experiences of young women in the Catholic Church, and the way in which the Church can better minister to them and the challenges in their lives. Dr Sr Gemma Simmonds CJ led a keynote on the topic, with further discussion from four more guest speakers, including young women themselves.

Sharing our Vision

We continue to promote and expand awareness of the Christus Vivit mission across England and Wales, and at all levels of Catholic hierarchies, and even beyond Catholic communities. We have developed concrete means of Catholic communities developing youth ministry, including through self-directing resources, multimedia outputs, and training.

This has included:

• Over 70 attendees from over 30 parishes across England and Wales attending our 'Beacon Parish' open day in January 2021

• Over 70 participants signing up to our Spring 2021 training

• 40 participants signing up for our Autumn conversations

• Over 150 members joining the Million Minutes / Catholic Youth Ministry Federation Facebook group for Catholic Youth Ministers in England and Wales

A number of invitations to Catechists Days, Diocesan presentations, Caritas meetings, Justice & Peace fora, and other external events (if you'd like Million Minutes to visit your community, drop us a line!)

Speaking Up for Youth Ministry & Young People

We have been working to strengthen Million Minutes so that our work may continue for years to come. To this end, Million Minutes has joined both the Catholic Youth Ministry Federation in England and Wales (CYMFed) and the Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), which has helped to widen the remit of our work at a national scale.

In Summer 2021, we welcomed Beth Warren as our new Senior Parish Engagement Officer, and over the course of 2021 we have welcomed four Trustees on to our Board.

Our social media profile continues to grow. Over 2021, we have had over 200 new Twitter followers, 100+ new Facebook likes, 150+ Instagram followers, and 200+ LinkedIn followers. Our website has received almost 10,000 unique visitors this year alone, and over 26,000 page views.

Proximity: A Research Project on Accompaniment

Accompaniment is the central pastoral strategy offered by Pope Francis. It has also been at the heart of Million Minutes' approach for the last decade. So we were delighted to launch Proximity, a process of learning and development into the art of accompaniment. This project enjoys support from the Benedictines, the Jesuits, and dioceses and organisations.

---

2022 and Beyond!

Applications Open for a New Team Member!

We are very excited to be welcoming applications for a new post Project Worker (Catholic Social Teaching) - more info here. Deadline is the first week of January, and the role may suit young adults who are at the start of their professional journeys!

This new team member will be able to work directly with schools, partly to promote our Awards, but also to promote awareness of and engagement with the principles of Catholic Social Teaching. We are very much looking forward to being able to accompany schools more closely next year.

Continuing to Grow our Work

Our Beacon Parish Scheme will enter another year, with an additional five parishes (at least) will be selected to join the programme, free of charge.

We hope to continue our suite of external events, exploring racial justice and the important role that people of colour play in the Catholic Church.

We hope to raise a significant amount in SiLENT 2022, to further develop our grant-giving arm. We will also finally be hosting an in person Celebrating Young People Awards for the first time in three years.

Our work promoting the vision of an open youth ministry at every level throughout the Church will continue apace: including through our submission to the synodal process, which will be compiled by gathering a group of young people with whom we work, and exploring the key synod questions with them in January 2022. If you'd like to join this young adults synod group, do email us on info@millionminutes.org

---

Donate to our Work, if you're able

This is just a flavour of the work we've done this year - get in touch with us on info@millionminutes.org if you'd like some more detail.
And if you're able and willing, perhaps you might consider donating to our work to allow us to continue reaching communities that need it in 2022

---

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year,
from all the team at Million Minutes

Exploring the experiences of young women in the Catholic Church: My journey away from Dumbledore

This week Million Minutes hosted a webinar exploring the experiences of young women in the Catholic Church. As part of this event, we heard from Catherine Bridgwood.

Catherine is 24 years old and lives in Birmingham. She currently coordinates a befriending project of Birmingham Churches Together aiming to welcome refugees and asylum seekers in the city. Catherine is interested in engaging with diversity in Birmingham and exploring what we can learn from encounters with difference, particularly across faith. She is involved with her local Catholic parish community as well as with the Columban Missionaries.

Catherine’s contribution is published below.

Good evening! What a privilege it is to be part of this panel this evening, such an important conversation. Initially I was unsure if I had anything particularly profound to add to the discussion but then ultimately, I am a young woman in the Catholic Church so all I can do is share a small part of my own experience. So what I’d like to share with you briefly this evening is what I’m giving the catchy title…

‘My journey away from Dumbledore’

I am extremely thankful for the spaces that I’ve had as I’ve grown up to explore and question faith and church. I think especially, as a teenager when you’re forming stronger opinions and a sense of self and identity, these spaces are crucial. As a 24 year old, they continue to be crucial.

I was lucky enough to have a parish youth discussion group, so between the ages of about 15 and 18, we’d meet every couple of weeks on a Sunday evening to unpack all this churchy stuff, it was totally liberating.

I have a particular memory, about a conversation we had about our images of God. I remember repeatedly saying that my image of God was a Dumbledore type character.

Old white man, long white beard, long robe. No questions asked.

It’s interesting because looking back, I think I have always felt somewhat frustrated, excluded from and not quite accepting of all the goings on in this institution. I’m quick to criticise, I’m angry with the way things have been done and the exclusion of not just women in church leadership but so many groups from the church as a whole. But I have also found great joy within the church, great peace, I have felt listened to, encouraged, inspired to take action and built meaningful relationships. So it’s safe to say, it has been at times, a confusing space to be in.

But I think, as of course should be at the heart of all this is a relationship with God…

So this Dumbledore character…. I suppose he’s a wise and loving father type figure, he’s powerful and knowing. But he’s a he.

The language to describe God, as well as the non-inclusive language used in the Mass shaped so much of my early understanding of who God is. And whilst early on, it’s easy to accept that. I think, certainly in my experience as a young woman, there comes a point where that is uncomfortable. If I am made in the image and likeness of God, where do I fit into this?

I’m sure that is not the experience of every young woman, but it is certainly mine. And I think without the spaces to question, to criticise and to develop my own relationship with God, I would have quite probably walked away from it all.

I have come to know that God is so much more than this image of a figure in my mind shaped by the language used in Catholic worship. God is who I experience through encounters with other people.

 I am privileged enough to have encountered and walked alongside many people who find themselves on the margins of society. In my current role, for an ecumenical organisation, I work with refugees and asylum seekers, people who have been trafficked into slavery, those who have experienced domestic violence. And it is in encounters I have with these women, that I realise how far from the Dumbledore image of God I have travelled. God is truly on the margins, in the face of those who suffer. And whilst that is deeply challenging, as a young woman of the church, a church that can be I think, so restrictive and inward looking it has been hugely life-giving to become aware of that.

So, you ask me what my experience of being a young woman in the Catholic church is? I think it’s one where I’ve wandered away from what I imagine to be a church epicentre… does this really exist?

But maybe I’ve found a real epicentre over here. And perhaps my imagined epicentre needs to come and have a look at what I’ve found? Perhaps there are thousands of these scattered around the church...let’s be open to looking at where young women have wandered to. They may still see themselves very much part of the church. I would challenge us not to seek to bring people ‘back’. To see real change, we need to explore where people are living out church. Being a young woman in society full stop has it’s challenges - forgive us if we don’t have all the answers, but maybe this has asked some questions!

Thank you so much for listening.

Black History Month 2021

This Black History Month 2021, Destiny Odogiyan, aged 17 from the Diocese of Salford, reflects on what the month means to her, and the ways in which Catholicism implores us to treat every person with dignity.

“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a room for you?” John 14:2

There seems to be this common misconception at times that Catholicism is a religion for white people in the UK.

But this is wrong. Catholicism is a religion for all types of people. Most of the people in the Bible (including Jesus himself) were not white.

This is the reason why I titled this blog with John 14:2 because I think it shares the most important message for all Catholics. This message makes clear that God does not discriminate. We are all God’s children, no matter our culture, ethnicity, race, sexuality or background. We are all loved unconditionally by God.

Especially as it is Black History Month this October, I want to remind people that Catholicism is universal and includes everybody. It hurts me to see that there are people who believe that Christianity is a religion that hates more than it loves.

For some reason people seem to find being Black and Catholic an oxymoron. This is because it sometimes feels that when we look around in society the representation of Catholicism seems to be mostly white people and this is wrong because it goes against a prominent part of Catholicism which is diversity and inclusion. If you go to any Catholic parish, you will find a real diversity of backgrounds in the pews.

Catholicism grew at a time of social injustice. Jesus was a social revolutionary: he healed society in many ways. There are many stories in the Bible of God giving the oppressed support to fight for their rights and freedom such as when Moses freed the Israelites.

Whenever we are faced with problems and call upon God, we are speaking up and fighting for what we believe in. Prayer is a form of campaign. Dr Martin Luther King Jr was a civil rights activist who also used Christianity as a foundation for his activism. Dr Martin Luther King Jr preached for peace and love whilst fighting for justice. He based his whole movement on peaceful protest, he never used violence as a tactic. In the end he achieved so much with his faith-based ministry and activism.

Catholicism is a religion for everybody and anybody who says otherwise is not practicing Catholicism properly. Throughout the Bible the continuous message spread is love, the main thing God wants all Catholics to learn is love because at the end of the day we are all God’s creation no matter our differences and we all have a purpose.

This is why we should treat each other with love by treating each other with dignity and respect because that is a basic right. Black History Month reminds us of that right.

Destiny Odogiyan, aged 17, Diocese of Salford