The Revd Tim Clapton, Director of our Urban Leadership School, blogs on our upcoming summer internships programme…

I find it useful when people offer their feedback and reflections – it’s the best way of evaluating a piece of work. So when, the other day, I met a young man who some years ago, had taken part in our Jellicoe Internship, I was keen to hear what he had to say. I asked him how he found it. Would he recommend it to others?

His reply, or perhaps the way he replied, gave me quite a shock. Previously we had just been informally standing around in a group sipping wine, but when I asked the question he suddenly turned around and looked straight at me. He said, “Jellicoe totally changed the course of my life.”

Perhaps it was the intense way he said it which made me stuck for words. I suggested to him that he perhaps was ‘over-egging the pudding’ a bit, that his reply was a bit strong. But he said it again “I’m serious, Jellicoe changed my life, it is as simple as that”. He went on to explain how his placement and the training he had received had made such a positive impact upon him, and how it has shaped his decisions and his life over the last four years.

This young man’s response echoed many other reflections from young adults who had joined the internship last year. One person wrote to me after and said, “the last four weeks have been some of the most formative, challenging and inspiring weeks of my life” while another said it was “transformational.”

Bringing together a group of very diverse young Christians from London and further afield, training them and giving them a challenging placement, seems to be a winning formula. So we are going to do it again this year.

We are welcoming people from all denominations and backgrounds and we have applications from Africa and Europe. Maybe you have someone in your congregation or organisation who is ready for a challenge? Maybe they are someone you would like to encourage as a leader or someone who is thinking about their future? This would be a fantastic opportunity to really invest in the young adults in your congregation or organisation.

Interns must be 18 or over, they are likely to be in their 20s, but we are looking forward to welcoming our first retired intern. The programme begins on Sunday June 28^th and finishes on Monday 27^th July. It is a full time programme so this is not something which can be combined with work or study. In the first week, interns will learn Community Organising and theological reflection skills. They will learn how to use the power of storytelling and engage in a programme of Bible study and spiritual exercises.

As well as the Jellicoe Internship this year we have an internship for young Black Pentecostals called the William Seymour Internship and the Caritas Anchor House Internship for Roman Catholics. But we are keen to hear from all young adults who are committed to Christian social justice and action.

There are a limited number of free places on each of the internships for those who would not otherwise be able to join us because of cost. If you know someone who might be interested, contact Tim Clapton who can supply more information: timc@theology-centre.org / 020-74883385 / 07958182077