Starter Sessions
Starter Sessions are a great way to introduce your group to the spirit of Vinnies and begin exploring faith, service, and social justice together. Each session is simple to run, designed for small groups, and helps build connection, reflection, and action.
Whether you’re just forming a new Youth Conference or looking for fresh ideas, these sessions provide an easy starting point. Use them as they are, or adapt them to suit the needs of your group and community.
Forming your Leadership Team
Aim of session:
To help the children to have a good understanding of the leadership roles within Vinnies Youth.
To elect the children who will take on the leadership roles within the group.
To prepare content for the Vinnies Youth display board in school.
Starting the mission: See
Aim of session:
To help the children identify the needs in their local community.
To learn about the impact the Society of St Vincent de Paul (SVDP) has on the people they help.
To relate their mission of being a Vinnies Youth member to the actions of Jesus.
Following in the steps of Christ: Think
To reflect on the places they identified in the second meeting where help might be needed.
To think about what help might be needed in those places and come up with ideas of possible projects.
Consider what Jesus would do in these areas where help is needed.
Turning concern into action: Do
Aim of session:
To turn their concern into action with preparation for their first project.
To learn about some of the other branches of the SVDP.
To prepare to link with another branch of the SVDP.
St Vincent de Paul: The Saint behind the SVDP
Aim of session:
To have a good understanding of the life of Saint Vincent de Paul.
Frédéric Ozanam: The man behind the SVDP
Aim of session:
To turn their concern into action with preparation for their first project.
To learn about some of the other branches of the SVDP.
To prepare for linking with another branch of the SVDP in some way.
Strong women of the SVDP
Aim of session:
To share a bit more about the women of the SVDP who supported both St Vincent de Paul and Blessed Frédéric Ozanam.
Plan a call to action to celebrate inspiring women in the lives of your Vinnies Youth group.
Get in touch
If you would like to find out more about Vinnies Youth, fill in this form and we will get in touch with you.
We are funded and supported by the Society of St Vincent de Paul.