Sr Sue McDonald FMA
Youth Worker, Bosco Youth Clubs, Rotherhithe.

I am Sr. Sue, I have been a sister now for nearly three years and have for the past 6 months been working at a Salesian Centre in the heart of London.
The centre is a base for many projects. There is a full time nursery, a college, a construction site, after school care and senior youth clubs.
I am employed there to see to the after school and senior clubs although when working there I am part of the whole set up and there is the strong sense of community within the building.

We have after school club 4 evenings a week and we prepare for this in the afternoons.
Children attend club from all local primaries and there is a great mixture of culture and backgrounds which gives us all the opportunity to get to know others and appreciate the diversity of our local community. Everyone is encouraged to develop different skills from trampolining to art, craft, football, unihoc, team games and indoor activities. Through these activities children learn positive behaviour towards each other and towards their environment. Junior Club is open from 3.30pm and finishes at 5:30pm.
I really enjoy seeing these children learning together and building up friendships and enjoying sharing their successes.
The senior club consists of young people aged between 13 – 17 at the moment and runs 3 times a week Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday at 7pm-9pm. It is a socialising club where young people are encouraged to respect each other and treat others as they wish to be treated. They are encouraged to respect their environment and show that they play a part by taking part in preparing and putting away the activities such as: Arts and crafts, Drumming and vocal workshop (if you like music), Discussion groups (informal opportunities to discuss current topics), Career and personal guidance (some young people do not have a school placement). The young people are challenging and challenged at club. There is a great atmosphere and they are only too pleased to share their own ideas and make club a place they can have ownership of.
As a Salesian sister my encounters with the young are energised by the belief in each one of them as one loved by God. The goal of every meeting with them is that they come to know they are loved and through this love they may come to recognise Christ. I feel privileged to work alongside other Salesians both FMA and lay people whose vision is clearly for love of the young and the desire that each one finds their true calling through these encounters with the Salesian Family Spirit.