School & College Weeks

School and 6th-form college groups with students in Years 10-13 (S3-S6 Scotland) are especially invited in June and July, at Easter or during half-terms.

Information for teachers and group organisers (updated 9 November 2023)	Flyer (template) This leaflet can be adapted to the needs of your school or group.
See also:
Register for the meetings

What the week is about

A stay at Taizé helps young people mature in a safe but challenging environment. Each day includes biblical reflection, small international discussion groups, some practical activity and prayer with the whole community. It is a participation in a community life where each person is free to be who they are. Because this is experience rather than “talk”, it is accessible to those who do not think of themselves as being religious, as well as those of other faiths. School groups in previous years have all included non-Christian young people.
See their reactions on this page.

Yorkshire Schools Pilgrimage to Taizé 2019 (3 mins.)

Resources

Material for group leaders
Multimedia and web resources
Film: One Week in July
Feedback from students

Feedback from group leaders

Simon Barber
Principal, Manor CE Academy, York

It was fantastic to see students with no faith background entering into an experience of prayer and worship. Taizé provides a space for this to happen and it is quite unique in this respect.

Yesterday we had lunch together as the staff team who came to Taizé. Generally everyone was very positive about the whole experience, both for the students but also for themselves as staff. Some of the things staff had heard students say were:
• “My faith in humanity has been restored.”
• “I finally felt I could be myself and didn’t need to worry about what anyone else thought of me.”
• “I feel more confident in making new friends and talking to complete strangers.”
• “I am overwhelmed by the awesomeness of God.” (one of our boys overcome with tears in church one day)
• “I loved serving breakfast!”
• “I am going home to look for opportunities to serve – that was the best bit of Taizé.”
An amazing privilege to hear them speaking like this in such a natural way.

Revd. Anne Richards, Chaplain,
Archbishop Sentamu Academy, Hull

: Bishop of Llandaff High School, July 2013

For pupils’ comments see: Feedback from previous visits

Church leaders comment ...

Taizé offers a life-changing experience to young people for several reasons. Firstly, in this period of church decline it is mind-blowing to worship day after day with hundreds, if not thousands of young people. Secondly, it is exciting to have our island mentality challenged through growing friendships across Europe, from Ukraine to Portugal, Greece to Finland. Thirdly, and most importantly, the Taizé Community has long experience of helping young people to grow spiritually wherever they are on life’s journey.

Rev. Sheila Maxey,
Former Moderator of the United Reformed Church

I am very pleased that a good number of Catholic schools are taking a group to Taizé and I know it will be a very fruitful and happy experience. My last visit to Taizé was with an Anglican bishop-friend and 50 young people, Anglicans and Catholics. I warmly commend the School Weeks and hope there will be very many young people who will be able to share in the Taizé experience which is at the service of the Church.

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, in 2016

I can bear witness to the extraordinary effectiveness of Taizé in helping young people of faith, searching faith or no faith, to engage with a community of vital young Christians for a week and to discover something very special to chew on for years. I’ve never known it fail! It’s not pushy at all but young people are drawn into the worship, the community life, the internationalism, the reflection, the silence, the fun.

Bishop John Pritchard,
previous Chairman, Church of England Board of Education

Last updated: 10 February 2023

Video clips and articles from students on School & College Weeks: Feedback from previous visits