HOPE Weekend

HOPE Weekend is an annual social action weekend for church based youth groups from across South Yorkshire and the East Riding. It’s a chance for young people to show their Christian faith in action in their communities.

About HOPE Weekend

HOPE Weekend started out as HOPE Doncaster in 2019 after a youth group went to Hope Bristol and wanted to replicate the project in their own community. HOPE Doncaster returned in 2023 with over 40 young people taking part. In 2024 we wanted to open it to more churches from across the Diocese, so renamed it as Hope Weekend to extend the project across the whole of South Yorkshire and the East Riding. Hope Weekend 2024 took place on 21st-23rd of June with 50 young people from 8 youth groups taking part.

What happens at HOPE Weekend?

HOPE Weekend begins on the Friday night with a launch event. We will gather together for sung worship, prayer activities, share food together and commission (send out) the young people. It’s a chance for the young people to see that they are part of a much bigger movement.

On Saturday it is down to individual youth groups to arrange their own social action project to meet the need of the communities they gather in. This could be a litter pick, a fun day, organising a Foodbank collection, joining with the local council for a community project or anything that would serve your local area. We will provide you with cards to hand out letting everyone you meet know that you are taking part in HOPE weekend and why. Then in the evening, we encourage you to celebrate with your young people. We’ll have a celebration event or you can do something locally, perhaps with another church that’s taking part.

On Sunday we encourage you to go back to your churches to share stories from the Saturday with your congregations. We’ll have a video and photos for you to share too.