Contributors to the event ranged from well-known veterans and organisational heads to first-time speakers and performers. These included Kids Company founder Camila Batmangelidjh, who spoke powerfully about the important role of faith-based organisations, and YFC’s Gavin and Anne Calver, who shared a story of their own difficult personal journey. The diverse line-up also included representatives from the Catholic, Pentecostal, Liberal and Conservative traditions, and featured education and mental health specialists, media professionals and grass roots youth workers.
One session, dubbed ‘The Takeover’, was given over entirely to young speakers and performers, including a 16-year-old boy in Egypt who joined the event via Skype, and the teenage founders of the popular For Christian Teens website. This section also included musical performances from the New Testament Church of God’s National Youth Choir, teenage rapper L Sharp and young singer-songwriter Jacob Lloyd.
The event concluded with worship from up-and-coming band The Remission Flow and an innovative take on tag-team preaching from veteran US preacher Dr Tony Campolo and Romance Academy founder Rachel Gardner. Next year’s event will take place on Saturday 17th May in Manchester, as the Summit returns to the Audacious Church venue that hosted the 2011 gathering.
Over the coming months, all the talks from the 2013 Summit will join those from previous years at www.youthworksummit.com , where they will be available to view again for free.
