Step Days - gunging and galvanising

Step Days are a powerful way to provide students with a break from their usual routines, offering them a chance to reflect, connect, and grow. We offer them to primary and secondary schools. Last year we delivered 48 Step Days, some involved students leaving their school, embarking on what is sometimes called ‘a retreat’, whilst many other schools remain onsite.  Be it onsite or away, Step Days play a crucial role in the spiritual and personal development of students. Far from being an escape, these days are about strategic withdrawal to gain strength and perspective.

Those that travel to their retreat embark on a short walk (or coach journey) to local places of worship, symbolically and physically moving from their academic environment to a space dedicated to worship and reflection. This change of scenery is pivotal as it prepares students for a day of connection and contemplation. The welcoming smiles along with the promise of engaging activities and freshly baked doughnuts, set a positive tone for the day.

For the Step Days where Step visits the school, a menagerie of activities and workshops seek to jolt the students out of their day to day rhythm and offer them an alternative way of life. Be it pottery or poetry, visiting vice admirals or bankrupt millionaires, being gunged or galvinised, the students are in for treat which enables them to view life from a fresh perspective.

Each retreat is tailored to the specific needs of different year groups, covering themes such as Christian Basics, Identity, Justice, Relationships, Stress, Fresh Starts, and Moving On. These themes are explored through a variety of activities designed to cater to different learning styles, as outlined by Marlene LeFever's educational framework. By incorporating visual, auditory, tactile, and kinesthetic learning methods, the retreats ensure that every student is engaged and can connect with the material in a meaningful way.

The Step Day often culminate in the groups being gathered together, enriched by the day's reflections and activities. This final gathering often has a profound impact, as students come together after a day of personal and collective growth. They return to school not just with tangible keepsakes like pottery, jewellery, and new Bibles, but with a renewed sense of purpose and a spiritual advantage for the year ahead.

In essence, these Step Days offer secondary school students a unique blend of education, spirituality, and community, equipping them with the tools they need to navigate both their academic and personal lives more effectively.

If you would like to join our Step Day team, please do contact Terrie. We are particularly keen to find more people to help with the hospitality on the day and also the clean up after the students have left.