Ursuline College Hosts Social Justice Day

Empowered for Justice: KCSP Students Lead the Way on Global Debt Campaign

On Tuesday 2nd October, Ursuline College proudly hosted a Social Justice Day in partnership with CAFOD, bringing together passionate Year 10 students from across the Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership (KCSP).

Students from St Edmund’s, St Anselm’s, and Ursuline College, united to explore one of the most urgent global justice issues of our time: the burden of international debt faced by some of the world’s poorest countries.

The day began with bonding games and collaborative icebreakers, setting the tone for empathy, connection, and teamwork. Students then dove into CAFOD’s powerful Debt Detectives activity, uncovering how countries like Kenya and Sri Lanka are being forced to spend more on debt repayments than on healthcare or education – with private lenders, often based in the City of London, refusing to offer relief.

A key moment of motivation came when students learned that CAFOD needed just 1,200 more signatures to reach the 10,000 required to officially lobby the UK Government. After calculating that there are around 3,000 students across their three schools, the students immediately recognised that this goal was entirely achievable.

With this in mind, they spent the afternoon creating persuasive presentations to deliver to their fellow students back at school, aiming to raise awareness and encourage mass signing of the petition. Campaigns included use of QR codes, assemblies, and creative displays across school sites.

Grounded in the principles of Catholic Social Teaching – especially Solidarity, Human Dignity, and The Common Good – students also reflected on their faith’s call to act justly and love mercifully.

“It’s amazing that we can actually do something about this – we’re just teenagers, but we have a voice,” shared one participant.

Students watched a special video message from CAFOD, who expressed their deep appreciation for the young campaigners, and many students shared a desire to write letters to their local MPs and push the campaign even further. If you would like to sign the petition or read more about it, please use this link.

Staff praised the day as educational, collaborative, and mission-driven, noting how it reminded everyone involved of the privilege it is to walk alongside young people as they live out their faith through justice.

Headteacher of Ursuline College, Dannii Lancefield, said “I am so proud of our students for embracing their responsibility to speak out for justice. Days like this remind us that Catholic education is about more than just academic success – it’s about forming young people who are courageous, compassionate, and ready to change the world for the better.”