Being poor was no longer just attributed to someone wealth and materialism. Someone could be poor in health, poor in mind, poor in spirit… And so the groups they worked with started to expand. In fact, a particular issue became apparent: there was little to no infrastructure for the young people in the Salford area of the UK. As a result, the Spiritans wanted to find a way to reach out to the children and young people.

And so, in 1998, Just Youth was established as a youth ministry project and a Registered Charity (1072491). It was founded where the need was: in Salford. Just Youth set out to lay the groundwork for the new generation in Salford to feel empowered in body, mind, and spirit. This would be done by supporting people of all faiths and none as they grew and developed through youth ministry.

As it stands, the Spiritans still run Just Youth in a humble corner of Salford called Lower Kersal. (Lower Kersal stands in the top 3% of the government’s deprivation index.) At Just Youth, we work with approximately 300 schools up and down the country, though predominantly in Greater Manchester. We work with a wide age range, starting with children as young as 3. The Just Youth team is composed of a dedicated team of Spiritan Priests, Seminarians, youth workers, and ‘gap year’ volunteers.