West Cambridge Christian Youth Ministries

History

West Cambridge Christian Youth Ministries (WCCYM) was established in 1992 to support a Christian youth worker for the area of West Cambridge, focusing on the catchment area of the local secondary school, Comberton Village College (CVC). The major aim of the work was that the youth worker would;

“Earn the right to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to young people in West Cambridge”

John Cornwall began working for WCCYM in September 1992.  He was accountable to an executive committee that met twice a term.  The committee consisted of representatives from the major contributing churches.  By the end of John’s second year of employment (1994) it was felt that the original mission statement had been fully achieved and was accordingly changed to the statement that now exists;

“WCCYM exists to communicate the good news of Jesus Christ to young people in West Cambridge”

Since 1992, various youth workers have worked with WCCYM, either through being directly employed by WCCYM, or in partnership with local churches. There have been youth work trainees doing university or college courses on placement with WCCYM, and links with Christians in Sport and Youth For Christ / Operation Gideon. 

WCCYM’s activities and events have changed over the years, depending on the needs of the young people, and the gifts and skills of the youth workers and volunteers. Over the years, these have included: a youth club focussing on music, sport and discussion; a band to play at churches and youth services (the first youth service was in 1997); School Christian union groups; Night of Champions; creative arts activities and groups; discipleship groups; trips to Spring Harvest and Soul Survivor; specific courses (eg Youth Alpha); and a WCCYM weekend away (which started originally in 2001 as a Crossover Christian union weekend away).