Held in UCKG’s 30th anniversary year in the UK, the event showcased the powerful impact of faith-based youth work in transforming the lives of young Brits beyond the classroom – tackling issues schools often can’t fix alone, from mental health struggles and violence to overwhelming social pressure.
Teachers and headteachers in attendance were visibly moved, with one commenting: “I came for my student, but it turns out this event was also for me.”
Another headteacher recognised a former pupil performing on stage: “I couldn’t believe the transformation. She had completely turned her life around.”
On the night, the message was clear: your past doesn’t define you – your choices do. Young people, dressed in formal attire, shared raw and emotional performances based on real-life stories and performances – from gang escape to family reconciliation. All were united in the hope of beginning their own “Chapter One.”
The Victory Youth Group is the country’s most active youth organisation for 14–25-year-olds, offering a lifeline to those caught in cycles of trauma, anxiety, peer pressure or gang culture. Through weekly mentoring, creative expression, and community support, it’s helping young people take back control of their lives.
Bishop James Marques, who closed the evening with a powerful call to action, said: “Chapter One was more than an event – it was a declaration. Young Brits are choosing a new path. Our role is to support them with consistency, purpose and belief.”
Pastor Rees, who leads the VYG, added: “We’re here to tell every young person in Britain: you are not a problem to be fixed – you are potential to be realised.”
The event follows newly commissioned UCKG research which reveals that 72% of Gen Z believe faith-based organisations are key to solving the UK’s social challenges – particularly mental health, homelessness, and youth crime.
As UCKG celebrates 30 years of work in the UK, V-Day: Chapter One stands as a bold statement of what comes next – a new generation ready to lead, supported by a community that refuses to give up on them.