YCS was originally called Young Christian Students but due to interference by other Christians, it was changed to the Young Catholic Students Club. This means that membership is restricted to Catholics. This was a recent undertaking by the World Council.

Foundation

YCS was started in the 19th century by a Belgian Priest known as Fr Joseph C. as a way of restoring hope and courage to the youth in Europe, who were feeling very frustrated with the economy.

The main objective of the movement is to make the students‘ world a better and happier place to live in, both spiritually and materially. The YCS motto is: “See, Judge, Act reflecting the mode of activities of the movement.

Organizational Structure

YCS starts with the individual member. In a school setting, members form basic teams through which they will be able to carry out the activities, such as demonstrating God‘s love for us through reaching out to other people and ensuring that they come to realize God‘s love for them. The basic teams in a school make up a section. Each section pays a subscription fee to the National Council of UGX 28,000 annually.

Sections in a diocese organize themselves into federations. The various federations in a diocese then form a Diocesan Council. The various dioceses in the country now form the National Council, which has its headquarters in Nsambya, Kampala. The National Council is under the Pan African Council headquartered in Nairobi (Kenya) and meets every 24 years. The Pan African Council falls under the World Council.

YCS at TCA

YCS is a Christian movement chaired by a section leader and his cabinet executives under the Patron who is a chaplain of the Catholic Chapel.

Objectives of the YCS Movement

  • To create and develop a deeper Christian and social awareness of problems facing students at school and in society today
  • To help students study social doctrines of the Catholic church and proclaim Christ‘s gospel in school and society
  • To deepen and strengthen the faith and charity of students as witnesses of Christ
  • To help students build a solid and balanced personality so as to enable them to take responsibility in school and society
  • To develop students spiritually and morally, at school and outside of school, in order to make a better place to live in

YCS Mission

To endeavour to bring greater understanding between students of different denominations

YCS Vision

To make a student‘s world better, both spiritually and materially

YCS Activities in TCA

1. Charitable works both within and outside school
2. Organizing mass from Monday to Friday starting at 4:50pm
3. Organizing prayer sessions every weekend at 8:00pm – 9:00pm on Saturday
4. Bible study and faith with action is also being promoted
5. Conducting seminars and meetings, both within and outside school, to spread God‘s message
6. Carrying out vegetable growing in order to develop students agriculturally and learn how to be job creators and not job seekers

Jude Odongo, YCS Section Leader, TCA