One2Lead students share how the programme furthered their fire for Jesus

One2Lead is a training programme for young people from age 16 into their 20s. Over the course of two years, spanning six weekends, participants engage in practical and interactive theology and personal growth seminars. Encouragement sessions and time for reflection on how faith relates to contemporary issues are also included. Group activities and times for fellowship are a big part of the programme.

For the past two decades, One2Lead South Wales & Borders has been equipping and inspiring young people to serve and take on leadership roles in their schools, churches, sports clubs, and workplaces. Since joining the course, students have participated in mission trips, church planting, preaching, and evangelism in their local communities.

Since 2020, new locations in the East (Faith Mission, Earl Stonham) and Southwest (Heatree, Newton Abbot) have been launched, which has increased the number of young people Counties have been training. 125 students attended the training course across 3 locations in 2023-2024.

In exciting times, this Autumn, Counties launched two new venues in the Midlands (Blackwell Court, Bromsgrove) and the Scottish borders (Greenhead Hostel, Brampton).

Dave Thomas, coordinator of One2Lead, expresses hope that across the five venues, Counties will train and equip 100 students annually:
“Every weekend, we welcome new students starting the programme, which is exciting. Additionally, we hear from current students about how God has been at work in their lives, which is always encouraging. Highlights for me of the weekend are always the stories of students sharing their faith with friends, starting new initiatives, and growing in their leadership skills.”

Angharad West,

Angharad (far right) at One2Lead

a 21-year-old living in Cardiff, attends the South Wales & Borders One2Lead program. She’s currently on the front line of student mission volunteering with UCCF: The Christian Unions.

I started One2Lead in September 2022. At the start, I really enjoyed meeting people my own age who were equally passionate about God and doing something for Him. I loved the activities. I am terrified of heights, but on the first weekend, we did high ropes, and I did it and enjoyed it.

In terms of the seminars, there was a theological component, which provides students with an overview of the Christian faith, the Bible, and the foundations of Christianity.

There were also seminars about personal development. I was familiar with the Christian foundations of faith, but I struggled to understand how to apply them in practice and what to do with that knowledge. The course really helped me with that.

I am now on track two, which lasts for two years and examines the practical implications of what we learned in track one. So, we’re learning how to read the Bible to get the most out of it, how to do apologetics, and how to write a sermon.

On a personal level, One2Lead taught me that I am not too young to do the things I want to do. It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone. I always thought short-term mission was for later in life, but seeing other people around my age made me realise that I can do the same at this age. So, I went on my first short-term mission to Hungary when I was just 19. I really wanted to see if a cross-cultural mission is where God is calling me, and I would never have gotten to this place if it hadn’t been for One2Lead.

It also made me realise that there is so much to do in a church. I don’t just want to listen to the sermon anymore. I want to be actively involved – not necessarily in the limelight but just helping in the background.

I would say to other young people, if you feel the urge to get involved in something like the Sunday school, then do it. You don’t have to have the experience straight away; you need the passion.

One2Lead helped shape me and my entire university experience. Every time I came away from a weekend, I felt challenged to put into practice what I had learned in terms of personal development. I got involved in the Christian Union, and I felt more confident talking to other people, even if they didn’t believe what I believed.

As I became more active in the CU at my university, it opened my eyes to how much more open students are to the Gospel and how many more opportunities there are to evangelise within a university setting, which is why I ultimately decided to become a Relay Worker for UCCF.

The course makes you think about yourself in a context you wouldn’t otherwise think about. You see other young people doing things, and it makes you realise you can do it. It pushes you outside your comfort zone. And you are doing this from a place of really loving God so much that I want to do something for Him. I wouldn’t have had that prompting if I hadn’t attended One2Lead.

Jacob Newman (20),

Jacob (second from right) on a mission team with Counties Evangelist Bob Telford (middle)

joined One2Lead in September 2022. Following a year on First Serve UK with Counties, he has completed an internship leading the Hereford Street Presence Team, with Vennture.

I decided to join One2Lead because I wanted to learn more about my faith and have an excellent opportunity to network with Christians my age in the surrounding areas, as I didn’t have many Christian friends. That’s carried on, and I still play football on a Monday night with guys I met on the course.

I really enjoyed the personal side of the theology we were taught. It really challenged me to grow deeper in my faith. This now means spending time with God because I want to, not because I have to. Making time to do this every day is something essential in my life now.

One2Lead has also helped me want to share my faith and what Jesus means to me more often. It’s also given me a good grounding; I now feel more confident in how to answer questions about my faith that other people think of, but also ones I ask myself. This is because I have a deeper understanding of the Bible and how it’s connected.

The leaders on the course were there to support me in understanding the questions I have about my faith.

Practically, for me, all these things I have learnt have been taken not only into my personal life but also into my work life. This past year, I worked at Vennture, a Christian charity based in Hereford, where I co-ordinated all the Street Presence Teams.

Everything I had learned at One2Lead was put into practice as I had to not only physically and psychologically look after all the street teams, but also spiritually. From preparing a Biblical encouragement before a team would go out on the street to organising a prayer meeting.

Meeting other Christians of a similar age at One2Lead has been a massive blessing in my life. The leaders on the course were there to support me in understanding the questions I have about my faith, to encourage me, and to grow in my faith positively.

For more information One2Lead, email one2lead@countiesuk.org or to book your place visit countiesuk.org/one2lead