Vision & Mission

Vision

Guilford Young College is committed to providing a Christ-centred, dynamic learning environment that empowers young minds, inspires compassionate hearts, and nourishes resilience. Our vision is to cultivate intellectual curiosity, to promote inclusivity, embed critical thinking and celebrate passion for lifelong learning.

Mission

With Christ our Light we nurture faith, foster an environment of care and respect for the dignity of the whole person, celebrate life and all creation and empower each other to work locally and globally. Our aim is to prepare our young people to embrace the challenges of an ever-changing world, with grace and integrity. The College is committed to continuous improvement, innovation and the pursuit of excellence. Honouring the vision and charism of Archbishop Sir Guilford Young and the College’s founding orders, we promote spiritual growth, encourage service to others and allow our values of growth, connection, love, respect and courage, to flourish.

Values

The underpinning values of Love and Respect are interwoven in our common dialogue, as they form the foundation of all that we do. The explicit values of Growth, Connection and Courage encompass all facets of College life; spiritual, academic, pastoral, co-curricular, student expectations and behaviour.

Love and RespecT

In our context, love is a sacred interpersonal connection which nurtures the soul. Love encompasses Forgiveness, Honesty, Authenticity, Compassion, Kindness, Patience and Selflessness.

Through the core Christian value of Love, we want to ensure that Guilford is more than a place of academic education; it is a place of respect, safety, tolerance, compassion and acceptance. We want our students to be able to flourish and be the best they can be by experiencing God’s world in all its fullness and seeking meaning through life’s journey.

College Motto

“Christ our Light” speaks of hope and reassurance and in our community, love forms the basis of all that we do. We share a love of learning, love for one another and love for the wider community. As St Paul wrote, “Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14). At Guilford, students are provided an environment in which they can come to love themselves, feel loved by others and accept that love. They are called upon to do the same for their neighbour and are invited to learn the enduring love of Christ.

“Let all that you do be done in love”
— 1 Corinthians 16:14

GROWTH

Guilford Young College respects the human dignity of each individual by providing the opportunity for them to grow and be connected within our community. We recognise within everyone, the potential for transformation and progression. At Guilford, we seek to provide a safe space for the individual to make their own personal growth journey.

We meet each person where they are at in this exploration of self. United, we seek to empower students to overcome potential challenges and fulfil their goals. We aim to empower students to grow in their own sense of worth and to respect the dignity and individuality of others.

CONNECTION

Guilford Young College is a welcoming community, which offers many opportunities to build strong connections that can support and enrich each individual’s experience during their time at the College. We value every individual, in a spirit of unconditional love for each unique person. Each person is invited and supported to develop strong connections within the Guilford community, the wider community and with the whole of creation.

We offer many opportunities to belong, participate, enjoy activities, be supported and feel safe to grow as individuals and lifelong learners. We inspire everyone to respect the dignity of the individual, the community and the environment where we are made to feel included, accepted and valued.

COURAGe

At Guilford Young College, we are courageous in our mission to be honest with ourselves and with others in order to achieve our potential. We strive to model and nurture in our students the courage to be accountable and responsible for all that we do and all that we say. We seek to empower students to develop the courage to be authentic and have integrity and to invest in our community through full participation and engagement.

Founding Pillars

Our College is animated by the Charisms (grace and gifts) of our founding Orders who came together to establish our College handing on the light of Christ to Guilford.

  • Justice and Solidarity – We are committed to justice and peace for all, grounded in a spirituality of action and reflection that calls us to stand in solidarity with those who are marginalised and the earth itself.

  • Veritas – the quest for truth through love of knowledge and lifelong learning.

  • Celebrating diversity and promoting relationships based on mutual respect – building inclusive communities of welcome, integrity, joy, respect, belonging and dynamism.

  • Reverence for the dignity of all, humble and compassionate service of those made poor and courage in the face of adversity. “There where you are you will find God.”

  • Develop our own spirituality and gifts in the service of others.

“All created things give us ideas and glimpses of the beauty of the infinitely beautiful Creator.”
— Father Julian Tenison Woods