Student leaders from across the Edmund Rice family came together at St Comgall’s Centre, Belfast, for the ERST Student Leadership Conference 2026. Representatives from all eight Edmund Rice schools, St Mary’s CBGS, John Paul II Primary School, Edmund Rice College, Armagh CBS Primary School, Omagh CBS, Abbey CBS, St Patrick’s Primary School and All Saints College, joined in a day dedicated to leadership, service and social justice.
Throughout the day, students shared the outstanding work taking place in their school communities, highlighting a wide range of social justice initiatives including the Zambia Immersion Project, mental health programmes, Shared Education, charitable outreach and advocacy work. Their presentations demonstrated how the Edmund Rice ethos is lived out through action, compassion and service to others.
The conference featured inspiring contributions from the Westcourt Centre and Edmund Rice Development, encouraging students to reflect on the impact they can have as agents of positive change within their schools and communities.
A memorable start to the day saw students participate in a mock juvenile court, where they were humorously found “guilty” of living out the values of Edmund Rice through leadership, faith, partnership and service.
Students also worked collaboratively on a Christmas card design project, with the finished cards to be distributed across the ERST network in the coming weeks.
The conference provided an excellent opportunity for young people to share ideas, celebrate success and strengthen their commitment to social justice. As part of a shared action plan, students will act as ambassadors for five key social justice themes within their schools during the year ahead.
We look forward to continuing to develop this important work and empowering the next generation of leaders inspired by the Edmund Rice Charter.
