This year, I have been living and working at Castlerigg Manor, a Catholic residential retreat centre located in the heart of the Lake District. Both my parents worked at Castlerigg, and after I came up on course with my school, I could see the attraction. It offered a rare environment where we, as young people, perhaps for the first time, were able to openly think and talk about the love God has for us and how that makes an impact on our lives. It's an experience that my friends and I still talk about with fond memories.

After my GCSE's, I went on to study Maths, Biology, Chemistry, and RS at A-level, with the hope of going directly to university after my 2 years at sixth form. However, when it got to the time for my final exams, I was aware that I needed a break from studying and started looking at different options for a gap year. I thought back to Castlerigg and enquired about an interview. The interview process was simply to come up and be on course and from that, I decided that this was definitely what I wanted to do.

Since coming, I have never regretted my decision, and am always thanking God for leading me here. Although sometimes, I find it difficult and challenging, I think it has been entirely worthwhile. It's the greatest feeling when the group leave, knowing that you've has some input into making a difference in the young people's lives. A couple of weeks ago, when we had a group up, I was talking to one of the girls on the walk. She told me that before this week, she might have believed in God, but she'd never really thought about it before. She said religion to her was just something you got a mark for in a classroom and was something you read out of a textbook. But, she told me that by coming to Castlerigg, and seeing people other than teachers talking about God in a way that looked like they knew what they were talking about, had really changed her opinions.

Another time, a few months ago, I got talking to a boy at the dinner table that was up with the group. He was telling me that he's really enjoyed the week and all the religious bit too, but at school, he's got a reputation to keep. He'd been in a cell a couple of times and told me that he often got into fights, but he didn't like that about himself and that being at Castlerigg has shown him that. We heard recently, that since Castlerigg, he hasn't been in any trouble at all at school.

Hearing things like this are so incredibly affirming. Seeing the young people respond to what we do in this way, has reinforced my own faith too, and since being here, I know that I have a much stronger relationship with God.

As well as this, I know that I've gained confidence over my year here and have learnt things that I never would have done, had I gone straight to university, such as living in a community and working with different personalities. I know that what I've learnt here will stay with me for a long time, and will help me in my future as I train to be a physiotherapist at university. And like I said, I can only be thankful to God for bringing me here and pray that next year's gap year volunteers will get as much from their year as I have.

Rosie O'Donnell