Our founder, St John Bosco, created an educational approach that was radical in the nineteenth century, and can still surprise people today. In a world where education relied on using fear of punishment to control young people, his philosophy was to enable each one to flourish and develop into 'good Christians and upright citizens', largely by removing the need for any punishment. Using his principles of 'reason, religion and loving kindness,' he turned around the lives of children who had few prospects, and were at risk of falling into criminal behaviour, or at the very least, living lives of deprivation and poverty.

Salesian schools and youth projects today still follow what Don Bosco called his 'Preventive System' where young people are confident that they are respected and valued by teachers and leaders who provide them with a friendly, healthy and stimulating learning environment, supporting and encouraging them to make the best choices and achieve their full potential, in the context of the Gospel's teachings.

In addition to the schools for whom Salesians of Don Bosco or Salesian Sisters are Trustees, a growing number of schools have chosen to draw on the Salesian charism to strengthen their own ethos. These schools have joined our Salesian Schools Network as Fellowship Schools, where they are supported in their approach by sending representatives events such as to our Schools Conferences and Chaplains' meetings, as well as having access to a wide range of resources to facilitate working with young people in Don Bosco's way.