In 2025 CSSV has been working to reanimate the Emerging Young Leaders Network, a collective of those in the earlier stages of their careers with an interest in developing their leadership potential, exploring critical concerns for Catholic social services and related sectors, and developing stronger peer connections. A new organising group has been established, which includes representatives from across CSSV’s member network and beyond.
On Thursday 21 August the Network gathered for it’s first event of the year – a breakfast discussion looking at the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the not-for-profit sector, with particular focus on exploring the ethical concerns of using these technologies.
Lily Brasch, Engagement and Projects Coordinator at CSSV, moderated a discussion which included Michael McVeigh, Head of Publishing and Digital Content at Jesuit Communications, and James Cristofaro, Senior Technical Security Analyst at Energy Australia. Lily framed the conversation by highlighting some statistics from the most recent Digital Technology in the Not-For-Profit Sector Report, noting that 76% of organisations say that staff are using generative AI tools, 42% of organisations say AI is not a priority for their organisation and 12% of organisations say they have an AI policy or guideline to manage data risks. Pip McIlroy, Manager, People and Leadership Development at Jesuit Social Services, then facilitated a Q&A time allowing further engagement with the speakers.
The conversation covered a wide range of topics including:
- How the use of AI processes may impact on the foundational human relationships that are so important in social service, heath and education settings
- The importance of developing and improving critical thinking skills as AI technologies become more widely used, and the role of human checks and balances
- The way Catholic Social Teachings can inform our approach to AI
- The concerning environmental impacts of AI such as the high water usage required for cooling data centres
- Privacy and ethical concerns, such as the use of stolen data in training AI technologies and the security issues of inputting private information into IA platforms
The Emerging Young Leaders Network will continue to meet regularly. If you would like to join the Network and receive news of up upcoming events, please register your interest on the link below.
Join our mailing list
Keep up to date with latest news, information and upcoming events.
We respect your privacy, as outlined in our privacy policy.