Ann Honey is a Church Related Community Worker (CRCW) located in the heart of Billingham, County Durham. This summer, Ann and the volunteers at St Columba’s United Reformed Church (URC) were able to run a whole host of activities for children in the local area, due to careful planning, volunteering, local support and a can-do attitude. In her reflection, Ann reveals that if you have a vision, even with a small team and meagre resources, you can bring about positive change when working with your local community.
Here in Billingham, we were very happy to be able to run our activities for young people again this year. It feels like a very long time since we did anything with the children who live in the local area. We love working with the young people and see these contacts as an opportunity to form relationships with residents and their children.
Also, there are many children whose families are not eligible for benefits, but who still struggle to feed their children over the school holidays. We always provide lunch for the children before they go home, and we don’t charge for this very reason. All children are cared for and provided for equally.
Raising the funds
We started looking for funding back in April because the church has had little income this year, like most places. The local council offered to help but only for those children attending, who were in receipt of free school meals. This put us in a quandary – we never ask on our registration form whether the children are eligible for free school meals, because we think it is none of our business. Also, there are many children whose families are not eligible for benefits, but who still struggle to feed their children over the school holidays. We always provide lunch for the children before they go home, and we don’t charge for this very reason. All children are cared for and provided for equally.
We were also a bit concerned that the council would put us on their list of “providers” and our capacity would fill up with people who lived further afield rather than in the local community our church serves. So, after thinking it through we put in an application to Synod and told them why. Synod generously helped us out so we could provide a fantastic summer activities programme.
Our capacity is only 20 as we didn’t want to overreach ourselves after being closed for so long, and the places filled up very quickly. Some children were new to us, some new to the area, and some were children who had been with us a few years. It was so lovely to open the doors to excited, chattering young people on that first day – so many things have been cancelled in the last 18 months or so, I think they were all very happy that this was something they could look forward to.
We finished with a barbecue for the children and their carers which we were lucky enough to finish before the rains came! We have had a blast.
Planning
We themed the days to help with planning (butterflies, bees, superheroes, jungle); we made Elmer elephants out of milk cartons, superhero capes out of plastic aprons, played with parachutes and hunted beetles in the garden. One of the days was dedicated to the visit of a scientist showing the young people how to make elephant toothpaste, slime and patterns on plasma balls – kids love science!! We finished with a barbecue for the children and their carers which we were lucky enough to finish before the rains came! We have had a blast.
Many churches worry that they don’t work with children, but perhaps they don’t have to? If you are thinking of a project for your church – look around first and see what you have, make use of what you’ve got, and do the things you CAN do.
The role of a CRCW
Part of my job is helping churches to look at the assets they have, and to make best and most appropriate use of them. St Columba’s is fortunate in having a small team of volunteers who are already trained in youth and children’s work (teachers, guide leaders, youth workers). They also have current safeguarding and Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificates, which saves A LOT of work in the planning stages.
It isn’t a huge project, it is a project that the church can manage, and they do what they can. It won’t change the world, but it will make the lives of those young people a little better, and their parents’ lot a little easier.
Many churches worry that they don’t work with children, but perhaps they don’t have to? If you are thinking of a project for your church – look around first and see what you have, make use of what you’ve got, and do the things you CAN do.
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Find out more about Church Related Community Work
If you would like to find out more about Church Related Community Work and how you can become an agent of social change, contact the CRCW office by email for more information.
