Author: Sara Barron

New ‘Mission on the Margins’ Training

StHild_011_A5 Leaflet_MISSION ON THE MARGINS

I am pleased to let you know about a new Mission on the Margins Practitioner track. Urban Life have been developing this with St Hild and we will commence accepting students in September.

Mission on the Margins is designed for people who are involved in mission and ministry in marginal contexts and with marginalised communities. We offer a wide range of modules and a flexibility that enables participants to discover the best learning path for them. Participants can be accredited at MA, postgraduate and graduate level or you can follow a non-accredited path. Modules are taught through a mixture of online seminars, further reading and in person sessions at St Hild’s Sheffield and Mirfield centres. I’ve attached a flyer that gives you more information or you can visit www.sthild.org/practitioner-tracks.

We believe that the training we are offering will enable participants to engage in learning that will increase their understanding of their practice. If you have any questions, then please feel free to ask.

 

Kids Matter – Working with Estate Churches

Kids Matter has a vision to see every child in need raised in a strong family. We engage local churches to use relational, evidence informed programmes to equip parents and carers in the community who are facing disadvantages with confidence, competence and community enabling their children to thrive. Everything we do is focused on the country’s vulnerable children. We train peer facilitators from churches and they provide ongoing support and supervision to run the programme, help churches connect with new families and to support churches to continue to build relationships with families who have been on the programme.
The parenting groups are small with no more than 4 – 8 parents. The atmosphere is informal, it is always sitting around a table together over coffee, tea and pastries, working together with user-friendly and evidence-informed booklets, all led by the trained peer facilitator from the local church. The programme has been adapted so that it can run via group video calls, along with the facilitator training which is also available online. Even though currently we can’t all sit around a table with tea and coffee we still very much encourage our facilitators to create a warm hospitable atmosphere through zoom, one facilitator even delivered biscuits to each of the participants homes beforehand

You can find out all about kids matter here (www.kidsmatter.org) where you will also find free resources that you can use with families.

Here are few comments on the impact of Kids Matter parenting programmes.

‘These weeks have been a real journey for our family, my 4 year old now says ‘I love you mummy’, he never used to do that before.’

‘It’s helped me massively to realise it’s ok to feel overwhelmed sometimes. Talking to others and realising I am not alone’

‘I realised the importance of eating together as a family we never did that when I was growing up and I felt like my mum didn’t know me.’

‘Kids Matter has proved to be an excellent way to help churches engage with families and caregivers, particularly in areas where family life is a struggle. I would recommend any church looking to ­nd ways to connect with parents in their parish to explore Kids Matter.’ Rt Revd Dr Graham Tomlin. Bishop of Kensington

Children and Families in Estates – Coronavirus Opportunities

Curbs work with Children and Families in Urban, Estate and marginalised communities. Giving support, providing resources and offering training opportunities. As we negotiate these unprecedented times, I wonder if you are able to connect with Children and Families in your estate? If you are, we would love to hear about it, perhaps interview you and share your story with others to give encouragement. One such good news opportunity has been created by a church in Plaistow to continue connecting with their Friday night club. Why not check out the www.curbsproject.org.uk for their story and access to the resources they have made.
To share your inspiring stories, ask questions or find out about what else is going on email sarajb@hotmail.co.uk
Or phone 07766020524
Or follow on facebook @curbsproject

FREE mission opportunity

Fantastic Opportunity!!
Calling all those working on estates!
We have a brilliant opportunity to give every year 6 the ‘it’s your move’ book, on every estate, as a gift to aid their transition to secondary school.
‘It’s your move’ is a book written by scripture union here is a little they have to say about it…
Whether you were a confident or a scared 11-year-old, chances are that you were at least a bit apprehensive about starting this new phase of your life.
Research conducted by Scripture Union confirmed that the big change from primary to secondary school can be really stressful, as children come to terms with being the small fish in a much bigger pond.
That’s why we developed It’s Your Move, a brilliant book designed to help primary schools as they prepare their top year pupils for their move to secondary school. It’s packed with wise advice and true stories of young people who have already taken that big step.
Now on its sixth edition since its publication in 2001, It’s Your Move has helped over a million children move on with confidence.
To benefit from this amazing one-off deal and get your free copies to give to your local schools. Ring 01908 856000 ask for the 2015 copies (as many as you can use) and use the following code ym18old
They come in packs of 10, and each has a small guide to how they may be used. You will need to pay postage. If you have other churches in your area perhaps you could order together to save on postage.