News from the Pews

I thought it would be good to have some updates from some of the work in parishes around the diocese to give you ideas and encouragement. This term we’ve got news from Bromsgrove.

Lis Bereen from Bromsgrove tells us about how their youth group looked like it might fold and what they did in response:

“Following a meeting with the minister we took some time out to regroup and get more staff and we now have a team that is twelve strong. We have divided into teams for Creative and Media, Sport, Craft and Cookery nights and that seems to be working well although there is always a bit of crossover. Last summer the "chill-out" room had a complete makeover with input from members (your suggestion partly) and is now tastefully decorated with comfortable furniture, a carpet and a large flat-screen TV with x-box. This room is a useful multi-purpose room for other groups.

There was a lot of talk (and anxiety) about how to attract new members but I was confident that if we put on an attractive programme this would build organically. And build it did. We went from 5 to 20 in a short space of time. We currently have more girls than boys which is an easier dynamic in the group. We have kept going over the summer with regular Sunday games in the park which has been well attended by staff and members. * The training you gave us has been very helpful and I have seen leaders' confidence and competence grow steadily. The leader who heads up the team with me has been on maternity leave but now her son is 3 months old she is returning to youth group. We are delighted as she has been much missed. She has still been involved with the admin side all along.

Our two peer leaders will both be at University from October but will still join us in the holidays. We have two new 16 year olds who we hope will take on this role (one male one female) and a 20 year old female student who has already proved her worth during the summer holidays and who is joining the sports team. She is doing this as a placement as part of her college course in Access to Social Work.”