When People Need Help Training Workshops
The Parish Partnerships team has been busy at work on stage two of the When People Need Help program. The idea behind stage two is to build on what was covered in WPNH. This initiative offers local churches training that raises awareness and identifies resources to build bridges in the community with those who need our help.
Training Officer Mat Teakle will be coordinating the workshops which will be ready for delivery by Autumn 2010. They will cover seven key areas:
1. Sudanese Communities
2. Caring for Carers
3. Homelessness and the Local Church
4. Be a Disability Inclusive Church
5. Caring for the Ageing
6. Building Friendships in High Density Areas
7. Addiction
Darren Farrell, Parish Partnerships Team Leader, says, “These workshops are about people learning together using the wisdom and experiences of people with very close ties to each of the seven key areas. For example, we are very close to finishing the Caring for Carers workshop using community building exercises that have been fashioned out of extensive input from actual carers.”
To learn more about these workshops, contact Mat Teakle on 9895 8189.
CARE2Grow
Relationships are the life blood of our communities. To strengthen and build healthy relationships ANGLICARE has developed CARE2Grow courses for individuals, couples, families and communities over a range of topics from parenting to dealing with grief.
St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Riverwood- Punchbowl is one of eight parishes to have already taken up the opportunity to reach out to people living in their area using a Care2Grow course. About thirty people attended the event with almost a third of the participants unconnected to the church.
The course was held at the local community centre and the organiser, parishioner Leila Koh, says it was Connect09 that pushed their home group to explore ways to reach people living
in their area.
Settling on a program that addressed grief and loss Leila says, “It was an issue the church was facing and because the community centre stated they also received a lot of calls about grief and loss, we thought a course like this would be beneficial.
“We then promoted the event in the community with flyers at the centre and at the Department of Housing.”
Program manager, Catriona Corbett, says it is a great way in which parishes can provide a service to the community as well as bring those unfamiliar with church in contact with Christians.
“The aim is to give participants the practical step-by-step skills to build or strengthen the bonds they have with their children, within their marriage or to build their personal capacity to overcome challenges.”
For more information on the Care2Grow seminars available contact Catriona Corbett at ANGLICARE’s Family Relationship Early Intervention Service on (02) 9895 8112.