New training opportunity for church-based community workers...

One of my earliest concerns on coming into my present post a little over two years ago - and it remains my concern, now through experience with people in many parishes and projects - was that I felt ill-equipped to know where to direct those with community ministry experience in terms of "Where next?" to reflect on their experiences and to integrate that with both Christian theology and community development practice.

So, I am very pleased indeed to now be starting to see the fruits of a labour that has meant working with peer-colleagues in London and Southwark Dioceses, the Church Urban Fund, and the University of Westminster over the past eighteen months.

From hereonin, I shall be commending the following course!...[nb. The wording that follows is that which will also be in a glossy A5 booklet, very shortly!]



Practical and Critical Perspectives for Church-based Community Development

Community development is recognised as a profession in its own right, utilised by the public, private and ‘third’ sectors – the latter, community and voluntary organisations. In recent years there has been a growth in professionals’ roles requiring community development skills – particularly at the interface between government policy initiatives and local neighbourhood regeneration projects. With this has come the introduction of agreed occupational standards, which define the skills and knowledge needed to establish effective community development practice.

Christian churches have a long history of community development work in disadvantaged neighbourhoods, playing a vital role as catalyst and facilitator, enabling diverse people groups to identify effective ways through problems associated with disadvantage and poverty. Church-based community development work has played a vital role in providing holistic services, enabling citizens to establish more confidence and control of key areas of life through a combination of social, moral and spiritual welfare development.

Responding to the proliferation of church-based community development work, the University of Westminster is pleased to offer this practical, intensive, and dynamic new course.

The University of Westminster has a unique history of delivering professional courses that meet the needs of groups from a variety of professional backgrounds. The development of this innovative and professionally-endorsed pathway in church-based community development work upholds this tradition. Through a new model of learning, church-based community development workers will be able to explore a range of key issues at the core of their practice.

This important new course captures the distinctive contribution of church-based community development work in challenging injustice and facilitating effective responses. The course is:
• Practical – it will enable church-based community workers to enhance and develop their own skills, and develop relevant new approaches where appropriate. The programme includes site visits and interactive sessions with leading church-based community development worker-practitioners
• Critical – participants will analyse in depth the issues confronted by church-based community development workers, connecting theological ideas to experience, to critically shape and inform practice.

The course will provide participants with training in up-to-date community development practice.

Facilities
The course is taught at our newly-refurbished Cavendish site in purpose-built facilities. You will have access to all the dedicated library and computing facilities that you would expect from one of Britain’s largest universities.

Teaching
The creative learning environment helps you to acquire a critical grounding in church-based community development work. There are no easy answers or quick fixes. You will be able to use this course to wrestle with the issues of developing effective and empowering church-based practice underpinned by community work principles. The course enables you to share and compare your experiences with others, stimulated by new perspectives from assigned reading, invited speakers and practical assignments. The experience and expertise students bring is highly valued. You can also incorporate this course within extended study for a Postgraduate Diploma or Certificate.

Teaching staff
Our staff are a diverse team made up of core and associate staff all of whom are engaged in practice outside the University. They bring relevant and current experience of different sectors to the work of the School.

Assessment
Assessment will be via coursework.

Entry requirements
You must have two years’ experience in church based community work (paid or unpaid) as well as an Honours degree or evidence of ability to work at postgraduate level. You will also be required to submit an essay on community work practice, and be interviewed. Applicants are invited from community organisations, the voluntary sector, statutory agencies, health, housing and social care. You are required to show competence in written and spoken English, equivalent to an IELTS score of 6.5 or above in all components, or equivalent.

How to apply
Applications should be made directly to the University, using a paper application form or online from the University website. Applications should be sent to:

Cavendish Admissions and Marketing Office,
University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1W 6UW
Tel: +44 (0)20 7911 5883

Email: cav-admissions@westminster.ac.uk

Related courses
MA Community Development
MA International Community Development

“At long last we have a first class course which gives the tools into the hands of those who wrestle with how their work in community is directly related to and critiqued by their Christian faith.
Bringing together the disciplines of Community Development and Christian Theology encourages brave new insights into Community Action and can open up fascinating new discoveries about what the Christian faith can do for individuals and local communities. The course is taught by a highly respected team, who know how to do it – and know how to help other do it. The course is both vocational, in that it offers new skills and abilities, and is reflective, in that it engenders those insights which are vital to energetic faith understanding and social concern. It will be welcomed in parishes by clergy, ministry teams and community workers – indeed, by any Christian who has serious Kingdom concerns. This exciting course offers the tools for courageous Community Development shot through with faithful Christian integrity.”

Dr Laurie Green
Bishop of Bradwell

New funding streams for community ministry in south and east Essex

This is a copy of letter that is being sent out to all incumbent clergy in south and east Essex today...

Others for whom this might be of use are just as welcome to be in touch with this office, through this blog or otherwise...

Dear colleagues

I wanted to let you know about a number of (relatively-new) funding streams which may be of help to you in your community ministry work. I hope you will find them of value.

I am, of course, ready and willing to directly assist any parish or group who might wish for my assistance in approaching these funders or developing their vision and plans.

Church and Community Fund (Church of England) helps with projects of all kinds that bring the community into the church and the church into the community. The maximum grant is £15,000 and applicants are welcome to request any amount within this limit. The Fund does support ecumenical projects where the Anglican Church plays a significant role. Full guidance notes and application details are on their website: www.churchandcommunityfund.org.uk or contact The Church and Community Fund on 020 7898 1767 or email ccf@c-of-e.org.uk

Migration Impacts Fund: A new fund to manage the transitional impacts of migration has been announced and application packs for project funding are now available. For further information contact Lee Davies, Government Office East, 01223 372950 or email lee.davies@goeast.gsi.gov.uk

BT Community Connections is an award scheme which enables community and charitable organisations to get online and make use of information and communication technology (ICT). The scheme supports a diverse range of community and charitable organisations. Almost any organisation, working in any field of community benefit, can apply for a laptop and a year’s free broadband connection. To find out more log on to www.btcommunityconnections.com

Deadlines for round one (open now):

Postal applications must be received by 9 June 2009

Online applications must be submitted by 11 June 2009

Free Introductory Pack on Funding and Finance
Produced by NCVO’s Sustainable Funding Project and the Finance Hub, this pack of six guides is for small and medium sized organisations and they cover fundraising, trading, contracting and much more.

For more information visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/sfp/introductory-pack

Myself and others on the Area Team hope that these opportunities may be of assistance to you.

Go well,

The Revd Paul Trathen

Faith in Action Advisor – Bradwell Episcopal Area

PS Archdeacon David Lowman and Canon Martin Wood also hold a list of trust funds that have a track record of making grants to help with the repair and/or reordering of church buildings.

Martin, further, holds a database of grant making trusts that can be accessed in his office.

Martin is happy to offer general advice to parishes about raising money for major capital projects.

The funding guides on the parish resources website (http://www.parishresources.org.uk/funding.htm) are a good source of advice.

The safeguarding of our children...

One aspect of my work which is a great privilege - though it can be a terrible chore, and certainly has its tedious moments! - is being involved in the life of Essex County Council.

I have been co-opted as a Member of the Council, in the first instance to be asked to contribute towards the scrutiny of policy in the arena of Children, Young People, Schools and Families. Being in County Hall and meeting other Members/Councillors, though, certainly helps me to develop relationships and familiarity with people and functions of our local authority, which is valuable in all sorts of ways...

Today, we had a day-long scrutiny exercise, calling a string of witnesses to tell our committee about their work on the Essex Safeguarding Children's Board. Essex has been heavily-critisized by OFSTED for its failing and unsatisfactory work in regard of safeguarding our children, so this Board's growing work and profile is significant. Should colleagues wish to know more about what we are investigating and monitoring, then do please be in touch.

It is also significant that, just yesterday, HM Government (DSCF) published its own latest bit of advice and direction about the work of Boards of this kind, following on as a response to the second piece of work by Lord Laming, itself arising out of the Baby Peter debacle over these past months.

Watch this space!

The Croydon connection, Rowan's environmental initiatives and other fun...

Was great, today, to welcome a colleague from down in south London...

The Revd Dr Barry Goodwin wears many hats, and is a wonderful example to me of how to juggle the kind of job he and I do. Barry works in the Croydon Episcopal Area of the Diocese of Southwark (ie. south of the river in London and a bit of Surrey) as their Parish Development and Social Responsibility Officer, and acts in a wider capacity across the Diocese as DEO (Diocesan Environment Officer) and Rural Officer.

We were able to touch base about a number of things, but a good number of them concerned environmental matters and initiatives.

Barry convenes the group for the London Churches' Environmental Network, which is a useful discussion and action forum across the capital city, and should be seen as a resource beyond the metropolis, in my view. So, come on, Essex people, get plugged in to this network!...

Barry has also been involved in some of the lead-up to the relaunch this summer of the C of E's environmental initiative Shrinking the Footprint. This will be given a needed jolt of new publicity on June 11 at Lambeth Palace by ++Rowan - I hope to be there, and want our churches in south and east Essex to really get excited and committed about the idea of making our places of worship and our lives of discipleship in Jesus Christ places where God can speak powerfully of His goodness against the background of our present perilous relaitionship with His created order...

At the end of this year, vital discussions about our energy uses and carbon sequestration across the world will be the subject of international discussions at Copenhagen. Perhaps, we could consider in our parishes involving the whole community, and especially our children, in the ARK campaign of Operation Noah? I would be happy to assist any in the parishes - or our schools - with this initiative, which I think is a really great one!

Welcome to Bradwell Faith in Action!

If you have been directed here from the journey home, or via the website of the Anglican Diocese of Chelmsford, welcome! If you have arrived here otherwise, then welcome too!...

Please be patient as this blog gradually develops as a resource for all who are working to serve the communities of south and east Essex, and beyond. Should you have suggestions about what ought to be here, do please make suggestions!

Go well,

Paul