Youth Work
There lots of opportunities for children and young people in the work
of our three churches.
St. Christopher's Holme Wood
Andy Sykes is our Senior Youth Outreach Worker, and he and Fiona Meneghello
head up a gifted team of staff and volunteers who lead the various sections
of the project.
The Project is focused on enabling young people in Holme Wood to develop
through:
A: Performing Arts opportunities
B: Housing Support for young tenants
C: Christian teaching and nurture
D: Youth Engagement project
Performing Arts Opportunities:
Wannabe is a Saturday morning club for young people aged
5-15 years who want to develop skills in music, dance and drama from a gifted
crew of teachers. It takes place at St. Christophers Church and is a fun
and chilled out environment, with lots happening all the time! The club regularly
writes and performs its own shows If you are interested in being a
part of Wannabe, contact with Andy on 01274 652539 or e mail at andy.youthwork@blueyonder.co.uk
Music Maker offers musical opportunities to young people
in Holme Wood. Music Maker clubs take place both in local primary schools,
and after school at St. Christophers on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Music Maker is for young people in years 6-8. Contact Andy as
above for more information.
Youth Housing Support
In 2005 the project teamed up with Impact Housing to renovate
Purbeck Court in Dorchester Crescent, so that supported housing could be
offered to young people in Holme Wood. This arrangement changed in
2008, with Impact becoming fully responsible for the support work at Purbeck,
and our project teamed up with Incommunities to offer support to their young
tenants who were in need of this. Fie Meneghello oversees this work,
with Jo Smart also acting as Housing Support Worker.
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Also at St. Christophers, two youth groups meet: 7-UP (which is for 7 - 11
year olds) and Teen Spirit (which is for 12 - 16 year olds). Currently these
are merged together, and meet from 6:30 - 8:00 pm on alternate Thursday evenings
at St. Christophers. On the other Thursday evenings the older young people
meet for Christian fellowship and study at Andy and Sarah's home in Romsey
Gardens. On Sundays at St. Christophers, several different childrens
groups meet. Teen Spirit and 7-up take place then as well as on Thursdays,
but with a more focused attention on learning about God - often using drama,
painting and games to do this, as well as reading directly from the bible
and listening to real stories.
Andy has developed a strong link at Tong School, and with
the Primary Schools of our parish. In most of the schools Andy and local
clergy are involved in taking assemblies, and in supporting the schools through
membership of their Governing bodies etc, as well as through the Music Maker
programme. Andy is also working in close partnership with the youth
ministry at the Salvation Army in Holme Wood and at Holme Church (U.R.C.).
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