Andrew Holt shares the work he is involved in supporting deaneries and parishes as Volunteer Diocesan Ambassador for The Children’s Society at the Diocese of Gloucester.
“The Children’s Society provides specialist support that empowers young people to make positive changes. Working alongside young people, their families and community, the charity will continue, step-by-step, to create a society built for all children and overturn the damaging decline in their well-being, which young people have been reporting for more than 10 years.
“Young people come to The Children’s Society when they have low self-esteem, when they’re living in families who can’t afford the next meal, or the next size up in school uniform, when there’s no one else to lean on. We see teenagers in our services who want to quit using drugs or alcohol, who are looking after Mum, Dad or their siblings more than they bargained for, or who have been taken advantage of and find themselves carrying drugs to far-away towns, or having sex with strangers.
“Young people come to us when they need someone to talk to, for therapy, sometimes just a bite to eat. To help with their court case, to talk to their mum, social services, their teacher, and sometimes not to talk at all. We work with young people for as long as it takes and we’re with them no matter what.
“We listen to their experiences and campaign and lobby on their behalf, and we work to change the systems that affect them growing up to meet all their needs better. We see young people get on, get up and achieve great things. We love being part of that determination not to let anything get them down. We take inspiration from the courage and hope we see in young people every day, fuelling our belief that a good childhood is something every young person deserves.”
There are many ways that deaneries and parishes can support children and young people through The Children’s Society, from learning to spot the signs of an exploited child within or outside worshipping communities, to understanding the challenges that young people face growing up in today’s world.
“The Church of England’s support for The Children’s Society remains crucial to our work, more than 140 years since its founding. A parish with rounded support seeks to understand the challenges that young people face growing up in today’s society, and the work that The Children’s Society undertakes aims to improve the lives of children who grow up in poverty, experience abuse or neglect, or who struggle with their mental health, to help them to rekindle hope for their future.
“We are happy to attend deanery synods to explain more about our work and the input we can offer parishes; our local speaker can be booked to update PCCs on our work and input – or to speak as part of church services. We can work with you to explore which options for support would be best for you.”
Please visit The Children’s Society website to find out more about the charity’s work: www.childrenssociety.org.uk
Contact Andrew direct on moc.t1695312154enret1695312154nitb@1695312154tlohw1695312154a1695312154
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