Supporting Parents
The SNAP project (Special Needs and Parents) began around 6 years ago by Dawn, an attendee at New Life and parent to 2 children with special needs. Whilst attending the Christian event Grapevine, Dawn noticed the large number of families that had children with special needs. Motivated to look into how these families were supported, Dawn researched what provision was available in Lincoln and her investigations revealed there was nothing. So, in conjunction with New Life she set up a parents support group, a twice monthly meeting that would give parents time out, support, friendship and advice. “It’s a safe environment where parents can relax; and enjoy precious time for themselves.”

The group meet over lunch, share a meal and then the children spend time with a voluntary play worker whilst the parents chat, build relationships and share issues and problems. Health professionals and other trained visitors attend the meetings and are available to speak with parents. “We sit in a circle so when someone new arrives they become part of the circle there’s no “them and us”, we welcome people in.”

	One of the attendees of SNAP, Tracey has a son with complex special needs. She has attended the group for a number of years and expressed that the group has been a lifeline for herself and her family. “Dawn is always there with encouraging and reassuring words, without her our son may not still be in our family today.” Tracey herself is now a volunteer at SNAP “I wanted to give something back”, she says.

The group has developed ways to continue to support one another during each week. Friendship amongst attendees is important but the weekly texts of encouragement from Dawn and the other volunteers to members of the group ensure parents don’t feel isolated. Parents can also text or call at any point if they need support or someone to talk to. “This service is invaluable, no statutory organisation provides a service like this.”

The project receives little funding although the church covers the core costs. Dawn and all the other workers are volunteers. However recently some funding was received and the group used the money to create a library of toy boxes for the children and pamper kits and relaxation boxes for parents.

Connecting with young people
Energize, the youth work programme launched in 2006 works across 4 estates in Lincoln. As well as lunch and after school clubs the team also runs holiday workshops and extra curricular activities. Energize have been able to access funding to run this work on behalf of schools due to the requirement to offer an extended schools service.

Energize employs a full time youth worker, Dan, who has a vision to see young people engaged in positive activities. A particularly popular holiday program run earlier this year involved a Fair Play Football tournament and a Dance Factor competition based on the X Factor TV show.

The football tournament brought together teams from the 4 estates on which Energize work, into a mini league. The team finishing top of the league played the final against the local Police “it was great to see kids from the different estates cheering each other on in the final.” The building of relationships through this work was key.

The Dance Factor competition was run at 6 venues across the city where young people received dance tutoring. Then on the final night the project hired the Drill Hall in Lincoln, a 375 seater venue for the young people to take part in Dance Factor in front of their parents with the tutors becoming the judging panel.

It is from projects like these that Energize contact more and more young people. From this first contact and the building of relationships many young people will feed into the term time clubs.

	“New Life is here to model something positive. These young people need positive activities, to feel part of the community, not excluded from it.”

Impacting volunteers and professionalism
Joy Blundell was key in the vision to see the church reach more people and she became the project’s manager 2 years ago. She has overseen the implementation of a range of structures and measures to make the work professional including excellent induction and support for volunteers as well as writing funding bids and project development at all levels. 

But not only have the projects impacted the users, the work has had a positive effect on volunteers also. The project is keen to gain volunteers from churches across the city as well as non Christians. They advertise through the voluntary centre in Lincoln, the local paper and churches. Non Christian volunteers have given very positive feedback “the people there are lovely.”  All this is helped by the training and induction given by the centre. “We don’t want people to feel alienated due to what they assume about church or by the jargon we use. We are here as much for the volunteers as the users of the projects.”

Continuing to develop
While spending time at the project what stood out most was the vision and desire to see ACTS always evolving and always developing to meet new needs. In September the project plans to launch a branch of the Food Bank and in time introduce mentoring training developed by their first intern, Heather.

They passionately believe that as Christians this is what they are called to do. “We don’t do anything without speaking to God and He has guided us so much. Research the need but always lift it up to God.”

For more information on ACTS Trust visit www.actstrust.org.uk or contact 01522 542166.