Faithworks Affiliate “Oasis Caring in Action” was borne out of the Christian Fellowship Church in East Belfast.  In the early 1990’s the church believed God was speaking to them about three areas of ministry needed within the community – reconciliation, evangelism and social action.

Cliff Kennedy was assigned to lead a team researching how the church could best meet the needs of local people to bring hope in difficult circumstances. The process led them to open a small drop-in centre in the heart of Inner East Belfast in 1996. 

	Cliff, who is now the Centre Director, recalls the first person to drop into the small drop-in.  She was a single mum with a 2 year old toddler.   She explained “I haven’t had a break, when she’s up, I’m up, when she’s asleep, I’m asleep”.  The volunteers looked after the child for half an hour while the mum put her feet up and ate a piece of toast. From small beginnings an innovative charitable company has grown.

Developing solutions in response to real needs
Within early conversations at the drop in centre the team soon discovered that parenting was a hot topic.  Local women were asking “could you teach us how to parent because we have nobody to copy”.  Oasis Caring in Action responded by starting a parenting skills course.  With the high take up on the course, they soon outgrew their premises.

With the need for a larger venue, they had the vision to transform a former paramilitary pub into a large community hub.   Funders were persuaded to buy and refurbish the building and in 1999 the organisation moved to their current home.

The organisation has always developed in response to clear identified local needs.  One of their major initiatives began in 2000 when a local doctor approached them about the need for support for sufferers of mental health issues.  At that time about 50% of people were on medication for some form of mental ill health, and the concerned medic explained, “I need to spend time listening to them but I am under pressure.  I only get 5 minutes with each person.  Can we look at doing something where we can spend time talking to people?”

The Imago Project
Oasis drew together a range of health professionals to discuss the options of how best to provide this support.  After 6 months preparation, they began The Imago Project - a non-therapy based befriending scheme for sufferers of minor mental health issues.  A management committee was put in place to oversee the project.

They recruited 7 people, who had been long term unemployed, and trained them in building people’s confidence, self esteem and how to present a different perspective.  These seven staff became the first befrienders, each one carefully matched with clients who they visited weekly for a 4 - 6 month period.

The Imago Project takes referrals mainly from GPs and each client and befriender work to an action plan with end goals.  Many of the clients are very isolated, as sufferers of depression and anxiety struggle to leave the house.  Over their time together the befriender helps the client to develop coping strategies as well as gain greater self confidence.  By the end of their time together the aim is that the client is reintegrated back into society in some way.

	Cliff Kennedy recalls one 24 year old man who was suffering with depression. He spent nearly all his time in his room playing on his Playstation and watching DVD’s.  Following a referral to Imago, his befriender persuaded him to accompany him to a coffee shop as a way of getting him out of the house. Whilst enjoying his drink, he said to the befriender “I’ve often watched others and wondered what it would be like but I’ve never actually visited a coffee shop before.” This former client now works in Tesco and is reintegrating further into society.

Another former client came to Imago having been on medication for nearly 25 years.  She walked with a limp and used a stick.  3 years on and she is now off all medication, no longer needs her stick and has recently got a job. “My life has been totally revolutionised.”

She is just one of the 70 - 80 clients referred to Imago each year.  The project is so successful that they are considering franchising.  Other churches have already approached them looking to replicate the project in other areas of Northern Ireland.

The work was initially funded on a short term year to year basis, with finances often coming down to the wire.  After receiving commendation within the Chief Medical Secretary’s Annual Report, they were able to secure recurrent funding from the Eastern Health and Social Services Board.  However with funding changes within the health board they are now only contracted for up to a year.

Earning the right to share their faith
All the senior staff in Oasis Caring in Action are Christians and there are regular prayer meetings. They believe in practically demonstrating God’s love and earning the right to share their faith.  This permeates all they do. 

"Everybody knows that we are Christians and everybody knows that they can come and talk to us. They know we will not be underhand or have ulterior motives.  Our faith is expressed more in our ethos and our attitudes to people”. 

Offering joined up services
Oasis Caring in Action now provides a range of programmes and facilities that provide a joined up, holistic service with many access points.  The lady who had previously walked with a stick not only benefitted from The Imago Project but this led her to take part in some of the training courses Oasis offers. 

It is estimated that 8,000 people in the East Belfast area have literacy and numeracy needs. Further to this many people suffer from low self esteem and a lack of confidence which hinders people from finding employment. Most people would not come to the Centre initially for a numeracy or literacy course due to the embarrassment associated with the need, however other courses are often the hooks. 

ICT is very popular as is their Life and Laughter course, which recognises that many people haven’t laughed in a long time.  These relaxed sessions give people the opportunity to make friends and build confidence.  It also enables them to access guidance on further courses and other forms of support.

In fact the other support offered by Oasis is now vast. As well as Imago and the training courses, they have a good neighbour scheme, a number of properties providing reasonable priced housing, a daycare facility for children, a fair trade shop and a coffee shop. The coffee shop is key to the operation and used in other areas of their work, “sometimes you get more learning over that cup of coffee than you do in the classroom situation”. 

Even after years of growth they recognise the value in starting small and building. 

If you would like to find out more about Oasis Caring in Action visit www.oasis-ni.org

To be inspired further by faith at work in Belfast, come along to the Our Faith Works Conference in Holywood on 21-23 June 2008.   Read more.