No.3 - Oasis Trust
Providing temporary accommodation to young women who find themselves homeless, Housing at No.3 is a beacon of hope in it the community of Peckham. Since its opening in 1990 Housing at No.3 has been a home to over 100 young women between the ages of 16-25. Lives have truly been transformed.
As well as providing a vital refuge for these young women, Housing at No.3 ensures that each resident leaves with all they need for independent living at the end of their stay (usually between one year and eighteen months). For more information click here.
WHCM (West Ham Central Mission) Counselling and Support
This well established Christian charity, shortlisted for the Commuity Excellence Award in 2007, provides accessible counseling to children, young people and adults who feel isolated, excluded or marginalized through personal, emotional or mental health difficulties. In 2007 they counseled 1,007 people and yet the waiting list never dropped below 100. The majority of clients are not wage earners, and almost half are below the age of 25.
The charity works from three centres in East London and Essex, and recently celebrated its centenary year. The counseling service has held Investors in People status since 2004 and are accredited by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. For more information visit www.whcm.org.uk
The Foyer
The Foyer at Croydon was established by Oasis Trust in 2000 to provide temporary accommodation for young people aged 18-25 who found themselves homeless. Each resident at the Foyer receives a tailored programme of support covering basic life skills such as cooking and budgeting as well as the opportunity to gain a number of skills for employment or education. All this is geared up to set them up for life and move on into independent living. To find out more click here.
The Hub - Church.co.uk/waterloo
The Oasis Church.co.uk network began with the Waterloo Hub. Currently the Waterloo church runs a Fair Trade coffee shop, a befriending scheme for lonely and isolated elderly people in the Waterloo area, Hullabaloo a carers and toddler group and The Hub a youth and children’s program.
Hub activities include Hub Football for Juniors and Seniors throughout the year, Kids Club every Wednesday and Southside FM. Created in 2004, Southside is a youth-led media project and radio station. It aims to inspire young people through music and creativity. To find out more visit www.church.co.uk
Samaritan Network
Shortlisted for the Community Commitment Award in 2007, The Samaritan Network serves around 150 vulnerable people on the streets of the West End district every week in all weathers. The team of Christian volunteers have been faithfully serving this community for 3 years through the provision of soup, refreshments and basic counselling. They also help those they serve with a more sustainable existence by providing information and signposting to organisations that can provide advice and support on gaining housing, employment and support with health issues. The project is run with a turnover of £3,500 in individual donations with food donated by Sainsbury’s.
Crossroads Christian Counselling Service, Tower Hamlets
Shortlisted for the Faithworks Congregational Community Excellence Award 2006. Crossroads provide long-term low cost professional counselling as well as a child therapy service based in a local primary school, set up by local church leaders 13 years ago. Local GP’s and the Psychology service regularly refer clients to their counsellors. To find out more go to www.crossroadscounselling.org
Woodside Bereavement Service, South Norwood
Shortlisted for the Faithworks Congregational Community Excellence Award 2006, Woodside provide a listening ear, counselling and support for bereaved people of all ages through one to one and group based sessions, they encourage clients to talk through their experience and help them aspire to re-investing in life again. For more information visit www.thelisteningear.org.uk
Glamis Adventure Playground, Shadwell
Shortlisted for the Faithworks Spring Harvest Community Innovation Award for Developing Projects, this open access playground provides a community hub and free supervised activities to children aged 8-15. Situated in the middle of Shadwell, East London, it provides physical recreation for young people in an over-crowded inner city housing estate.
In 2004 E5 Enterprise, a company wholly owned by a local church in Hackney, was shortlisted for the Faithworks Social Entrepreneurship Award. E5 Enterprise is a catering and events business which extends local links and makes a profit that can be used to support their community action agenda. To find out more visit www.theroundchapel.org.uk/index.php?section=4
In 2005 a Hammersmith-based project that equips couples to cope with a growing family was shortlisted for a Faithworks Award. As 2 Become 3 provides practical advice for new dads and runs relationship courses for couples preparing for the new baby to arrive. For more information go to www.as2become3.org
The Refugee Day Centre, Croydon, aims to offer a welcoming atmosphere, practical help and advice to the growing population of refugees and asylum seekers in the area, who are often marginalised, abused, and the target of negative attitudes in society.
Trust
In 2004 'Trust', a church and community based project providing support to women involved in prostitution on the streets of south London, received the Faithworks Community Resource Award.
