Families Matter at Hythe URC is a project of Cornerstone (Hythe United Reformed Church). Since 1997 we have worked with other voluntary community agencies, including other churches, and statutory agencies “to give caring support in the community”. Our work is primarily done through providing caring support for families and to prevent youth offending and the breakdown of family life. At our new premises at Cornerstone we are continuing to respond to identified needs, offering life skills, education and support and to meet the physical, spiritual and emotional needs of children, young people and families.
We work in all parts of the Waterside and have been the catalyst for a great deal of multi agency work in the area. A copy of our mission statement, aims and objectives can be obtained by request as can an outline of our current groups, workers, management structure and calendar. We are a registered charity and are managed by church members; most of those working on the project in either a paid or voluntary capacity, are also members of Cornerstone (Hythe URC).
The work has continued successfully during the last 12 months and we continue to develop our team of volunteers. The total number of people who work within the project is 27. During the last year we have seen the following changes in staffing:
Sadly Mary Brown, one of our valued crèche volunteers died during the last year
We have welcomed back Ruth Prevett to work within On the Right Track
We have welcomed Stephanie James-Brown as a Trustee
We have been working in our new building at Cornerstone for two years and our current facilities continue to enhance our work. Within the project there are currently about 15 different pieces work being undertaken and the complete current work of the project is listed in a project booklet. Some of the developments to report this year are:
- The Families Matter Project meeting is classed now as a Ministry Team within the recently reviewed structure at Cornerstone. We intend to ensure that people within the church are able to be kept up to date, in general, with the work of the project.
- The new Children’s Centre at Waterside School is up and running. We support this work and one of our management group sits on the board of the Children’s Centre. We do not want to be in competition with the Centre and understand that some funding streams will now be directed to the centre rather than to us. The baby clinic has now moved from us and into the Children’s centre – we were sad to see the clients go as their time with us had been very happy and fruitful. Some of our volunteers have continued to help with the clinic at the centre.
- We have been aware that we need to be flexible in our response to new opportunities and community needs and the Trustees appointed Sharon Ellery to research possible new areas of work for us to consider and we are beginning to address these (as outlined in Sharon’s report).
- One of our Trustees, Stephanie James-Brown, in consultation with other project workers, has begun the task of updating our evaluation process. Our aim is to move toward a consistent evaluation process using measurable outcomes across all our work. This work is progressing but is not yet complete.
- We are not able to move any further towards appointment of a paid project manager at this time. Access to some new funding or more long term assurance from one of our funders might allow this in the future. We are thankful to all those who enable such a breadth of work to continue.
- The church is hoping to have a Youth Work Student Placement through Oasis College in London. There might be opportunities within the project for this Student at some point during their three year placement.
So, in conclusion this has been a year of consolidation and sustaining the large amount of work we are engaged in. It has also been a year of some review of how we evaluate our work and a time to open ourselves to opportunities for new work. Our thanks go to all those people who have played a part in the work this year. We thank you for your continued support as we seek to develop our work in this community in the year ahead. To all trustees, workers and supporters and funders of Families Matter a big thank you!
Revd. Eddie Boon
Chairman of the Trustees
