"Welcome to
Connecting with Youth"

The last time you heard anything about the Newtownbreda United Churches, Connecting With Youth project was probably when Andrea was at the front of your church, talking about how wonderful it was all going to be, when lots of very enthusiastic volunteers went out onto the streets and met the local young people, that weren’t connected to the churches.

We have been working very hard to build three things, laying foundations.

a) Building a network of partners to support and enhance the work among young people.

b) Building potential “journeys” for young people to engage.

c) Building relationships with young people.

The foundation of partners on which the project is now built is really strong with the Police, Community Safety Partnership, Costlereagh Borough Council, The Local strategic Partnership, Church of Ireland Priorities Fund, Enkalon, Garfield Weston Foundation, Henry Smith Foundation, South Eastern Education and Library Board and Youth Justice all supporting the work, It is our desire to be part of, and play our part in, the growth of the community of Newtownbreda and we can do that effectively by working with these organizations.

And finally and yet, where the whole process starts, we have been engaged in the key element in any youth project— building relationships with the young people. Andrea is currently organising a team of fearless leaders who will be out around the dark streets and alley-ways. Meeting weekly with small groups of young people, chatting, laughing, listening, encouraging, and challenging.

One of the aims of this first stage of Connecting With Youth is to draw young people into sports leadership training progrommes. This uses sport as a medium to teach leadership skills to the young people.

Thanks for your ongoing support and all your prayer. Don’t give up. The work is worth it.

The young people are worth it.