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The Nomad Team - wanderers with a purpose!
Tuesday 6th March 2012 11:07 PM
Nomad is the name given to a Youth for Christ team who seek to engage with young people through sport and to demonstrate the love of God in action. They use a giant mobile football cage equipped for 2 a side football games. Towards the end of summer term 2011 the team, Paul, Sam & Josh joined with Tony & Esther and YFC Calderdale to work alongside students at Trinity Academy and with young people in Calderdale, sharing RE & PE lessons & The Cage Outside of school the team & the Cage were used by youth groups at Illingworth Moor & Kings Church, in People's Park and on Saturday evening an event took place at the Shay Stadium.
Tony writes - The week gave us great opportunities to build on strong relationships at Trinity, where staff were extremely welcoming in spite of being busy with new timetables and new year plans. The focus & adaptability of the team enabled us to remain effective in all that we set out to do. Challenges overcome included, having to carry out running repairs to the YFC trailer, battling with a sea of midges and for Josh the weight of the large steel sections (more than his body weight!) which make up the cage!
The evening events strengthened existing relationships with local youth providers.
Posted 11:07 PM | Permalink
Lunchtime at Crunch
Thursday 1st March 2012 10:56 PM
Regular readers of Inform will know that CICS workers run some lunchtime clubs in our secondary schools. There are also lunch clubs run by volunteers. We are grateful to Tracy Hunt a volunteer at Calder High Crunch club, for sharing some of her experiences with us
Lunchtime at Crunch.
As part of the Crunch team, alongside Rev James Allison, I have over the past three years discussed with an ever changing group of secondary school kids issues from Doctor Who to the death of a loved one. I consider the 45 minutes at Calder High on a Monday to be the highlight of my week. I feel my life and outlook has been challenged and changed by the large number of 11-18 year olds I have been lucky enough to get to know. Over the years the mix of boys and girls has ebbed and flowed. Some kids come every week and I find those are the ones I can build up a real connection with. Other students may pop in just occasion- ally. Sometimes we have deep discussions about our faith at other times it's just an opportunity for the kids to let us know how they are doing or moan about school!
With James' proven recipe for a successful youth group (pop and chocolate!) I feel it's a real opportunity for the kids to get to know two quite different Christians in a chilled out setting. Sometimes we are there to just listen and support, for some kids the most regular thing in their life may be James and I being there for them every Monday. Recently a long standing member of Crunch, Patrick tragically died in his gap year away and I found it both comforting to be with the kids and heart breaking to be at his funeral and see the effect of his loss on his friends. Thankfully it also paved the way for James to do a series of assemblies to help guide all the students through a difficult time.
Reflecting back on Crunch I have learnt that kids all need encouragement and praise. One of our real success stories is a girl who went from being on the edge of expulsion at school to becoming a CICS award winner this year. I find the hardest part of Crunch is saying goodbye. When the older students move on I really miss them, although it's lovely to have an ex Cruncher catch up with you with a cry of "Hey! Miss!"
James has always operated an open door policy if a kid pops their head through the door enquiring what we are doing James welcomes them in with "would you like a drink?" and the Crunch kids let them know, "Its Christian club!"
Our kids get quite protective about. Crunch. Some of those that start off being most disrup- tive end up being the ones that help you tidy up and loudly tell off others when they don't behave!
I would like to thank James for offering me the opportunity of being part of Crunch, for his confidence in me and the rewards I have gained from the experience
Posted 10:56 PM | Permalink