March 2010: Broadfield Children's Project, Crawley
With Jeremy Brown, Project Manager.
Broadfield Children's Project began as a series of primary school assemblies, lead by Jeremy Brown.
Jeremy, a former primary school teacher and children's worker in Crawley, had been asked by Christ the Lord Church in Broadfield to look at ways that the church could reach out to children and families in the area; through the school assemblies, Jeremy established that there was a real need for children's work in the area, especially after school.
Broadfield is a deprived area of Crawley where many families are on low incomes and can't afford to pay for additional after-school and holiday activities for their children. Being able to offer children's clubs and a variety of well-run, fun things for children to do after school has proved to be a huge benefit to the community as a whole. "We really want to do something that will improve their life and also perhaps introduce the idea that there's a God that cares for them and loves them," Jeremy explained. "We want to support the schools and the community." The project aims to promote children's emotional, spiritual and social growth and help them to feel that they have a valuable place in the community.
The project involves teenagers and children's parents, who volunteer as helpers. "Some of these parents have never thought of doing this sort of thing, or have low self-esteem or confidence," Jeremy says. Involving children in the decision-making process at the project also gives them a sense that they are important and valued.
