The Boys' Brigade NI District December 2021 Newsletter.

NEWS Dec 2021

ADVANCING

Book Now

KINGDOM

www.boysbrigadeni.org

CHRIST’S In This Issue

Mission22 Get Creative Training Dates Faces of BB Get Involved!

Time with God Jan Week of Prayer EA Funding News

Resources to Help You WE ARE GOING!

YOU ARE INVITED!

ANTRIM: SAT 12 FEB Event runs 3.30- 4.30pm

Events: Klass Kids: 3.30 - 4.30pm One Way Youth: 7.30 - 9.00pm Venues: Belfast: Sat 05 Feb 22 RBAI School Antrim: Sat 12 Feb 22 Parkhall Integrated College Coleraine: Sat 19 Feb 22 Coleraine Grammar School Portadown: Sat 26 Feb 22 Annaghmore Parish Church

BOOK NOW AT... www.boysbrigadeni.org

WE ARE GOING!

COLERAINE: SAT 19 FEB Event runs 7.30 - 9 pm

Please check out the Resources Section of the Mission 22 website at www.boysbrigadeni.org/resources Help for leaders to get children and young people to Mission 22 Download Now: Save the Date • You Are Invited • Notes Home 1. Select your preferred venue 2. Download the Save the Date images for your chosen venue for Klass Kids (under 11s) and One Way youth (over 11s).

3. Share with your members on BB and/or Church Social media, Websites and WhatsApp groups. Let them know now which date you are going on.

4. Once you have confirmed your date download the You Are Invited images and share these too as a follow up.

5. Use the Notes Home, add your own unique information and send home with the Special Activity BB Consent Form.

Taster Videos are provided for Klass Kids and One Way Youth to download and use at BB, Church or to share on social media/websites.

GET CREATIVE COMPETITIONS TRAINING & PROGRAMME NEWS

VIRTUAL PRAISE

CREATIVE COMPETITION

ENTER FROM 3 TO 28 JAN 22

Rules and entry form available here: https://bit.ly/ABPraise22

Entries to be recorded at home and sent via www.wetransfer.com to nihq@boys-brigade.org.uk.

Please check out the rules of the competition before entering at the link above. £3 per entry

CREATIVE COMPETITION

This will be held during February and will be based on Mission 22 ‘One Big Message of Hope’.

Rules and information are currently being finalised. Entries will be submitted online during February 2022.

MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR

Rules and entry form available here: https://bit.ly/CSMOTY22

This will be held during February and will be based on Easter and Mission 22 ‘One Big Message of Hope’.

Rules and information are currently being finalised. Entries will be submitted online during February 2022.

Entries to be recorded at home and sent via www.wetransfer.com to nihq@boys-brigade.org.uk.

Please check out the rules of the competition before entering at the link above. £3 per entry Enter from 3 - 28 Jan 2022

Check out the Programme Hub for great ideas for activities for indoors and outdoors for all ages. https://boys-brigade.org.uk/programme/

TRAINING & PROGRAMME NEWS

OPEN TO MORE...

The Junior Section Conference was held on Saturday 16 October 2021 on Zoom, with 38 Leaders taking part from 11 Battalions. In advance of the Conference those attending received a Resource Box with all the equipment, resources and activity sheets needed during the day; as well as treats for the coffee breaks! David Penney led the opening and closing devotions. The four main sessions were led by Sharon Mackey, David Doggart, Jonathan Murdock and guest speaker Shelley Spiers who inspired and encouraged everyone with worship ideas. Breakout rooms were used where Leaders had an opportunity to discuss how things were working in their own Companies and share activities that have worked well. The feedback received from the day has been extremely positive.

TRAINING 2022

Junior Section Musician of the Year We plan to run this competition in person on Saturday 15 January 2021 in Templepatrick Presbyterian Church Hall. BB guidelines on Covid restrictions will be followed along with the protocols and procedures adopted by the venue. This competition follows a structure which will be relatively easy to adapt to the current situation including social distancing, allocated seating and limiting numbers attending with competitors. Should restrictions change it is planned to revert to a virtual competition similar to that held last session.

Conversations Around Programme for Company & Seniors Monday 17 January 22 On Zoom 7.30 - 9.30pm Get new programme ideas Hear about Hope 365

the Company/Seniors Project 21/22

Resource Pack for everyone who attends!

£5pp Register here https://bit.ly/CSProgramme22

DATE

COURSE

FORMAT

22 Jan

First Aid Training

In person at Newport

5&6 Mar

Youth Leader Training

In person at Newport

07 Mar

Holiday Leadership

On Zoom

22 - 24 April

Expedition & Outdoor Leadership In Person at Newport

04 May

Camp Craft

In Person at Newport

25 May

Captain’s Training

On Zoom

11 June

Youth Leader Training - Day 1

In person at Newport

25 June

Youth Leader Training - Day 2

In Person at Newport

Dates for Queen’s Badges Courses in 2022 will be released in the e news.

Please note where ‘In Person’ is noted above this is subject to change depending on current Covid 19 restrictions.

FACES OF BB Jonny Graham

DofE Co-Ordinator for NID Leader 4th Portadown

Favourite Bible Verse

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

What do you like best about your role?

Being involved with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and also as part of 4th Portadown Boys’ Brigade lets me be part of multiple areas of BB life. It is a pleasure and a gift to be a part of the Boys’ Brigade on a weekly basis and with the missing time this past year and a half, has really focused that we are part of “the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom among boys”. Being a part of the wider Duke of Edinburgh’s Award means I get to meet and work with many people across Northern Ireland both within The Boys’ Brigade, the Award and the other Award Licensed Organisations. My role as a BB leader and also with The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has given me so many memorable opportunities and has led to meeting so many special people that I am truly grateful for.

Fantasy Dinner Guest?

Chicken or Steak?

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

Steak

Claim to fame?

Sweet or Savoury?

Favourite Film?

Sweet

The Goonies

I once met Dame Mary Peters at an event through The Boys’ Brigade and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. I was really keen to introduce myself so went up and told her my name and that I was with The Boys’ Brigade. To my shock, she told me she knew me. Very confused, I continued to chat. It was only afterwards that I mentioned it to a BB friend of mine who was also attending the event. He reminded me that we met each other at a Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award presentation which I was helping out the month before.

Obviously Mary has a better memory than I do!

Favourite Gadget?

My phone… apparently I’m always on it!

Fun fact?

I decided to take up Brazilian Jiu Jitsu after wanting to do it for many years. I absolutely love it but there was one slight problem at the time. I took it up in September 2019…right before the pandemic hit at the start of 2020. Talk about bad timing!

What advice would you give your 20 year old self?

Life will get busy and many things will try to fill up your day. Read your Bible more and pray more. Lean more on the strength of our Lord rather than yourself.

If you could meet any historical figure, who would it be?

Leonardo da Vinci but my lack of Italian might be an issue when it comes to talking to him!

GET INVOLVED! Company Name:

We invite you all to engage with us and tell us what you think of BB! It is very important to us that we hear from all our members.

We are mailing out a Feedback Resource Pack to each Company with some feedback activities that we would like every company to complete for us.

What we like at BB...

What’s In the Pack?

There are 3 copies of an instruction sheet (one for each section leader) and...

For Anchors 2 x A3 posters (double sided) ‘What We Like About BB’.

For Juniors: 2 x A3 posters (double sided) ‘What We Think of BB’.

For Company & Seniors: 1 x ‘Trip Advisor’ style A4 feedback sheet.

For Leaders: 1 x A3 Poster (double sided), ‘Why I Am A BB Leader’

Anchors and Juniors: For each child please cut out on paper the shape marked on the poster for comments and ask them to write or draw about what they like at BB then stick on the poster.

Take a pic of the poster(s) and email to nihq@boys-brigade.org.uk. You can display the finished posters on your notice board.

WHAT WE THINK OF BB!

‘Getting Involved’ is an important part of the BB Programme. It aims to encourage children and young people to use their voice to make a difference and to help them build skills and confidence to speak up.

Review of BB BB Company Name:

Overall Rating

Note your likes, disklies and ideas for BB here...

Reccomend to a friend? circle one - either thumbs up or down

Variety in what we do every week Atmosphere Feeling valued Feeling listened to Learning new stuff

Returning the Feedback: Anchors, Juniors and Leaders: Please take a pic of the finished posters and e mail to us at nihq@boys-brigade.org.uk.

Company & Seniors: Scan and email each sheet or photo and email each sheet to us at nihq@boys-brigade.org.uk or post all the sheets to NIHQ, 117 Culcavy Road, Hillsborough, Co Down, BT26 6HH

Shade in the circles to indicate your rating.

5 shaded = excellent; 1 shaded = very poor

Why I Am A BB Leader...

Company Name

Please copy one each of the ‘Trip Advisor’ style Review of BB for your Company and Seniors.

Leaders should write their comments on their poster.

FREE Treat Hamper!

Delivered to the first 10 Sections who return their feedback!

TIME WITH GOD ‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.’

Galatians 6:9 As 2021 draws to a close, we may be feeling weary from the continued upheaval and adjusting to the ‘new normal’. It has been a tough year for everyone and I am sure that BB is no different – with a return to in-person activities only possible recently. As you serve in your BB Company I would urge you not to become weary of the role God has called you to; whether as a Chaplain; Leader; Helper. You may not see immediate results; however I believe that BB continues to reach young people, advancing Christ’s Kingdom.

I often think of the wonderful Christian influence of my BB

Leaders in Broughshane – faithful men and women who patiently showed us God’s love and taught us more of Him. We may never see the full impact of our work this side of Heaven – but you may be one of the many people who helped lead a young person to Christ.

In my role at Habitat for Humanity this past year, I have felt God calling me to ‘persevere’. We were unable to be in schools, churches and youth groups in person and many of our activities curtailed.

However, God continues to be at work in the challenges. We are thankful for all that our international partner programmes teach us about resilience and hope; thankful that we could continue to send vital funds.

COVID-19 affected us all especially the 1.6 billion people worldwide

who don’t have a safe place to live.

The generosity of people across Ireland allowed us to support emergency COVID responses; providing hygiene kits in Malawi and Zambia & building COVID centre’s in India and Romania.

Here in Ireland, Habitat supports thousands of people to improve their homes through ReStore and helps some of the most vulnerable people in our community to sustain their tenancies through our ‘House to Home’ programme.

As 2022 approaches – let us boldly go forward; seek rest in God and embrace all He has for us in the year ahead.

Pete Graham

Church and Community Engagement Officer, Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland

Habitat for Humanity is the Anchor Boy Charity partner for 21/22. The Charity information and activity pack can be downloaded from our website here: https://bit.ly/ABProject22 Daily prayer points will be released on our BBNI Facebook page each morning.

Can you join us on Zoom from 8.00 - 8.30pm to pray for Mission 22?

Please pray that God would: • Guide us and show how we can deliver this Mission in the face of changing restrictions.

• Guide the Christian Education Committee, our BB staff and Crown Jesus Ministries in the preparation and delivery of the events and follow up material.

• ​Prompt Leaders in each Battalion to promote these events.

• ​Enthuse the Leaders in every Company to make the effort to bring their children and young people along to the events.

• ​Prepare the hearts of our children and young people to receive His word, believe it, trust Jesus to be their Saviour, and live with Him as the Lord of their life.

Register for the Zoom link here: https://bit.ly/BBWeekOfPrayer

GET FUNDING INVOLVED...

NEWS

Engagement Framework

EA Funding in Action at 1st Kilbride

All EA funded youth groups are required to complete the Engagement Framework and submit the results annually to the EA as part of reporting on funding.

The Engagement Framework, as outlined in the Department of Education Priorities for Youth policy, is designed to be a proportionate way to demonstrate and report on the outcomes of youth work.

The Engagement Framework describes four categories of engagement in youth work: Contact, Engagement, Active Participation and Maximising Potential. Looking back over this session from March 2020, Leaders are asked to assign each young person in their BB Company to the most appropriate category, based on his/her engagement in their BB Company. It is likely you will be asked to do this by EA this February as part of your reporting on the current year’s funding. It is important to note that there is no right or wrong allocation on the framework, only your considered judgement based on your knowledge and first-hand experience of the young people you work with.

Resources to Help you complete the Framework:

Engagement Framework Poster guide at www.bbni.org.uk - click on the EA section

Tutorial video on Youtube at https://bit.ly/EAFrameworkVideo

Registering for EA Funding

https://eani.smapply.org/ We encourage all BB Companies and Battalions to register with EA. This is of great benefit to BB Companies as once registered they can apply yearly for local Non-Targeted Generic Youth Provision Funding. Additionally this entitles Companies and Battalions to apply for other funding from EA such as the summer funding that 1st Kilbride received.

If you have not registered with EA please do so as soon as possible at this link: https://eani.smapply.org/ Please contact us at NIHQ if you need help with this.

TBUC Camps Programme 2022-23

Applications are now open for groups who wish to run a Camp under the T:BUC Camps Programme 2022/23.

Completed applications must be returned to EA no later than 4pm on Monday 31st January 2022.

Go here: http://eanifunding.org.uk/tbuc

What a strange 18 months we have all had! No face to face, no ‘get togethers’ no camps. So when the opportunity came up to apply for a summer 21 camp equipment grant from the Education Authority, I thought this is just what we need, a camp away!

The application process was very straight forward and help was available if needed to fill it in. We went for camping equipment so we could organise overnight camps. As part of the application we had to run at least two camps. Dates were set and the boys and leaders were very excited. When restrictions allowed we set off. First off was a weekend at NIHQ, Newport. Facilities were great and our new tents were fabulous. A range of activities were planned. This was just what everyone needed. The one tent one boy policy worked out ok too!

Our second camp was at Rocky Mountain Centre in Newcastle. Again boys and leaders had a jam packed weekend of activities and food; all were enjoyed.

If it hadn’t been for the EA grant for the equipment we wouldn’t have been able to have such successful weekends. I would recommend and encourage anyone to take advantage of any future grants available.

Dave Hoy (Captain 1st Kilbride)

Getting Back to BB

Promotional Banners

COVID READY

     

The NI District has supplied one of these promotional banners to each Battalion.

Review and understand the BB Framework and Guidance.

Refer to the EA guidance at: www.eani.org.uk/youth-services-support Check your church procedures.

Complete the Covid-ready Risk Assessment for each section.

Complete the Company Action Log. Complete the Local Approval (Church) process.

We hope all our BB Companies will get back to face-to-face activities in September. Please check out the Stronger Safer Together framework link below regularly to keep up to date with the current status of BB. Before returning to BB face-to-face you need to be covid-ready as outlined in the steps above. Please click on the Covid link on our home page to find all the relevant documents.

Northern Ireland District

JOIN US AT BB

For 4 -18 yr olds

GET...

Active

Creative

Into the Bible

Learning

Adventurous

Involved

- ‘Life to the Full’ John 10:10

If you are attending or running an event to promote BB please ask your Battalion for this banner to use.

We can also supply these customised with your Company Name. Please contact Alison Irvine if you are interested in purchasing one.

boys-brigade.org.uk

STRONGER | SAFER | TOGETHER boys-brigade.org.uk/ourframework/ Please continue to keep your OBM records up to date and note the current operating status of your Company.

NEW TO OBM?

All registered Leaders can have access to OBM. You can register online here:

https://obm.boys-brigade.org.uk/register.php

Conversations around Programme for Anchors took place on Zoom on Mon 8 and repeated on Wed 10 Nov. Thanks to Pete Graham from Habitat for Humanity and Sam Hyde for taking part. Sam shared lots of ideas for worship including these ‘Boomwhacker Tuned Percussion Tubes in C’ available to purchase from Amazon and Gear4Music.com.

Prices are around £20 for one set.

• Easy to Use For All Ages • Fun & Creative Percussion • Used in Schools, Team Building, Music Groups & Therapy Congratulations and welcome to our new BB Leaders who completed Youth Leader Training at Newport in November.

Produced by The Boys’ Brigade Northern Ireland District, Newport, 117 Culcavy Road, Hillsborough, BT26 6HH nihq@boys-brigade.org.uk • 028 9268 8444