SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION

HUB Accelerator

For social transformation to happen, our churches and hubs have to be healthy and thriving.

With your support, we were able to launch the Hub Accelerator last year. The Hub Accelerator is a 7-month course in which Love Your Neighbour Hubs can up-skill in Mission, Strategy, and Operations.

We work closely with the social outreach arm of CRT to provide wrap-around care to those who need it, and the Hub Accelerator has proved a great way for Hubs –no matter what their size – to gain resources and knowledge.

We rolled out the Hub Accelerator last year, with 16 Hubs of different denominations across the UK taking part. Within the first year of the programme, our Hubs built 50 new local partnerships with the NHS, Schools and councils helping them reach new groups.

This enabled them to provide an additional 412,932 meals to those in need and increase community volunteer hours by 17,804 hours –on top of their regular provision.

We saw the results of what this investment means in Hillsong Liverpool. The team were able to identify the changing needs of the community – notably, the financial struggle that working people were facing.

Those that might not qualify for a foodbank were left in limbo, so Hillsong Liverpool stepped in. They adapted their services to a social supermarket model, meaning that shoppers could maintain agency, dignity, and choice while shopping.

They’re now able to welcome all, from students to those on a low income. The sense of independence that shoppers feel is crucial to breaking the cycle of food poverty, and also creates a strong sense of community for those attending.

“Hopefully, we wouldn’t need it in the long run. But we want to be here to provide that wraparound care when it’s needed.”

– Fiona Love Your Neighbour Lead at Hillsong Liverpool

The pilot was an ambitious project, but its success has led us to onboard a new cohort for this year’s Hub Accelerator which started in June.

Read more about the Hub Accelerator: HERE

“The Hub Accelerator has been really good for us to narrow down and see exactly what need we want to meet, find a good target group, and find out how we can better serve them long-term instead of just meeting their shortterm needs.”

– Hillsong, Newcastle