Hope and a Future Magazine Edition 8

A Little Helping Hand

How a local church refreshed the faith of an entire family

Fight or Flight

We meet Frankie, soaring after a year of coaching

Mission ImPossible

How support and acceptance helped Jaiden back into school

Hope in the midst of deprivation

We focus on the areas of deprivation where struggling children are being given a future

In this edition:

Transforming a Community: a church on a mission

Mission ImPossible: Jaiden's Story

"Never say Never to God!": We meet Susie McGibbon

A Little Helping Hand: How a family's faith was renewed

Fight or Flight: Frankie's Story

Pray with Us

Hope

in the midst of deprivation

“E

very year, there are moments when I realise all over again the reason why we do what we do.

It was a Friday morning last September when turned on my computer and opened the latest statistics on deprivation in the UK.* I ordered it so the most deprived area was at the top.

There it was. Jaywick.

A seaside village covered by Tendring District Council, served by our Tendring Education Centre in partnership with the amazing Frinton Free Church.

With children from poorer backgrounds being four times more likely to be excluded from school, poverty and deprivation can have a significant impact on a child’s educational experience. It was so encouraging to know that in the most deprived area of the UK, TLG is already working right at the heart of that community, supporting children who are struggling.

As I scrolled further down the list of local areas, spotted other familiar places. Manchester, Birmingham and most recently Hull. Areas of huge need, where TLG and our local church partners are already serving children and families through Education Centres, Early Intervention and Make Lunch clubs, providing a valuable lifeline to many.

But the statistics show there is so much more help needed.

After Jaywick, other areas of highest deprivation include Blackpool, Liverpool, Middlesbrough & Blackburn – where TLG has yet to have a presence. In communities like these,

there are children struggling with education, hunger and poverty, in desperate need of the support TLG programmes bring.

It’s heart-breaking to think of those children and families in the toughest circumstances, yet at the same time I sense passion rising within me to continue unrelentingly on the path we set out on 21 years ago: to ensure every child knows they have hope and a future.

There is work to do.

Our vision to be reaching 10,000 children every year by 2025 is so important. There are children struggling right now who do not know that things can change.

In this issue of Hope and a Future magazine, I know you will be encouraged to read incredible stories of transformation from Education Centres in Tendring and Birmingham, an Early Intervention programme in Hastings and a Make Lunch club in Luton. All of these places are listed in the 15 most deprived areas in the UK but thankfully they also have faithful churches, fighting against a rising tide of child poverty and deprivation.

My prayer, as you read this issue, is that you’ll be inspired to think about how you can join with us to be the answer to this rising tide of deprivation. Together we can show the children who need TLG the most that they too have hope and a future.

Tim Morfin Founder and Chief Executive

How can we ignore the poverty on our doorstep?

How a church congregation in Tendring asked this question and found a way to bring transformation to their community.

When United Nations special rapporteur for extreme poverty Professor Philip Alston was sent on a deprivation fact-finding mission in the UK, Jaywick was top of his list.

Once a popular holiday destination, the village and much of the coastline around it had been rated by the Government as the most deprived region in the country. It was in response to this situation that a nearby church was convinced it needed to step in and play its part.

Frinton Free Church, just up the coast from Jaywick, was determined to effect social change in the area.

Church leader Mark Massey, himself a trained teacher, said: “A question we kept asking ourselves was: ‘How can we continue to live our middle-

class lives and ignore the poverty on our doorstep?’ Jesus has good news for everyone and when I read the gospels it seems to me that he is most drawn to share it with the poor and those overlooked by others. With significant poverty in other nearby towns, we knew they were seeing higher-than-average recipients of benefits and free school meals as well as very low literacy and numeracy rates."

Mark’s church had been partnering with a local secondary school who were hiring their youth centre for what they called ‘off-site learning’.

When the school stopped hiring the youth centre for financial reasons, one of Mark’s church members came to him and said: “You know we could do this ourselves don’t you?” He then showed Mark TLG’s website.

The rest, as they say, is history.

After a two-year journey, TLG’s Tendring Education Centre opened with the church member, Ben, becoming the Headteacher.

to explore this relationship, and in doing so, bring God’s blessing to our community. I was particularly attracted to the holistic approach TLG encouraged, recognising that behind every struggling student there is a struggling family."

The church’s partnership meant it now had an opportunity to minister to some of the most deprived families in the country.

TLG encouraged us to think wider than the students who would be attending and look at the care and love our church could bring to their families.

Indices of deprivation

In this issue we are focusing on the most deprived areas of the country as highlighted in a recent government report.

The English Indices of Deprivation are statistics released every few years by the Department of Housing, Communities and Local Government, most recently in 2019.

“I’ve always been struck by the link between the Church and education,” said Mark. “For centuries, churches have been providers of education in their communities. For me, TLG gave us the opportunity

“Many of our students come from these deprived areas and our TLG centre gives them another shot at education, whilst also giving them some practical tools to help with their behaviour and social skills. This in turn totally transforms their future.”

The TLG Tendring centre is now four years in to helping struggling young people find hope and a future.

“We have made some good friends within the TLG family and as a church leader it’s a privilege to play a small part in the big picture of what TLG is achieving nationally. Our partnership has been felt across our whole church; our culture has

changed and we’re more aware than ever of our wider community and feel more able to take risks for the Kingdom.”

The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) is the official measure of relative deprivation. It uses seven domains to measure deprivation: income, employment, education, health, housing and services, living environment and crime.

Deprivation statistics for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are released separately by the devolved parliaments.

Area focus Tendring

The Need

The TLG Education Centre in the Tendring Council area is located in Frinton-onSea, which is just down the coast from Jaywick – also under Tendring Council area. Jaywick was named the most deprived area in England for a third time in the 2019 indices of multiple deprivation.

It's time to |act!

In 2019, TLG helped 5,457 children and young people in partnership with 228 churches with 973 connecting in to the wider support of a local church.

At TLG our vision is to double this impact by 2025.

L-R: Ben Pratt (Headteacher), Alison Hendry (Classroom Teacher), Mark Massey (Church Leader)

Mission Im

possible!

How TLG helped one child get back into school when he felt it was impossible

However, the pastoral approach and persistence of the TLG team meant that Jaiden soon started to feel accepted and to believe he did have a future. He learnt how to control his emotions, express his feelings in a constructive way and build positive relationships with his peers. It wasn’t long before he started to get on better with everyone and make friends.

‘‘TLG accepted me and that was the first step in my journey moving forward,” said Jaiden.

“They helped in many ways, but what I think they helped improve the most was my positive relationships with my friends. My favourite part was the journey TLG took me on. No matter what, they didn’t let me down. The teachers were always so supportive, and if I came in feeling bad about something from home they would support me.”

TLG didn’t just help with Jaiden’s academic achievements. He now describes himself as more relaxed and having a better positive attitude. Jaiden was invited to one of TLG’s Faith Residentials, where young people have the chance to go on holiday, engage in fun activities and have space to explore the big questions in life. While away on the weekend Jaiden quickly made friends that he still keeps in contact with.

Nikkola has noticed the transformation in her son and is grateful for the support TLG gave.

She said: “TLG’s support, patience and communication with all of us was amazing. They taught Jaiden strategies to help him cope in school and in life and ways to express himself to others.”

Nikkola also acknowledged it wasn’t just Jaiden’s life that was changed. The support given by TLG had an impact on the whole family.

What is a TLG Education Centre?

We know there's no one-sizefits-all approach when it comes to education. TLG’s 12 Education Centres take a therapeutic approach bringing vital support for disadvantaged and excluded young people at crisis point in education. The churchbased education centres offer a lifeline, giving young people the chance to catch up on missed qualifications, raise their aspirations and gain building blocks for a better life. Each TLG school has access to more than 20 years’ worth of alternative provision expertise and are inspected by Ofsted.

How is it helping children in deprived communities?

The Need

Birmingham is known as one of the ‘youngest’ cities in Europe with nearly 40% of its population aged under 25. The city has notably high levels of deprivation and is listed in the top ten most deprived council areas in the 2019 Multiple Indices of Deprivation (IMD).

TLG Education Centres

The TLG North Birmingham Education Centre has supported children in the area for over a decade, since first opening in 2007. TLG's second centre, in South Birmingham, opened in 2014.

In the highly-populated city of Birmingham, TLG plays a pivotal role in helping young people across the city who are at crisis point in their education.

Behind every young person is a family. Families like Jaiden and his mum Nikkola who live in East Birmingham.

When Jaiden was struggling with his school work, he would kick out and run away. That was the only way he knew how to cope. He constantly battled with his emotions, feeling sad, angry and abandoned. His mum, Nikkola, was regularly called out of work to talk about her son and ultimately to be told he had, once again, been excluded.

“I was in quite a dark place and felt abandoned and like nobody wanted

to help me or take me in,” said Jaiden. “The school before TLG was a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) and there was at my worst."

His aggression would sometimes spill into his home life and Nikkola didn’t know where to turn.

They both believed there was nothing anyone could do to help.

Just as things were reaching breaking point, Jaiden was referred to TLG’s North Birmingham Education Centre, run by James and his committed team.

Jaiden’s first few weeks at the Education Centre were not easy. Jaiden didn’t feel like he fitted in or that he could do well. He struggled to make friends at first and continued to battle with conflict resolution.

I was in quite a dark place and felt abandoned... but TLG accepted me and that was the first step in my journey moving forward.

Jaiden

Jaiden made brilliant progress and is now starting back at a smaller mainstream school. He is doing better with his Maths and English and is looking forward to sitting his GCSEs, hoping to study engineering at college.

“TLG helped me get back into school, which once thought was impossible.”

She said: “It’s a complete turnaround. We still have some dips but family life is much calmer and our home is a much happier place. I can’t thank TLG, James and his team enough for not giving up and for their constant persistence!”

Education is one of the domains considered in the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). The Education Policy Institute (EPI) reported that a child from a poorer background can struggle with attainment, leading them to fall behind their peers. This is sometimes referred to as the disadvantage gap. For the first time in 2018 the disadvantage gap, which had been closing, widened.

Area focus Birmingham

Jaiden & Nikkola

Never say

NEVER

to God!

These are the wise words of Susie McGibbon, who tells us about her journey from working in education to her new role in supporting local churches as they combat deprivation.

“I had definitely ruled out working with young people, especially those who may have been struggling and the ones you may cross over the street in fear of,” said Susie.

At a Christian summer youth festival, Susie had a tangible encounter with God, who “broke her heart for those His heart breaks for.” She found herself floored and crying tears like never before for those who didn’t know Jesus and for those who were lost and last in society. Something changed in that moment: a passion released and a justice stirred. Susie was 16 and this was the beginning of a new, exciting and crazy adventure with Jesus.

“God led me to join Eden when I was 18. Eden is a branch of the Message Trust that sends and supports teams of urban missionaries to build community and share the gospel in the most deprived urban areas. moved into a council estate, where many teenagers were hanging out on street corners! I was part of Eden for 10 years and it changed me. It changed my DNA, what stood for and what advocated for, stirring me to pray into the early hours and stepping out to do courageous things,” said Susie.

It was here where Susie met her husband Rob and they led an Eden team together in Eccles in Salford from 2009 to 2013. Alongside Susie’s Eden years, she trained and became a primary school teacher. Very soon into teaching, the same passion God had birthed in her at 16 came flooding out as a heart for justice for those left behind in education. She became a Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCO) in a primary school, before moving on to a secondary school.

It was during this time that Susie first heard about TLG and was fully inspired by TLG’s heart and vision. In September 2017, Susie left mainstream education and joined TLG Bolton Education Centre as Headteacher.

got into college and are looking forward to futures filled with hope.”

“One young person had been through the youth justice system and came to TLG in year 11, having not been in school for years. He was so hungry to work hard and achieve something in life, we used to have to tell him to stop working and take a break. He is now about to join the army and says ‘I would recommend TLG in a heartbeat’.”

With a heart and passion for the UK and local church, in the Spring of 2019 Susie felt the nudge of God calling her to something new. At the same time, with so much deprivation across the UK, TLG was looking for a new Northern Church Partnership Manager to support an ever-increasing number of churches joining TLG’s vision – specifically in the Midlands and North. Operating from TLG’s National Support Centre in Bradford, Susie is now on hand to guide churches through the process of opening TLG’s Early Intervention and Make Lunch programmes to help them directly combat deprivation in their neighbourhoods.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” said Susie. “I couldn’t believe that there was a Christian organisation doing this work and it was just where I wanted to be.

“When first came into contact with the students, it became clear that they were hurting and their home lives were complicated. They needed that extra layer of investment and care that schools didn’t have enough resources to provide.

“We had young people join TLG in year 11 who hadn’t been in school since year 7. We were amazed to see how they had battled through the knock-backs, the labels spoken over them and the lack of confidence. Now, after their time at TLG, these students have passed their exams,

Do you know a church that could be more involved?

TLG has over 20 years’ experience of equipping churches across the UK to meet the needs of struggling children in their local community. A new church partner joins TLG every week and we would love for you and your church to get on board too. Please contact our Church Partnership team to find out more.

Call 01274 302811

Email partnerships@tlg.org.uk

“I know that if Early Intervention had been around for many of my students, it would have saved them a lot of stress and worry and they wouldn’t have needed to come to the TLG Education Centre,” added Susie, who now lives in the highly deprived area of Darwen with Rob and her two boys Caleb (8) and Isaac (5).

“I love all that we stand for at TLG in reaching struggling children and families. With my passion for the local church and the UK, it all comes together in my new job role. am excited for the local church sharing the love of Jesus to those around them and how they can serve and support their communities in a practical way through TLG’s programmes.”

We are particularly keen to hear from you if your church is in one of the Top 15 areas of deprivation TLG is targeting: Barking and Dagenham Birmingham  Blackburn with Darwen Blackpool  Burnley  Hackney  Kingston upon Hull Knowsley Liverpool Manchester North East Lincolnshire Nottingham Oldham Pendle Sandwell

Susie with a pupil at TLG Bolton Education Centre

What is TLG Make Lunch

TLG Make Lunch equips churches to bring hope to struggling children through holiday lunch clubs. These clubs provide free, hot and healthy meals for children and families on a low income, as well as the support of a compassionate church community.

helping hand A Little

How is it helping children in deprived communities?

The scale of holiday hunger is huge. With over 1.5 million children entitled to Free School Meals and millions more children living in poverty, it poses an urgent question. What happens to those children during the thirteen weeks of school holidays? For too many, with families on extremely low budgets, the food runs out. TLG Make Lunch is answering this need by providing those children, who would otherwise go hungry, with meals during the holidays.

Area focus

Luton

The Need

Luton, one of the most populated towns in the UK, has some of the highest child poverty levels in the country, with half of its children estimated to be growing up in poverty. Luton is also reported to have some of the highest levels of child homelessness in the country.

How has TLG Make Lunch helped your family?

TLG Make Lunch has made a huge difference in our lives. When we started coming to TLG Make Lunch we were struggling financially because we were not allowed to work due to our immigration situation. Feeding our two children three meals every day was challenging, especially during the school holidays.

The first time we came everyone was so welcoming and encouraging. We were given hot meals and learnt many new recipes to cook for our children at home, how to minimise food waste and cook on a budget. The children not only looked forward to eating their favourite meals, but also getting involved in the cooking. They really enjoyed playing games and learning arts and crafts.

What is your favourite part of TLG Make Lunch?

Now our immigration situation has been resolved, we volunteer. It gives us so much joy to see the happy expressions on so many children’s faces, many of whom are from poorer backgrounds. To see their little hands cutting, chopping, cooking and baking with the help of the adults is so satisfying. The experience is priceless. It gives us the feeling of fulfilment in our faith, as we support those who are in need.

Our faith has also been totally renewed and reinvigorated. Shama was re-baptised, having first been baptised when younger, as a symbol of how much stronger we feel in our faith. The church has helped us grow so much spiritually, as well as helping practically. When we first came to Luton we were not happy but now we look back and praise God for bringing us here and to this church.

Katja, the Make Lunch Coordinator, and her husband have walked with us and helped us time and time again – they are amazing friends.

Our faith has been totally renewed and reinvigorated.

gardening, welcoming and refreshments, in any way you can help. What inspired you to get so involved?

Our church family is lovely and it is a small church so we want to do our bit and help. It gives us a lot of joy to help others and be involved in any way we can. God has been amazing in our lives and we want to give something back to Him for what He has done for us.

Finally, to Andy and Sharon, what is your favourite thing about TLG Make Lunch?

Andy - My favourite thing is the volunteers who help out there. They make me feel special.

Sharon - It’s not easy to feed and help so many kids, they are really doing an amazing job. May God bless them.

You are involved in the church now in many ways – in the band, in junior church, cleaning and

And the last word goes to Katja, who said: “I can’t imagine church without them.”

Reuben, Shama and their two children, 15-year-old Sharon and six-year-old Andy, are one of the many families who have been supported by the TLG Make Lunch club run in partnership with St John the Baptist, Farley Hill in Luton since they first attended in September 2016. Their lives were so transformed by the club that they decided to stay on and become part of the team as volunteers. They recently filled us in about how the club, run by Make Lunch Coordinator Katja and her volunteers, helped them.

How have things changed through coming to TLG Make Lunch?

There is a huge difference in our children, they are much more confident now. They love to take part in cooking at home and are always asking us to make the things they had at the TLG Make Lunch club.

They happily help in preparing the vegetables and fruits at home and Sharon now makes so many things independently. Andy loves to offer his little helping hands too.

L-R: Katja, Sharon, Reuben, Shama & Andy

Fight orFlight

Bullied, lonely, unhappy.

This was life for Frankie before she met Kate, her TLG Early Intervention coach.

The Need

Many people know about the infamous battle in Hastings in 1066 but not as many are aware of Hastings’ battle against poverty. The area is in the top 15 most deprived council areas in the 2019 Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and it is estimated that nearly a third of children in Hastings live in poverty.

School was tough. Frankie was bullied because of her height and her confidence was repeatedly knocked. She struggled to make friends, spent most of her time at home and would wander the playground on her own.

When Frankie first met with Kate, she wasn’t even sure if she could trust her.

That soon changed.

Frankie loves being creative, so in their weekly one-to-one coaching

sessions Kate regularly brought in crafts. Frankie’s favourite was a dragonfly, but she also remembers making paper aeroplanes and one accidentally ending up on the school roof!

As well as making crafts, Kate used the coaching sessions to listen to Frankie, encourage her and engage in activities that helped Frankie express her feelings, build her confidence and think about friendship.

Thanks to the support of Kate, Frankie has, in her own words, gone from “extremely sad to happy.” She now enjoys school, has successfully transitioned to secondary school and loves spending time with the friends she has made. She

is confident in trying new things, including her recently discovered talent for archery.

Frankie’s mum, Sky, has also seen the transformation in her daughter. She has noticed how Frankie is visibly more confident and happier and, as Sky commented: “She’s hit the ground running” since her coaching.

Both Frankie and Sky were invited onto a TLG Family Faith Adventure Weekend, Frankie’s first proper holiday. Sky and Frankie enjoyed quality time together and lots of activities. Sky still has the glass candle Frankie made there.

to share with them more Psalms from the bibles they had been given. Kate shared Psalm 29 with them, a reading that stayed with them. Not long afterwards, at the local church fayre, the very same Psalm flashed up on the screen, a moment they still remember.

The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.

The biggest memory they all recall from the weekend was the moment Frankie conquered the huge zip wire to loud applause, after building up the confidence for over half an hour. What may have looked like just a zip wire showed Frankie that she can do anything she puts her mind to and can face her fears and conquer them.

On the way home from the weekend, in the car they asked Kate

What is TLG Early Intervention?

One coach, one child, one hour a week. TLG Early Intervention gives the church a practical solution to support children, families and schools in their community.

The programme enables trained volunteers to become coaches and work on a one-to-one basis with children. The overall aim is to help them to work through their emotions which are often linked to the pressures of the classroom and home life.

How is it helping children in deprived communities?

The effects of bullying, bereavement, family breakdown, poverty or being in the care system can have a huge impact on a child's education. Some children may be struggling with a lack of confidence, have no positive role models, or just need an adult to talk to. Multiple research over the years has shown the serious impact living in poverty can have on a child’s mental health. But a TLG Early Intervention coach spending one hour a week listening to a child, supporting them and discussing coping strategies can make all the difference in their life.

Kate is an Early Intervention Coach at King’s Church in Hastings. Thanks to their vital work, children like Frankie are having their lives transformed by volunteers walking alongside them.

Frankie now knows she has a hope and a future. She is continuing to develop her skills at archery and her natural flair for creativity. Kate, who saw the change first hand, said: “I’m certainly seeing a different Frankie to the one I saw a year ago, a very different Frankie, much more confident.”

The move from primary to secondary school

This move is a huge life transition for any child, even more so for those who struggle to settle into primary school in the first place. As TLG Early Intervention coaches help children in both primary and secondary schools, they are able to walk children through the change and offer reassurance at a pivotal time.

Area focus Hastings

Frankie and her Mum, Sky

Frankie and her TLG coach, Kate

Pray with us

We know so many of you, like us, believe in the power of prayer. We are so grateful for your continued prayer and support. Below are just some of the issues that you can join us in praying for over the coming weeks.

An adventure of discovery

Just as Jaiden (his story on pages 6-7) had the opportunity to go on one of TLG’s Faith Residentials, please pray for young people attending in 2020. Our Faith Residentials give young people the chance to engage in fun activities and have space to explore the big questions in life.

Please also pray for families like Frankie and Sky (see their story on pages 12-13) who will be invited to TLG’s Family Faith Adventure Weekend. For many of our young people this will be their first ever holiday and a chance for them to spend quality time away with their families, as well as exploring God's heart for family.

UK deprivation

In this magazine, we have heard so much about where the need for TLG is greatest. Please pray for all children and their families currently struggling on a low income and for the local communities supporting them. Please pray for churches across our nation to rise up and be the answer to the deprivation on their doorstep.

Knife crime & county lines

The rise of knife crime and county lines drugs trafficking across the country is of increasing concern. Statistics show that TLG students are more at risk of facing these issues. Please pray for vulnerable young people across the UK, that God would keep them safe from crime, exploitation and harm and for our Education Centre staff as they support and walk alongside them.

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

TLG relies upon an army of like-minded supporters who believe that every child deserves hope and a future.

Could you join us and give a monthly gift that will literally transform lives for good?

Please use the freepost envelope provided or post this form to: TLG National Support Centre, Hope Park, Bradford, BD5 8HH

I/we would like to become a Hope Giver and donate a monthly amount of:

on the 1st 15th (please tick) of each month, until further notice. The first payment will take place in (month/year)):

would like to increase my monthly gift by:

would like to give a one-off donation of: enclose cash / a cheque (made payable to TLG) for the amount above.

Please claim gift aid on my donations to TLG today, in the past 4 years and in the future. confirm have paid or will pay an amount of Income Tax and/or Capital Gains Tax for each tax year (6 April to 5 April) that is at least equal to the amount of tax that all the charities of Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) that I donate to will reclaim on my gifts for that tax year. understand that other taxes such as VAT and Council Tax do not qualify. understand TLG will reclaim 28p of tax on every £1 that gave up to 5 April 2008 and will reclaim 25p of tax on every £1 that give on or after 6 April 2008. Please notify TLG if your name, address or eligibility for Gift Aid change. Name(s) of account holder(s):

to your bank / building society to pay by Direct Debit:

Please pay TLG The Education Charity Direct Debits from the account detailed on this instruction subject to the safeguards assured by the Direct Debit Guarantee. understand that this instruction may remain with TLG and, if so, details will be passed electronically to my bank/building society.

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Your church

can transform lives

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Call us today to find out more 01274 302810