Hope and a Future Magazine Edition 13

The power of community

From gang member to peace-keeper

Josiah’s amazing journey of transformation at his TLG Education Centre

Building connection through coaching

Charles’ inspiring story of gaining confidence (and a school council badge) through his TLG Early Intervention caoching

Make Lunch makes an impact!

As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, so does the support of our church communities to children like Jamiey-Louise and Jasmine

In this edition:

‘Somebody actually wanted to listen’

Diversity, Inclusion and Equity matters

Building connection through coaching

From exclusion to exceeding expectations!

Make Lunch makes an impact!

The cost-of-living: The crisis deepens TLG News!

Celebrating with God

The power of community

Aspeople, we are created for togetherness. We’re created to hold each other through difficult times and to laugh together through joyful times. We learn together and grow together. When community is at its best, it’s transformational!

As TLG equips over 250 churches across the UK to make an impact in their local areas, I’ve been so encouraged to see that already this year, more than 3,000 children’s lives have been transformed, not just by the TLG programmes but far beyond that as they are welcomed into loving church communities.

For example, TLG Make Lunch clubs across the UK are reaching families facing food insecurity with meal provision and loving community care. Sisters JamieyLouise, Jasmine, Cali and Alice, who you can read about in this magazine, enjoy hot, healthy and delicious meals during school holidays, a safe and welcoming space to make friends and their whole family now have a supportive community network they can rely on.

Community is equally important for students in our Education Centres. Our students often say that their centre feels like ‘family’, and that having staff there who truly invest in them and are there for them as long as they need is a unique experience. This wonderful community at TLG Education Centres helps students, like Josiah and Kizzy featured on pages 4 and 8, to feel comfortable and ultimately helps them to grow and find hope.

‘Community’ can of course mean the relationship and trust that can be built between just two people, such as a coach with a child through TLG Early Intervention. Children like Charles, whose inspiring story is on page 6. The community Charles found, both with Early Intervention coach Helen, and with his classmates thanks to Helen’s support, has meant his emotional wellbeing has improved and he is ready to take on secondary school.

A healthy community offers support, connection, resources, belonging and engages everyone – all things that TLG provides to struggling children. A healthy community is also diverse and celebrates people’s differences! God created a world full of people who are unique and beautifully different, and you can read about why diversity and inclusion is so important to TLG in the article on page 5.

I do hope you enjoy all the stories in this magazine and feel inspired by the power that community has to spread hope and transform lives. You reading this magazine means you are part of the TLG community. Thank you for your wonderful support and the part you are playing as we reach more struggling children through churches across the UK.

Tim Morfin TLG Founder and Chief Executive tlg.org.uk

“The

“Visiting Make Lunch in Newcastle was such a joy. To share food and laughter with the children and be inspired by church community in action was incredible!”

“Someone actually wanted to

listen

”

Head in his hands, Josiah recalls life before he started at TLG. “Life wasn’t too good,” Josiah remembers. “I was angry all of the time. I dreaded going into school.” He stops and sighs.

Having faced traumatising bullying while at school, Josiah finds it difficult to reflect upon his time there. Many of his classmates were part of gangs and Josiah was bullied for not being in the ‘right’ gang.

“I felt like I needed to defend myself,” he continues. “I found an electrical lighter and brought it to school. I got into a big fight and knew I had it on me so I decided to use it. My headteacher, he took me outside at the front of school to calm down and whatnot. That was the last time I was in mainstream school.” Josiah was permanently excluded from school for using the taser. He was referred to a TLG Education Centre so that he could receive the support he needed.

Matt, one of Josiah’s teachers at TLG, says; “When he first came to TLG, it felt like Josiah had given up and that was the end of his chance to be successful. He felt a bit like he was being dumped and felt shame about his actions. But TLG has been the perfect match for Josiah. It’s an environment where he feels safe so we’ve seen a real transformation in him.”

Josiah has flourished in the smaller setting of TLG Nottingham, where he has integrated well into the tight-knit community.

“When I first came to TLG it seemed quite calm. It was a lot smaller than normal school so the teachers had enough time for me to communicate and for them to help me.”

“For once I felt like someone actually wanted to listen,” he continues. “I felt like they cared about me. My relationship with Matt is good. He’s always understood what I’m trying to say and given me advice on how to stay calm. When I was younger I wasn’t really talking to anyone about how I was feeling. It’s been good to have people to talk to at TLG.”

“

He is often the peace keeper... He’s making all the right choices and doing all the right things ”

- MATT, JOSIAH’S HEAD TEACHER AT TLG

Matt and the other teachers at the TLG Education Centre have enjoyed having him there. “He can get on with a range of people and he is often the peace keeper,” says Matt. “He is extremely respectful and engaged in lessons. We can see his determination to get back to mainstream and to be successful. He’s making all the right choices and doing all the right things.”

Josiah reflects; “Coming to TLG has had a positive effect on me. I used to be angry with everything but I calmed down. I’m definitely more equipped to go back to mainstream.”

“Thank you, TLG!”

Diversity, equity & inclusion matters

“I

nclusivity is really important to us at TLG. Our desire is to recognise and respond to the universal needs of children and families we work with and provide every child with an opportunity to reach their full potential,” these are the words of TLG’s Head of Inclusion Abigail Anjorin, on why this is such an important issue.

“In my role, we are championing a commitment to changing and challenging narratives and labels. Through our programmes, we see children and families respond to care and support without judgement - grow in confidence, self-esteem and become empowered to write a new narrative, a new story.

“For TLG, this has to be an active and intentional journey as we steer our way to better inclusion, belonging and equity.

“As a Black British-African woman, raised and educated in the state system and identified as having dyslexic traits, I am familiar with the ache of low esteem and self-doubt felt by so many children and young people. The school environment was at times a place of anxiety for me but owing to a network of support, that wasn’t the end of my story.

Pause and Pray:

Together we pray for young people who have fallen into the wrong crowds and don’t know who to turn to. We pray too for those on the fringes; for young people who are at a disadvantage due to circumstances beyond their control. Lord, we pray for wisdom as we seek to serve and include children, young people and families from all backgrounds.

The devastating facts:

Black pupils are three times more likely to be excluded then their white peers.

- DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION

Over three quarters (77%) of children in pupil referral units (PRUs) have SEND.

- THE CHILDREN’S COMMISSIONER

BAME communities have consistently encountered disproportionately higher levels of food insecurity compared with white ethnic groups.

- THE FOOD FOUNDATION

“With a passion to help others in education, became a Secondary School Teacher. Over these years it has been a blessing and privilege to support and learn from a variety of families and young people from all walks of life, lived experiences and stories. I have seen how adverse structures and attitudes embedded in our systems often mean that the needs and narrative of children with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND), from UK ethnic minority heritage or families from areas of high deprivation are misrepresented.

“Practising inclusion is essential and helps to remove barriers to belonging and equity. But we do so, knowing that we too are on that journey. We must create a safe space for learning and accountability. It is an ongoing journey of reflection, vulnerability and action for us all.”

Abigail Anjorin HEAD OF INCLUSION AT TLG

through coaching connection Building

“I thought people didn’t like me.” Ten-year-old Charles spoke these heart-breaking words. After being bullied at school, Charles struggled with confidence and anger and found it hard to cope.

“I

was getting more angry and reactive,” says Charles.

“If someone said something mean about me, I would get physical and punch them or kick them. I was getting in trouble more than other people but didn’t really think that was fair.”

“I needed somewhere to let all my anger out. So it was great when started being coached by Helen, and it kind of made me feel special because not many people in my class have TLG.”

Helen nods, “It was really good timing for TLG Early Intervention to come into Charles’ life. His parents and the school were noticing there was some unhappiness and he was struggling. It was a pivotal point for Charles and a brilliant time to start coaching.”

Charles’ emotional wellbeing has significantly improved since he started coaching with Helen. “I had no one to talk

to about my feelings. used to let all my anger out on my family, but I know that wasn’t fair. But once I had Helen I could actually talk about what was going on.”

Helen was able to use different activities to help Charles process his emotions and learn to respond to them positively. “Charles’ emotions were coming out physically when he felt stressed or angry, so we chatted about where our emotions come from and found ways to cope and respond to those difficult feelings.”

“Helen helped me find a few options of things I could do when I was struggling in a situation; like I could draw a cartoon about it,” says Charles. “I would draw scenes of things that happened to think about what I could have done and how I could have done it.” Helen agrees, “Charles is so brilliant at drawing, it’s a huge talent of his. That became an outlet for him to think about what he could have done differently in difficult situations.”

Charles continues, “I haven’t got too much self-doubt about myself now. So I would say that coaching has helped me a lot. I’m much more calm and my teachers have noticed that I’m doing well!” Helen beams, “Such a proud moment was when Charles’ class voted him as their representative for school council!”

“Moving up to secondary school is going to be quite scary, but I’m actually feeling quite excited as I’m making a lot of new friends and feel happy to have people who support me,” Charles concludes.

Outside of school, Charles has started going to the afterschool club at his local church, St Peter’s Church Farnborough. He says he has been developing a ‘connection’ with God! Charles loved being a part of the church pantomime at Christmas and learning about Jesus through all the different activities he’s done at church. He has loved meeting new people there too!

“ I haven’t got too much self-doubt about myself now. So I would say that coaching has helped me a lot. I’m much more calm and my teachers have noticed that I’m doing well!

- CHARLES, AGED 10

The community Charles found, both with Helen, with his class-mates and at church through the impact Early Intervention had on him, has meant his emotional wellbeing has improved and he is ready to take on his future!

TLG’s wonderful Future Builders community gives businesses the opportunity to make a difference to children - like Charles - and their families throughout the UK.

Everyone wants to know that their workplace is committed to making a positive impact and this is a great way for businesses of any size to do so by contributing to the educational, practical and emotional needs of children and families who are in desperate need of support.

Access Insurance Services is one of TLG’s amazing Future Builders:

We came across TLG who were doing fantastic work with disadvantaged and vulnerable children, providing support or education that wouldn’t have otherwise been provided. You can see what an impact that makes, so we felt that we had to help and become a Future Builder!

I encourage more companies to join and make an impact. In the area that TLG are involved in, there are so many children who are vulnerable and it’s important to see how you can give back too.

- SIMON HICKMAN, CEO ACCESS INSURANCE SERVICES

Pause and Pray:

As a community, we pray for children who are feeling lonely, excluded from their peers and without any one to talk to about how they are doing. We pray that children would be welcomed in to communities where they can find support and love.

TLG’s Future Builders are helping us in our vision to mobilise 400 new churches by 2025 - leaving a lasting legacy for struggling children in each new location.

We urgently need more businesses to commit to giving a regular amount to TLG, joining many like-minded organisations, to help transform many more children’s lives.

From exclusion to exceedingexpectations!

We feature many amazing stories of transformation in our magazines, but every once in a while it’s great to check in to see how these amazing young people are getting on when they have moved on from TLG. When we shared Kizzy’s story in 2017, she was 14 and still new to TLG West London. It is incredible to see how she is now going from strength to strength!

Kizzy’s journey through school has been a rollercoaster. When she first moved to the UK from Cameroon, she struggled to settle in. “In secondary school,” says Kizzy, “my headteacher would say, ‘your behaviour is very bad. I’ve never had a child behave like this.’”

“In year 7, I got excluded for fighting the headteacher. For a month I was at home. No school. Nothing to do.” Kizzy was then referred to TLG to help her get back on track. Thankfully, the community and support she found at TLG made a huge difference to Kizzy’s life.

The encouragement from her teachers at TLG helped Kizzy overcome the challenges she was facing. It also meant she was able to re-integrate back into mainstream school. This was a step that Kizzy was keen to make, and looking back on it Kizzy feels proud of how far she’s come. “Success to me is feeling happy with what you are accomplishing,

feeling happy with the results of all your hard work. felt this when started at sixth form!”

Right now, Kizzy is studying PE, Social Care and French A Levels. “I’m enjoying PE the most, I find it the easiest to understand! I really like sports.”

When Kizzy shared her story a few years ago, she said: “Thank you TLG for not giving up on me because now I’ve got plans for my future and I want to be a physiotherapist. If it weren’t for TLG, I don’t think I’d still be in school. TLG gave me a chance and I’m so grateful.” How exciting that Kizzy is well on the way to pursuing her dream!

“

“

The teachers were always there, they were more like mentors and friends, they were there to support us as well as teach us. The advice and guidance I got at

TLG

still helps me now.

”

-

Kizzy found the community at TLG helped her to feel comfortable and ultimately helped her to grow and find hope.

“At TLG met a lot of people could relate to and we understood each other’s situation. At TLG you help each other to change and get to where you need to be. We would reflect on our ideas and everyone listened to each other and took in what other people said.”

“TLG helped me to overcome the challenges was facing. It helped me plan for my future and to focus on it!” Well done, Kizzy! We can’t wait to see what your future holds! “

TLG gave me a chance and I’m so grateful.

- KIZZY IN 2017, AGED 12

Pause and Pray:

Together we thank God for enabling students like Kizzy to receive the support they need. We pray for young people who feel uncertain about their futures. Would you fill them with hope and open doors for them.

I want to raise money for kids who are struggling in school and need some help ”

-

ELIJAH, AGE

9

Our passionate TLG community have been getting out and about and taking on challenges to raise money for struggling children and families!

Nine-year-old Elijah is working towards his school’s Year 4 Gold Badge. To achieve this he needs to raise funds for a charity and Elijah chose to support TLG by trekking up one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks - Pen-y-Ghent - with his dad, Shane!

What a huge challenge, thank you, Elijah!

Join #TeamTLG !

www.tlg.org.uk/fundraise

If you think you could take on a challenge too, we would love to hear about it. Could you: Run a race? Hold a cake stall? Dance-a-thon?! The ideas are endless! To join #TeamTLG and register your fundraiser idea with us, follow the link below or scan the QR code. Our team will help you get started! Thank you for taking action.

KIZZY TODAY, AGED 17

Make Lunch makes an impact!

Local churches at the heart of communities throughout the UK are making an incredible difference to the lives of children like sisters Jasmine and Jamiey-Louise. Hundreds of churches partner with TLG, and those running Make Lunch clubs provide free, healthy food alongside fun activities, giving families the chance to build strong relationships and find a loving community.

For sisters Jamiey-Louise (13), Jasmine (11), Cali (4) and Alice (3), and their mum Sam, support from their local Make Lunch club was of immeasurable value when health complications and financial insecurity caused heart-breaking stress and anxiety.

“We got to the point where we were quite low in life,” Sam says. “Cali was classed as a ‘failure to thrive’ when she was a year old and was put on a nasal gastric tube. It was a stressful time for me and the girls.”

“My anxiety increased, worrying what to do with the children, how to feed them. There’s a lot of guilt. We are a low-income, single-parent family so trying to budget the weekly food shop has always been hard. Aren’t kids always hungry! Even school things like packs of paper or pens has an impact on the weekly budget.”

“It made me upset to see my mum so upset,” sighs Jamiey-Louise. “Yes,” agrees Jasmine, “I felt worried because mum was always panicking about stuff. We didn’t have enough money to get the food we need.”

Sam and her children started coming along to TLG Make Lunch at Trinity Life Church several years ago and the community they found has had a huge impact on the whole family.

“

Make Lunch helped us. Everyone is very kind and it gives a chance to socialise with people and make friends.

- JAMIEY-LOUISE AGED 13

“People would come up to you and see if you’re okay and ask you questions,” says Jasmine. “The cooks are very lovely and they ask you what you want on your food. You can try stuff that you haven’t tried before and you always get fruit and vegetables. love the creative side of Make Lunch with all the activities. Going and seeing all the kind people there and making friends!”

“The support we’ve found from our local church family certainly helps to lessen the burden,” says Sam. “The anxiety slowly goes down when you’ve got more people to talk to.”

Sam smiles, “The community has been fantastic. All the volunteers at Make Lunch have made a difference. love how we will welcome other struggling people in too. The more supporting we can do for each other the better.”

The Cost-of-Living: the crisis deepens. Families like Sam’s urgently need your help.

“Now the pandemic is over, we are just moving forward into another crisis with the cost of living! Over the next few months I’m mainly worried about the energy crisis. What do you prioritise paying - food or energy? It’s a scary time.”

- Sam, mother of 4

We’ve all seen the reports about the rising cost of living, but you don’t have to read the news to notice that bills have been increasing month after month. For many of us, it’s scary. But for families who were already struggling, poverty will become a desperate reality.

Over 4.3 million children now live in poverty in the UK. This devestating number is projected to rise to a shocking 5.2 million by 2024. Aside from the fact that this means millions of children are hungry and living without basic essentials; the devastating result of the rising cost of living will also have a major emotional impact on the lives of many children as well as affecting their opportunities and futures.

On top of the stress or anxiety children pick up on as their parents or carers worry about finances; children may have less access to opportunities, be subject to bullying, struggle with sleep or concentration, feel frustrated or embarrassed, family dynamics may be very challenging and ultimately it can affect children’s aspirations and their future.

Poverty, food insecurity and social isolation will have a longterm impact on children’s futures. Disadvantaged children face a higher likelihood of exclusion, are more likely to miss school due to illness, are more likely to struggle whilst in the classroom and will receive fewer opportunities. So, where’s the hope? At TLG, we’re committed to reaching these children with vital support. TLG Make Lunch clubs across the

UK are showing love to families facing food insecurity with meal provision and loving community care. Our Education Centres offer safe places for children when the rising cost of living has a negative impact on their futures. Our TLG Early Intervention coaches are spending crucial time with children whose poor emotional wellbeing means they urgently need support.

Now more than ever, we must come together to provide meals, emotional wellbeing support, community and trauma-informed care to children who are struggling on alone. We want every child to be able to reach their full potential, not held back by circumstances beyond their control, and your generous donations today will help ensure children’s futures are filled with hope and opportunity.

Please consider giving financially to the work of TLG. Support from passionate people like you makes all the difference to the ever-growing needs of struggling families. Please fill out the form at the back of this magazine, or donate online today. Thank you.

www.tlg.org.uk/donate

Pause and Pray:

As a community, we pray for the families who have been hit hardest by the ever-rising cost of living. Father God, please provide for families in need and prevent more children from being pushed into poverty.

As seen on the BBC!

TLG

News!

A Better Alternative

In May 2022, we launched our briefing paper called A Better Alternative: No student in unregistered Alternative Provision: How and Why?

We know that every child deserves a high-quality education in an environment that is fully equipped to meet their needs and held to appropriate standards. When it comes to Alternative Provision schools, the legal framework leaves these insecure. At the core of this paper’s recommendations is a call for the law to be changed to compel every Alternative Provision school to be registered and held to account.

Welcome to TWO new Education Centres!

This year, we are incredibly excited to have opened TWO new Education Centres, TLG Torbay and TLG Wirral - who are bringing hope to struggling and excluded young people in these two new locations. We are so thankful for our new church partners, Upton Vale Baptist Church in Torbay, and Hope Church in The Wirral for joining in this mission and serving their communities with such vital provision. We’re already seeing young people from the areas being referred and finding hope through the love and support of these churches and our staff teams. Thank you!

Let’s think about...

TLG Wakefield was featured on BBC Look North to highlight this important issue and to hear from student DJ’s experiences of being at TLG. Watch the report and read the paper here:

www.tlg.org.uk/a-better-alternative

“I prefer it here [at TLG] because if you need help, a teacher comes. If you struggle with something they’ll help you. It’s just a good school.... It’s making me want to stay and not run away.”

Pupil and Family Champions

“It is amazing the difference a cup of coffee and chat can make in the development of our young people.” - Hannah, Pupil and Family Champion at TLG Bradford Education Centre - a TLG partnership with The Light Church..

Each of our Pupil and Family Champions are providing community and support to students in our Education Centres, as well as caring for students’ families! It’s been very encouraging to see how students have responded to this support, helping them find their way through a variety of challenges.

Time to connect!

Church Spotlight: Hope Church Newtown

We love seeing our church partners going above and beyond our programmes in serving their communities!

Charity ‘Hub of Hope’ who are based at Hope Church, Newtown, organised Family Funtastic - a brilliant fun day held at the end of a two-week programme of local community building activities in Newtown.

TLG supported the big event, which aimed to meet some practical needs of local families facing economic and social challenges, and help to improve community cohesion.

Family Funtastic, the grand finalé, built upon the relationships forged during the programme.

‘Family’ was at the centre of the day. Every generation of the local community was present, spending time together, reducing isolation, particularly in the aftermath of Covid restrictions; strengthening family bonds and friendships between neighbours. Strong, new and positive connections were made, helping to integrate the local community with the local school.

TLG is committed to continuing to research and develop resources to help parents help their children at this very tricky time. We have released a set of 5 trauma-informed booklets to help to help those supporting children and young people who are dealing with past and present challenging experiences. Alongside these booklets, we have been hosting free online training sessions in partnership with Safe Families to delve deeper into each booklet. To check out the ‘Let’s Think About’ booklets, visit: www.tlg.org.uk/resources

Every May, our huge team of volunteers from across the UK join together at TLG’s ‘Connected Conference’ to do what it says on the tin – connect! Together we celebrate children whose lives have been transformed for good. We thank God for how he is using his Church in local communities and we look to the future for the change we want to see as we aim to reach more struggling children. If you or your church would like to explore starting a volunteer programme with us, this event is just one of the many perks of partnering with TLG.

Find out more at:

www.tlg.org.uk/your-church

In the words of one of the lead organisers of the event, “We want the local people to know that they are not alone in their struggles, that they are important, and they are loved.”

Family Funtastic, all the activities and food, were completely free to everyone in the local area. It was a chance for families to enjoy an afternoon out together, and a chance to take a breather from worries about the cost of living crisis.

Events like Family Funtastic not only give a short-term boost, they build transformational relationships and generate hope for change in the longer term. As one resident put it, “you brought light to our area.”

Transforming lives as a church community!

We believe that God has a compassionate and loving heart for children facing devastating challenges. We believe that God is using local churches to make change happen for the better. And we believe that God has a huge party when a child finds hope, and we celebrate that joy with Him!

BECOME A hope giver

TLG relies upon an army of like-minded supporters who believe that every child deserves hope and a future. Will you join us and give a monthly gift that will literally transform lives for good? Simply post this form to: TLG National Support Centre, Hope Park, Bradford, BD5 8HH or help us save costs by becoming a Hope Giver online at www.tlg.org.uk/hg

We currently have over 250 church partners, whose passion for children’s futures means that over 8,000 children are finding hope each year. But we want to do more!

As more churches join the TLG movement, reaching into their local communities with love and support, more children’s lives will be transformed for good.

We would love to start the conversation with you about the impact your church could make by partnering with TLG. Find out more about our church partnerships by visiting:

Pause and Pray:

If you’ve been inspired to pause and pray throughout the pages of this magazine, thank you. Let us pray for you too! For more helpful prayer points, and an opportunity to share your prayer requests with our designated prayer team, please visit:

www.tlg.org.uk/pause-and-pray

We rely on our generous Hope Giver community to reach children just like Kizzy, Josiah, Charles, Jamiey-Louise and Jasmine who you’ve read about in this magazine. But we URGENTLY need people like you to become a Hope Giver or increase your monthly donations so we can respond to the wellbeing crisis children are facing alone. Just £8 a month will help transform a life for good.

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

I would like to increase my monthly gift by: I would like to give a one-off donation of: I enclose cash / a cheque (made payable to TLG) for the amount above. or, please call me about my one-off donation on: on the 1st 15th (please tick) of each month, until further notice. The first payment will take place in (month/year)):

If you are a UK taxpayer your donation could be worth 25% more at no extra cost to you.

Yes - am a UK taxpayer and would like TLG to claim Gift Aid on this donation, any future donations and on any donations I have made in the last four years. understand I must pay enough income tax and/or capital gains tax each tax year to cover the amount of Gift Aid that all charities and community amateur sports clubs claim on my donations in that tax year, and am responsible for paying any difference.

society to pay by Direct Debit:

Please pay Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) Ltd. 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.

Thank you for sharing our passion for bringing hope to struggling children.

Let us inspire your church to bring hope into your community too.

Local churches are the beating heart of TLG. We are passionate about the unparalleled role the UK Church plays in supporting struggling children and their families, so we absolutely LOVE joining you during your church services and events.

A TLG speaker will encourage your congregation with stories of struggling children finding invaluable HOPE, just like those in this magazine. We would love to come to your church to tell you more.

Discover God’s heart for the fatherless and the brokenhearted. Be inspired by hearing how God is using his Church to transform the lives of children and young people. We would love to come to YOUR church to tell you more.

Be challenged to change the story!