Network of Kindness Learning Community launched in Huyton
Together Liverpool’s second Network of Kindness Learning Community has launched, with nine churches joining from across Huyton Deanery.
We were joined at St Gabriel’s church, Huyton by members of nine parishes from across Roby, Whiston, Stockbridge Village, Knowsley, Huyton, Kirkby and Prescot.
It comes as thirteen churches in Sefton North have just completed their Learning Community sessions, led by Together Liverpool Executive Director Rev James Green and Social Action Lead Development Officer Joseph Cottrell.
We are delighted that a series of new social action projects are set to be launched across North Sefton deanery as a result in 2024, and we look forwards to sharing those stories.
Learning Communities bring together faith groups
Groups from within a deanery area meet over four sessions, with the purpose of developing existing social action projects or launching new ones.
Lay and clergy members join to consider the existing social action happening in their communities – from food pantries, to children’s activities, refugee support, debt advice, and craft groups.
Churches use our social action mapping exercise carried out before the sessions start as a foundation to discuss the root causes of poverty and injustice in their area.
Over the Learning Community sessions we identify which needs faith-based social action could help meet, either by developing existing activities or launching new ones.
We consider issues including: Food Insecurity, Financial Insecurity, Social Isolation, Displaced People, Mental Health, Housing and Land, Environment, Modern Slavery, Housing and Land.
Huyton Learning Community will continue in January
We are excited to work with more deaneries across the Diocese of Liverpool in 2024.
Rev James Green, Executive Director of Together Liverpool and the National Lottery funded Network of Kindness project said: “We want to live in communities where no-one goes hungry. Where people aren't kept up at night worrying whether they can turn the heating on. Where people don't sit in their homes not knowing who to talk to and feeling alone.
“We want faith groups to be right at the heart of our communities and making a difference there.
“But that can be more difficult than it sounds. How do you know where to start? How do you make sure you’re doing the right thing in the right way? How do you make sure what you’re doing is sustainable? What if you don’t have enough volunteers and you feel like a lone voice?
“Our aim with the Learning Communities is to support participants to take the next step in social action no matter what their starting point.
“We’re so encouraged by the response so far, with lots of positive reflection and collaboration. We’re excited to see how projects develop as we continue to progress this work together.”
Together Liverpool’s Network of Kindness Learning Communities are rooted in Asset Based Community Development models.
The process begins with a mapping exercise to build a picture of what social action activities are already happening in an area. The Network of Kindness team has so far mapped activities in six of 14 Deaneries across the Diocese of Liverpool.
The churches taking part in our Huyton deanery Learning Community are: St Bartholomew and Trinity, Roby; St Nicholas, Whiston; St Luke’s, West Derby and St Jude, Stockbridge Village; St Mary, Knowsley; St George, Huyton; St Chad, St Martin and St Andrew, Kirkby; St Mary & St Paul’s Prescot.
The churches taking part in our Sefton North Learning Community include: St Luke’s, Crosby; All Saints with St Frideswide, Crosby; St Nicholas Blundellsands; St Peter’s, Formby; Holy Trinity, Formby; Maghull and Melling Team; St Michael’s Blundellsands.