Youth Centre

FURZEDOWN YOUTH CENTRE
 UPDATES
FOR WINTER 2010

Stories

1. I would like to tell you about a Muslim who regularly comes to the centre.He is a lovely lad, always polite, eats lots of toast which is why I have had some good conversations with him.He waits for the bread to toast and for me to put chocolate spread on it.Thus we have had plenty of time to talk.He has told me about what he believes and the other day said he thought Christians were alright.He could be a bridge in our community between people who think differently from one another.
2. I would like to tell you about another young person who comes to everything FYC has to offer.Their home life isn't great.They don't have much confidence and acts that out by being offensive towards her peers.They care very much about what happens to the youth centre and has become an active member of the youth forum, the body that helps make decisions concerning what programmes happen in and outside of the centre.
3. I would like to tell you about another young man who started coming to club as a young teenager.Through his school he decided to do the Duke of Edinburgh award.As part of that he became a young leader at FYC and has stayed on well after he achieved award.He will be going to university in September and FYC will miss him but will be rightly proud of the part it played in shaping his young life.There are at least 45-50 such stories.

God's Leading

• I would like to tell you a little about how I think God is leading us, and by us I mean you the people of St James and those at St Paul's, MLBC and St Albans, who have generously supported FYC in prayer, financially and through volunteering opportunities.
• St James Community Halls committee made bids for large sums of money to renovate the building.That didn't materialise. FYC made bids for smaller but still substantial funds to employ a Youth Director.Those funds also were not given to us, 'good work but there is greater need elsewhere and our pot of money isn't big enough to help everyone'.
• But young people kept coming to the centre, young people with needs, young people who want a safe place to go to be with their friends, a place where they will be listened to and cared for.Where we can share our stories, when appropriate, of how God's love changes us.
• To make a whole year's story short, we started chipping away at little bits of the problems facing us rather than waiting for that elusive Youth Director to do it all for us.Through a  lot of consultation, stock taking, volunteers help, discovering other ways God has wanted to grow this work, ways that would involve our community and our churches, through generous giving, planning and prayer, we are at the point where we can make some improvements to the premises, substantially improve our security, make our facilities more accessible to young people who live here but go to school elsewhere by combining the Wednesday afterschool club and the Friday night club, offering more activities, sport and eventually short courses.And we have begun a 4 month pilot project called Engaging Furzedown.

In conclusion I would like to say again, thank you St James for the commitment to God's work in this community through FYC.We are excited about the opportunities God is giving.If you would like to know more or would like to help with Engaging Furzedown or with the new Friday night club, speak with Femi Nzegwu or Carol Burt.

Report by Carol Burt.