The Difference We Make
Through our work, hundreds are mentored and given opportunities by our committed teams of youth workers. Whole families, friendship groups and even areas can be changed.
As young people’s lives are changed for the better, young people become ambassadors of a better way to their peers. We regularly see a drop in crime, anti-social behaviour and reoffending rates in the areas where we work and many of our staff and volunteers today were yesterday’s troublemakers.
The results are seen in the lives of those we have touched:
Nina
Local teenager Nina set up a club with Eden Harpurhey, North Manchester, that helps young girls regularly in this disadvantaged part of the city.
Sid Williams, Eden youth worker, recognised leadership potential in Nina. One day he challenged her to think of something she and her friend could lead on the estate, for younger girls like herself. “Eden was so welcoming and warm to us, they brought us in with open arms and we wanted to do that with ‘Shine’,” said Nina. Something about the girls’ group was so attractive and exciting that all nine of the girls who were invited, completed the course.
“Nina has an incredible rapport with them, she ‘gets’ them, she knows where they are coming from,” said Sid. “Probably thousands of Eden hours have gone into Nina over the years, but you can’t put a price on someone like Nina. To have a good volunteer who used to be one of the young people, who’s come from the estate and done something incredible, is an amazing thing.”
Lewis
Lewis grew up on the Buttershaw estate in Bradford without a stable father figure in his life.
His talent for free-running was spotted by the Eden team there and he was encouraged to use his gifts to help others. Lewis’ free running training sessions now attract up to 50.
“It feels good to help the kids when they want to know how to do tricks. They are good kids. All they need is somebody to get them out of trouble. Free-running is just to get them out of trouble. It’s a great sport and it feels good.”
“Every time we do a performance,” said Gav Humphries, leader of Eden Buttershaw, “we get a positive response – not just on their tricks and flips, but their attitude and their enthusiasm for what they do – it’s very infectious.” He adds:
“Lewis chooses to spend time with the kids and I don’t hear him speaking a bad word about them. He is a man who goes against the culture of the estate and that’s inspiring. He is providing a stable father figure for many.”
See more of Lewis in action in Being Extra Ordinary #5.
Anth
Anth had a bad reputation as a troublemaker on the Easterside estate in Middlesbrough.
Despite being a gifted footballer, he was excluded from school 48 times and was arrested and barred for life from his club, Middlesborough FC.
Anth’s life changed dramatically when he was invited to a meeting by Eden team leader, Tony Grainge, and had a powerful encounter with God. He started to see his life and his football very differently.
“Now,” says Anth. “I want to help the younger lads on the estate to avoid going on the same path I did.”
“He can run small sessions on his own. “ says Tony. “He’ll text the lads, get it organised. Many look up to Anth. He’s now a reliable young man,” said Grainge, “and a pleasure to be around. He has become a key part of the Eden team”.
“It’s what I do the job for really – to see young lads turn their life around, but most importantly to see them get to know God and to become passionate for God. It’s not really about meeting me, it’s meeting God.”
Janine
Janine, whose constant panic attacks left her housebound and isolated for over two years. But through the friendship of an Eden team she discovered God and found complete healing.
“It’s said that ‘transformed lives transform lives’ and our team is full of people who are living testimonies to the power of God” – Andy Hawthorne, Message Founder and CEO
Superintendent Alison Fletcher – Greater Manchester Police
“I have worked with the Eden projects in Salford over a number of years. They work in areas of great social need and offer positive role models to the young people they meet and engage with. They create opportunities for young people to undertake activities and interests that can distract them from becoming involved in anti social behaviour and criminality and help them contribute to their communities. The Eden projects look for opportunities to work in partnership with other agencies , both statutory and voluntary , and should be welcomed and supported.”
Gordon Roscoe, Chief Executive Hathershaw & Fitton Hill New Deal for Communities 2009
“I would say that Eden can be a very important resource to get people who are disengaged and disruptive on side and channelled into positive things.”
Statutory agencies often observe that because of their grass-roots presence Eden teams can be successful in reaching the young people others may struggle to reach.
Our teams invest considerable time in actively engaging with public sector agencies such as Local Authorities, the Police and Schools. Over the years we have seen some excellent partnerships develop for the real benefit of our communities.
As residents in the community Eden teams gain genuine first-hand insights into local issues and build long term relationships that can not only provide valuable information to statutory agencies seeking to provide services to the community but also act as a bridge enabling young people to access services offered to them.
The last decade has seen hugely positive developments in collaborative working relationships between the Statutory and Voluntary Sectors. This has involved many constructive partnerships between local council agencies and faith groups.
