CASE STUDY: Developing faith is part of work

The YMCA is not just about finding homeless people somewhere to live. Caring for every aspect of those it comes into contact with is what the YMCA is all about.

 

It is summed up in the famous YMCA red triangle sign, which represents the body, mind and spirit of those it offers its many services to.

 

YMCA Norfolk has its own faith development officer or chaplain, Alexis Lloyd, whose role is specifically to look after the spiritual side of its work.

 

“My main job is to look after the spiritual well-being and pastoral needs of the residents at our hostel in Norwich,” says Alexis. “That means anyone with any sort of faith or no faith, Christian, Muslim or whatever. The YMCA is keen to develop the spiritual well being of young people because that is part of our whole ethos.

 

“I am there to give day-to-day advice, helping residents on a more personal level, with family issues, or issues of faith or no faith. It really is a big mix. If they would benefit from counselling, I can point them in the right direction, outside of the YMCA,” says Alexis.

 

“We also run an in-house Y-Life course. It is a personal development course, where residents get the chance to develop their life skills, in things like IT, first aid and cooking. Everything they need to move on and live independently.

 

“We also run specifically Christian programmes for residents. We do Bible studies, visit local churches and run a shorter version of the Alpha-type course, to give the young men the opportunity to find out what the Christian faith is all about. It is always pressure-free and with element of no compulsion,” adds Alexis.

 

“I also get the chance occasionally to take some of the residents to events such as the Living Water Christian Festival near Norwich or the Make Poverty History event in Edinburgh. Quite a lot of the guys who come to such events grow in their faith and move on.”

 

One resident who has benefited from the holistic approach that YMCA Norfolk offers is Mark.

 

Mark left school at the age of 16 and joined the Army. He signed up for the Royal Artillery Regiment where he spent four and a half years posted in Germany and Northern Ireland.

 

“Following that I had about two jobs every year for the last 12 years,” he says. “I could never stick at anything for long though.”

 

Mark first came into contact with YMCA Norfolk through its Norwich hostel. After becoming homeless he found a room at the city centre hostel. But this was only the start.

 

As well as offering him somewhere to live, the YMCA found him a job with its new Furniture Project.

 

“I told one of the YMCA managers that I needed something to do,” says Mark. “He saw my experience in warehousing and driving and things like that and recognised an opportunity to use my skills in the recently launched furniture project.”

 

“We take old but good quality furniture from places like the Center Parcs holiday villages and give it to the needy. Anything from beds and tables, very basic things like that. And it is totally free for the recipients as long as they meet certain criteria.

 

“Most people are absolutely over the moon with the stuff, especially the quality of it. When they see what they are getting they are really chuffed,” says Mark.

 

“One young lady we gave furniture to was living in an empty shell of a flat. She was pregnant and due in six weeks, so she was absolutely over the moon and we were really glad to have been able to help. That kind of thing really makes it worthwhile.

 

“The YMCA helped me find somewhere to live and also to move on from there. I definitely get a lot of fulfilment from doing the furniture work,” says Mark.