EYPT

The Emmanuel Young People’s Trust (‘EYPT’) was set up in 2004 with the aim seeking out, and helping, youngsters from North Solihull and South Birmingham, who were ‘on the edge’ of problems involving crime, drugs, antisocial behaviour and a lack of self esteem. The seeking out was done on the streets and in the parks, and the help given by way of activities such as sport and camps.

From 2004 to 2008, the Trust’s income and expenditure averaged around £30,000 per annum, but then the credit crunch’ struck, and its income fell sharply, to the point that May 2009 saw our key worker (Phil Bodenham) made redundant.
However:
a) we were able to find him part time employment with Worth Unlimited, a national youth project which happened to be active in Yardley, Chelmsley Wood and Stechford; and
b) Phil said that. as long as there were funds available, he would like to continue, on a voluntary basis, with as much of his traditional EYPT work as time would allow.

It looked as though we would survive for only a few months but then Solihull Methodist Church decided to make raising money for EYPT its project for the 09 / 10 church year. In the event, the amount raised was £11,000, for which the Trustees are extremely grateful. On top of that, Acocks Green Methodist Church donated the funds necessary to pay Phil’s redundancy entitlement, and Solihull Community Foundation agreed to make a contribution to the costs of this year’s summer camps.

Meanwhile, Phil has created a good impression at Worth, and he has been offered more hours and more responsibility (for supervision and training of younger staff). In addition, he has been able to merge some EYPT activities into the Worth programme. In his ‘spare time’ he fits in a myriad of visits – to families, to courts and to prisons – in order to offer tailored help and advice.

So, for the immediate future, this vital work goes on – but donations are still urgently being sought. We have now reached the stage when evidence as to the success of the early work of the Trust is clear to see, with youngsters who were very difficult to control – but who were given a second chance – now holding down responsible jobs, and doing their bit to help the next generation.

It has now been eight months since I started working as a volunteer for the Trust. Lack of funding has not affected the volume of work within the communities that we support, help and provide for young people in need of the Trust’s support.

In the summer, camps and outdoor activities saw record numbers of young people taking part. The Football League that we run continually provides a platform for young people to challenge their aggression and teach them team building and working together. Acocks Green, Yardley, Gospel Lane and the Smithswood areas of the city are the main source of the football teams taking part.

Outreach work is, and will always be, the main source of contact with gangs of young people. It is in the front line of tackling anti social behaviour, drug abuse and crime prevention.

Most people that I speak to always mention the fear factor regarding gangs on street corners, etc, but people will be surprised at how well we are accepted by young people when they realise that you are there to help them.

The Trust also finds itself in the forefront of supporting young people in the juridical system. This support comes in many forms – getting young people legal advice, supporting them and their families through Court proceedings, visiting offenders while in prison and also providing support and advice on their release. This work involves long and exhausting hours with a lot of time spent around family and friends in waiting rooms, Courts and prisons alike, but it is also a time to listen to people and often feel the pain and hurt that they are going through.

The summer programme is now at the forefront of my thoughts and prayers right now. Questions like:

• What funding is available
• How do we use that funding
• Which group of young people do we target

Please pray that God gives me wisdom, patience and a vision to reach out to the young people that are in need of his love.

Phil Bodenham

Please feel free to make a donation to EYPT.

This has been as difficult a year as we anticipated, with the result that the Trust has had to take some painful decisions.

Funding sources became increasingly hard to find, particularly for the core work of our key worker, Philip Bodenham, working alongside young people on the streets, and being prepared to follow through with the issues that are presented. While the hidden result of much of this work is to keep young people out of the reach of local gangs, to give them a renewed sense of hope and purpose for their lives, they are not abandoned if it all goes off the rails. Support in court appearances, visits to young people in prison, after-care, are all vital if we are to continue to show that God never gives up.

Partly as a result of our funding difficulties, we have sought to work in partnership with Worth Unlimited, a Christian-based organisation with a national reach, who have begun to operate across our area.

Initially this involved seconding Phil to undertake specific pieces of work for Worth, which enabled us to continue to employ him.

Finally, however, as from 1st June 2009, we were forced to take the decision that we could no longer afford to employ Phil. We did, however, negotiate with Worth, so that at the same time they offered Phil a part-time contract, taking on specific projects for them.

Phil is determined not to lose the ground which he has gained over the years of his contacts with young people across East Birmingham and North Solihull, and, with the Trust’s support, will continue to work on a part-time, expenses only basis for the foreseeable future.

We hope that this will enable us to find the funding to continue the outreach work, particularly the summer activity camps and the football programme which have been so integral to our work over the years.

Revd David Hulme, Chair of Trustees.