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| Internal view of Newcastle University Spire |
It's what people at Newcastle Cathedral are doing as described on this mornings on Radio 4's Sunday Worship . It's called The Lantern Project, part of what 'the Recovery Church'.
Vulnerable and isolated people put themselves forward to receive a team of people around them. This means that they always know that they have people who are prepared to help them get through a difficult time.
It reminded me of the work described by Pat, Ellie Button's aunt, who after the Hillsborough Disaster, was part of a similar initiative giving everyone affected by Hillsborough someone who was trained to support them.
I wondered whether Leicester has such an initiative?
These are the principles I think would be important.
Avoid the word 'support'. It is like 'charity', where the power lies with the giver. Better for me is the term 'network of friend'.
Let us identify five people (fits with fingers on the hand) who will be clear about what they offer and receive. The relationship will be reciprocal.
The definition of the relationship is defined by a number of parameters.
1) How long is the commitment (6 months, one year, 6 years, forever)?
2) Times and dates when contact is made (informal, once a day, once a week, once a fortnight etc).
3) What is ok to discuss (money, relationships, addictions, hobbies, faith, housing etc)?
4) If there is a request for the relationship to end, how long is the cooling down period?
5) Who is in place to help with arbitration?
6) What about accommodation and food, if this were to be an issue?
7) what is the nature of the reciprocal relationship? Who does what for each other?
8) Does the network communicate together? Is that ok? What are the levels of consent given to sharing information between the network?
9) Would a 'Family Group Conference' be useful for improving communication and understanding? (A meeting designed to clarify the roles people have in families to achieve shared goals.)
9) When does the network end?
What is
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