The Methodist Church - Portland Circuit

This project, funded by the Joseph Rank Trust, is to employ a Youth Worker for five years to work face to face with the young people living on the island, and to develop leadership abilities with them.

41a Easton Square, ‘Open Arms’ Easton
Portland
Dorset
DT5

telephone: 01305 820627
e-mail: suetheyouthworker@ilovejesus.com 

Contacts: Sue Gibbs (project workers); Nicola Briggs (manager).

A Joseph Rank Trust Youth or Adult project 2002 - 2007.

The Methodist churches on Portland provide weekly Sunday services; there are also Children’s clubs that meet. They also hold weekly coffee mornings that provide a focal point for the local community. Fellowship and bible study classes are held on Tuesday evenings.

Some of the specific aims of the youth project are to:

• introduce culturally relevant young people worship.

• develop a lunchtime club at the local Arts college to motivate social action in the context of the Christian faith.

I am also working in conjunction with the local police to address anti social behaviour among the young people. Another initiative involves carrying out work in HM Young Offenders Institute, to provide another focus for the inmates. I will be working alongside the chaplaincy team in this aspect of my work.

A further element is to work alongside the Dorset Youth and Community services to develop late night outreach work in places such as the quarries and coves where young people hang out. The geography of Portland makes it very easy and dangerous to go down in the quarries to drink alcohol. This is obviously a worry to all concerned with the welfare of young people.