Lozells Methodist Church A church in the community for the community
H.E.L.P. publishing Forum Danny back to Lozells homepage
Lozells Methodist Church was established in the last years of the 19th century out of a concern for the education and employment of young people in the area. 300 young people attended school on the church premises. The church has never lost its links with its local community which is still challenged by the issues of education and employment for young people. This leaflet details ways the church and the community have been able to serve each other in generating effective community projects. The Church believes that it is called to serve the community needs which arise. Its mission is exercised through making use of its resources to generate opportunity. It asks of those who use the premises that they share a commitment to creating opportunity in a deprived area of the city so that some of those needs can be met.
For more information please contact the link people identified for each project or Mr Danny Dorset, Lay Worker
The Minister of the Church is The Reverend Carole Challis
The Church Community
At the heart of one of the most disadvantaged areas of the city of Birmingham, Lozells Methodist Church seeks to express God's love in action by providing for the needs of the whole person. The worshipping community is at the centre of the Church's service to the wider community providing Sunday services; a Junior Church-Bible Study and Fellowship groups. A Friendly Club and Women's Dorcas Club reach out to those who seek companionship.
The church seeks to contribute directly to the social and educational needs of children and young people and-to support parents through a developing programme of activities:
The After School Club
provides additional after school learning opportunities in a Christian context for children up to Key Stage .... Activities like the 2002 Summer Camp and other provision during school holidays have grown out from this. Contact Renelia Queely
Handsworth and Lozells Youth Work
The Church jointly supports a Youth Worker and two trainee youth workers for the Handsworth and Lozells Youth Work, As well as providing a Youth Club the work has sponsored an imaginative scheme to bring young people from different cultural backgrounds together, especially African Caribbean and Bangladeshi youth. The Cross Cultural Web Project grew from shared activity holidays and now focuses on organising a number of events which bring together young people to learn from each other about their separate and joint heritages. Among its activities the Project provides opportunities for young women to meet together, for a Study Club and sport. Contact Audrey Glenn.
The Premises are also home to a number of independent community ventures with their roots in the Lozells community but their reach touching all parts of the City. top
Black Educational Arts Training [BEAT]
BEAT is a leading provider of education through dance to the black community, fat provides a dance/arts based 12 week training for 16-24 year olds accredited by NCFE. It includes work with children with special needs. In the evenings weekly sessions are run for the local community and there are holiday sessions which attract a good number of students. Contact Ursella
Electronic and Audio Research Training House (EARTH)
EARTH has over 15 years track record in providing the music-media industry with qualified and confident audio /media engineers. The Studios offer Btec, NCFE and City and Guilds qualifications. Being based at Lozells centre has played an important part in giving this cutting edge project an affordable and flexible base. It has also enabled it to be a resource and partner to other Lozells based projects like BEAT , Sister Tree and HELP and enabled access to those outside mainstream training provision. EARTH has an enviable record in spotting and developing ability and talent within Birmingham City. Over the years this has included not only excellent technicians but also support to successful musicians and performers. Contact Ron Thompson top
Our aim is to develop artistic skills, promote self awareness and self esteem via the Arts
"Motivational therapists ivho are reliable, vibrant, dynamic, Sister Tree came to Lozells in 2000 with an already established reputation for using the performing arts to help communities to open up and engage with a wide range of community and personal issues. Their work goes out to community centres, schools, residential centres and prisons using drama, music and dance to enable groups to reach the issues they might otherwise find impossible to touch. Although for a Theatre Company the premises are cramped with no adequate performing space Sister Tree say, "...we
love this building - not likely to get anything else at this price, good
position, quiet office, reputation...."
Sister Tree relies largely on its own income generation with only 15% of its income from other 'funded' sources.
Contact Sharon Jones - Margaret Polack
Handsworth and Lozells Electronic Learning Publishing House Ltd. (HELP)
HELP is an independent community enterprise business developing interactive learning materials particularly for use by young black children. It is a non profit making organisation. The enterprise is complementary with the work of EARTH and other Lozells based projects who seek to improve the access of young people from the local area (as well as young people from the wider ethnic communities)to new opportunities and understanding. Children from the After School Club have worked with HELP as have students from EARTH and BEAT. Contact Ray Thomas E-Mail: hl.help@virgin.net
BANGLADESHI YOUTH FORUM Voice of the new generation top
The Bangladeshi Youth Forum has been based in the Lozells premises since 1997 offering to Bangladeshi young people an advice centre that values and nurtures their heritage in the multi cultural context that is Birmingham and the United Kingdom. It has a strong commitment to bring “…inclusion and empowerment to a large number of disadvantaged and excluded people in Birmingham."
The forum has been established over 10 years and seeks to involve Bangladeshi young people by;
• Improvement of opportunities in education and training to access jobs
• Maximising the influence of Bangladeshi residents in shaping their future
• Encouraging the active participation of Bangladeshi Women in the development of community interest and accessing the labour market
• Providing recreational opportunities for young people
• Offer; employment support and facilitate job search clubs '-"*
• Work to enable young people to participate and look at ways of empowering them to take control of their lives
• Delivers' informal education in youth sessions and looks at issue based work and citizenship
BYF partners other projects at Lozells; for example working with the Cross Cultural Web Project. It values its base at Lozells and the links between the Management Committee and the Church Council which has supported the projects independent development. Contact Aliur Wahid , Centre Manger E-mail aliur@byfil2.com
AND IS THAT ALL? WELL, NO IT ISNT.........
The Church's Lay Worker Danny Dorset is always alert to the shifts in community concerns and needs and tries to make it a policy to turn no one with a community need away. The building is in need of major renovation and has vast untapped potential as all the users will tell you. Danny is the booking manager and juggles the rooms and negotiates with those who seek facilities to try and fulfil the understanding that the church wants this building to be used by the community it serves. His success is best gauged by the young people who seeking space for an activity said "This is our home." And down in a room on the ground floor Mr Watson, a tailor who lost his premises, continues to repair and renovate clothes for local people but also to send to other needy communities outside the UK.
This is a church in the community for the community. top