The Oasis Centre continues to be a lifeline for many people in East Manchester. Here are the latest happenings at the Centre...
New Team Members
This summer has been a time of transition for the team at the Centre, with Stuart and Mike moving on after years of faithful service.
I have stepped back into the day to day management of the Centre for the time being, and am loving being up close and personal with all that God is doing here.
We have also added Richard Balmforth to the team. Richard will be running our RE-START program, having previously worked in the private sector, and he has a deep passion for helping people fulfil their potential in meaningful careers - he is perfect for the role! In Richard's first month with us, he and his team have supported 58 vulnerable adults with IT and employability skills and 3 people found employment.
In addition, we have brought Abigail onto our Crisis Support team, last week 227 crisis issues were dealt with, and have added Anna as a volunteer helping teach Science in the Centre.
WELLBEING WORKSHOP
Within the Centre, all of our programs are back in full swing, with lots of crisis support, community learning, group activities and job hunting going on. One of my favourite activities that we run is our wellbeing workshops on Monday afternoons, where a small group of clients gather with Lizzie Bassford and learn practical skills for emotional wellbeing, including how to say 'no', and how to develop friendships. The workshops are having a real impact and we are seeing big steps forward in many of the people in the group.
Here is something that they made showing what they have been learning...
HELP OASIS WHEN YOU SHOP
There are lots of different ways that you can support the Oasis Centre. One of the coolest ways is through a website called 'EasyFundraising'. Basically, what happens is that they have partnerships with lots of the brands and shops that you would be likely to use anyway. When you buy stuff through their app (things you were going to buy anyway), they send some money our way - so you are able to make a difference while you shop, at no extra cost to yourself. Easy, eh?
Take a look for yourself at https://www.easyfundraising.org.ukhttps://www.easyfundraising.org.uk