Bristol
Summary
Right next to Hope Chapel, and nestled just behind the building, is a space that has potential to provide a home perfect for one person. This action to create a home comes from three desires. Firstly, to provide a home for an individual who has been supported by the church since coming out of prison and who now works for the church and is a key part of the church family. Secondly, to enable a caretaker to live close to Hope Chapel (in a part of Bristol where house prices are very high). Thirdly, to contribute and exemplify a creative solution to the housing crisis in Bristol. The church is quite new and already has a strong reputation for social action, particularly in this field.
With the support of LivShare Housing and Consultancy, as part of the Innovative Built Solutions for Churches programme, Hope Community Church developed a Communications Strategy and was provided with a Development Options Report to guide the next steps required.
Vision for the change
Hope Community Church is a relatively new church plant in Bristol with a focus on inclusivity. Hope have a heart for those recovering from addiction and ex-offenders and this project is a hopeful action in response to that passion and concern. The vision is of a safe, secure home, closely connected to the warm community of the church and supportive of the individual who will reside there who, through living on site, will be able to further contribute to the life of the church community. Personal involvement of the prospective tenant in the build is important as a home that will provide security and have a positive impact on that one life is created.
‘A small action, undertaken with great love’
Background
‘Hope Community Church was born in 2000 with four dreams – to be a place of continuous prayer and worship, to be a church that children love, to be a place of hope for people on the margins, to be a thriving community. These dreams shape our focus today.
The church is the people, but we also call Hope Chapel our home. Hope is a member of the Congregational Federation and works closely with other churches across Bristol, the UK and internationally.’
In the summer of 2019, without realising that others were thinking of a similar solution, a few individuals in the church had a vision for a home alongside the church for Aaron, the church’s caretaker, someone who has been on his own journey of recovery with support of the church. Together the connections were made, and a decision was made to explore the idea further.
Impact
This project is firmly focused on a particular individual that has been part of, and supported by, the church and partner organisations for some time. The primary impact will be in providing a safe, stable, and affordable home for him – significant in itself. However, the broader impact has depth that may not be immediately obvious. By taking this action, the church is demonstrating commitment to its values. It is a statement of belief in this individual and the wider work undertaken on behalf of others in similar positions. Beyond this, the development provides both inspiration and a blueprint for other churches to replicate. Creating one home may appear to be a small action, however the ripple effects will spread widely.
What do you need?
Advice and Experience
This is essential, and even with some skilled people in the church membership that may be happy to help, it can be quicker and easier, if you can, to buy in the support that is needed to get the project off on the right foot.
Firm foundations
When you are looking at creating homes with a particular group of beneficiaries in mind, it can make a significant positive difference if you already have experience and relationships with organisations that also work to support that group.Having a track record and experience with the beneficiary group will give confidence to others involved in the process of development that the church is well-placed to respond and fully understands the context for the group.
The community can have a significant impact on the success of an aspiring project. If they are already involved in related social action (for example volunteering with a complementary project) then they might more readily be relied upon for support of the development through the funding and planning processes.
If this isn’t in place already, then do the groundwork before finally shaping the vision and roadmap for the development that you have in mind – and let people help shape it.
Clear vision
There is real strength when the vision for a project clearly correlates with the vision and values of the church.
In this case, the church was already working with people who had experienced prison and were committed to supporting them on leaving. This work already reflected the values of the church and, as a result, the development project has become the natural next step to that work and is well-supported by church members.
Tips
Don’t get intimidated into inactivity – it’s normal not to have experience but that needn’t hold you back.
Break down what you have in mind into small steps to manage the overwhelm that undertaking a development project can bring.
Think about who you can ask for advice and support, and don’t be afraid to ask.
Don’t let money intimidate you either – good ideas attract funding, even if it isn’t always clear from the start.
Have faith – take the first steps and see where you are guided.
Strive for high quality solutions – don’t scrimp.
Talk to people early on about what you have in mind and include people on the journey.
Control dynamics can affect progress if people are left out or only included when key decisions have already been made.
Having a clear vision within the church can greatly assist in facilitating decisions – the direction can be easier to see when everyone is coming from the same place.
Remind people why you are taking this action and what impact it will have – align it to the values already established in the church.
