The Life Centre

Following the presentation from the Life Centre this weekend at our Gathering please find bellow more information on the needs and how you can get involved in serving this amazing project.

Life Centre is a Christian charity providing counselling for survivors of rape and sexual abuse.  It performs a vital function in our community and is a strong Christian presence in a dark and hidden area of our community. The Lifecentre team come from around 30 different local churches! Last year they received 2,400 calls, texts, e-mails on their helplines. Callers have fed back saying:

“Lifecentre Helpline has given me everything to live for. I am feeling stronger with your help.”

“I was delighted when I found you. I thought at last there is someone who can help. You have taught me patience."

However, they are sad to let us know that they have averaged 760 calls a month that they were unable to answer over the last 5 months, albeit some of those will have been the sam e people trying over and over again. We are all concerned to be able to get to those calls and be there for the people who most need help.

They need more people who are willing to be trained to answer the phone to someone in their hour of need. Please would you prayerfully consider if this is something you could do? They are looking to train men and women who would like to serve on a Telephone Helpline in either Worthing or Chichester .  The commitment, once trained would be three evenings per month (this includes a supervision evening for your own support), on a voluntary basis.  Lifecentre offers full training, so volunteers would not need to have any previous counselling qualifications – simply an ability to listen and learn.  It is a 65 hour training course, with a small cost to cover expenses and will start this coming September running through till Jan, held either on a Mon evening or Saturdays. 

Lifecentre are also going into local schools delivering preventative education. During 2009 a small team delivered a series of inter-active workshop sessions to secondary schools reaching  4,876 young people, mainly aged 12 to 16. The workshops are designed to provide young people with the knowledge and skills to develop healthy relationship boundaries, to exercise informed choices, to know the law and their rights and responsibilities and to equip them to make informed decisions about relationships and sex. In doing this they aim to prevent sexual crimes and reduce the number of victims; to act as a bridge for those who need the support that Lifecentre, and others, offer; to empower young people with knowledge so they can make healthy relationship choices. Topics covered include: self esteem, relationship boundaries, myths and facts about unwanted sex, consent and the law, pressures and expectations, date rape. 

Feedback given from staff and pupils has been:

“The Lifecentre lesson helps you know where you stand in situations and know your rights. Helps you be more careful.” Pupil

“Thank you for all the work you do with our school. These are obviously sensitive issues we’re dealing with and I feel confident that our pupils are receiving expert, high quality teaching. The presenters are always highly professional – and they’ve all been delightful people to work with, too! Feedback from the pupils has been very positive, indeed.” Teacher

If you have time during the school day and like teenagers, please consider supporting Lifecentre’s Educator in this vital role influencing the values, attitudes and vulnerabilities of the next generation. Contact Rebekah on education@lifecentre.uk.com.

If you are interested in applying to do the Helpline training, or would like further information on how you can get involved in other ways with the ministry of Life Centre , please phone the Life Centre office for an application form (01243 786349) or email training@lifecentre.uk.com, giving your name, address and telephone number.

Remember: if you think you are too small to make a difference, you have never been to bed with a mosquito! They need your help…

Reflections This article is one of many that will be added on the site over the coming weeks and months, reflecting on the things that are happening in the world we live in.  They are designed to provoke thought and prompt discussion.  Please add your comments below.