Values Projects
Each year the Vincentian Values in Leadership Programme encourages participants to undertake a project that represents values in action.
Below are just a few of the examples from the last few years.
Fundraiser for Tenancy Starter packs: Dave, Family Mediation Worker - Depaul UK, Oldham Reconnect
For a couple of years a group I'm a part of called the 'Young Peoples Homelessness Prevention Group' had been trying to raise funds for tenancy starter packs for young people moving into their first home. All applications had proved unsuccessful so, in a meeting I suggested that I'd sleep out in Oldham in February 2011 to raise money and invited others to join me. I have to say that most people thought I was a bit mad as Oldham is well known for snow and rain.
Although sleeping out to raise money is not a new idea it hadn't been done in Oldham before and caught the imagination of quite a few colleagues who also wanted to take part. We kept it small so it didn't turn into a circus but still ended up with 20 people wanting to take part. We actually had a reserve list in case anyone dropped out. Nobody took food of their own, we just relied on the generosity of people after we advertised the event in the local press and radio. There were 9 of us in the end, 4 from Depaul and 5 from other local agencies working with homelessness and young people.
In addition to raising money we wanted to raise awareness of homelessness issues and make a positive statement as there are very few street sleepers in the town and we want to keep important services (including my own) to continue preventing people reaching this state.
We slept out for 12 hours and were visited by many people who heard about the event and brought food, this included a mobile coffee van. We had a 'Just Giving' account which Depaul helped to set up and Raised £1400 in donations. This money has now been match funded by a fund from a local housing provider and added together with further money raised by bag packing in a Tesco means we generated around £4000.
The sponsored events enabled us to develop a project which is called 'Inside Out'. Applicants can apply for a list of items up to the value of £50 and the items are delivered by a company direct to their door which makes things quick and easy. Predominantly we want to help those who are; either waiting for a CCG or can't get access to one for one reason or other. There is also an expectation that they will endeavour to pay the money back, either by volunteering time or making a small financial contribution when they can. This will hopefully ensure that there will be less need for fund raising activities.
All agencies involved have donated their time freely to make Inside Out work and the project has generated much good will over the last year. By January 2012 we had delivered 8 packs (mostly to young people) and we planning a further sleep out on 1st March 2012. We expect to have over 20 people this time and 4 of us will be doing a 24 hr stint.
Arts and film project: Sandra, Project Manager - Depaul USA, Depaul House
Sandra, Project Manager at Depaul House in Philadelphia, was the first Depaul USA member of staff to attend the Vincentian Values in Leadership programme in 2010, and she subsequently put together a creative writing and photography project, gathering work from the residents at Depaul House for an exhibition in the local Germantown community during 2011 which highlighted homelessness issues. She has now taken the idea further into a Film competition and festival for 2012 'Homeless Has A Name' - submissions of short films about homelessness are currently invited. Please visit the Depaul USA website for more details http://www.depaulusa.org/news-events/film/
