Christ Church London social service programmes

The assistance provided by Christ Church London is part of their Social Action scheme. Some of the programmes they provide in the form of partnering with other charities, and those include the free debt counselling. Other assistance, including the GrowTH scheme is for housing needs and they have a food bank at a local centre as well in which they refer families too. These and other services from Christ Church London are aimed at the vulnerable in the city.

For families in London that are struggling with paying debts, including credit cards, mortgages, or payday or car loans, the debt centre at nearby St. Mark’s Vicarage is where people are referred too. The location is part of the CAP (Christians Against Poverty) not-for-profit and is available to anyone that needs help. Or families in the borough can turn to it just for free advice.

Volunteers at the centre, which is in a church in Kensignton, will meet with the person. Each coach that is involved in this debt programme is highly trained and has gone through all of the classes that are required so they can offer borrowers this counselling. The process does rely on the money management course, but the volunteer will also help them enter into plans such as Individual Voluntary Arrangement or a DMP.

When entering into a long term payment plan, the Christ Church London relies on the debt management team. This group of specialists deals with hundreds of companies in negotiating solutions for borrowers. For those that are not local to a centre, there is also a free internet based service.

With the cost of housing and all living expenses ever increasing in the area, including in Kensington, too many families are turning to credit cards for paying their bills. Or even worse they are using a payday lender. The money management course will help people with living just on the cash from their income at their job and break the cycle of falling into debt.

At the end of the process, the Christ Church London client will have a budget and be able to rely on a cash based system for paying their bills. They will know how to save wisely at a credit union and spend their money properly.

The client will also be given a DVD that they can use for ongoing support. Or they can stop by the debt centre at St. Mark’s Vicarage or Christ Church London to always go through the programme again in the future.

The Christ Church London Refugees Scheme is for refugees to the city. This service takes place in Lambeth and a key partner is the Refugee Support Network. Free mentoring and counseling is provided to people from all countries. The London area is home to people from Africa, Afghanistan, eastern Europe, and many other places. Counselling is given without regards to race or background.

As part of this process, the mentor will assess the refugees housing needs. If the person needs help in applying for benefits for paying their rent, then the mentor can help with form filling. Or if they do not have the cash for the costs to move into a private property, there are rental deposit schemes in London. They also discuss employment and education needs. The mentoring process for a refugee can last as last as six months.

Short term housing in Lambeth is part of the GrowTH programme from Christ Church. This part of their Social Action plan is for families living in poverty as well as the homeless. If the person needs it, there is a free shelter available. While staying there the guest will work be given food and clothing. They will also work with an Advocate Worker to help them find a job. Then when ready, the church will help with permanent housing as well as deposit schemes in London.

The last Social Action service is the Christ Church London food bank. This can help people facing a crisis. With many families facing an unexpected illness or maybe high priced energy bill or car repair, they can struggle to buy groceries for that month. This is when the food bank may be able to help.

Not only will the person be given a voucher that can be used for up to 3 days of food, Christ Church London also runs a Foodbank Cafe. This will allow the person to get a hot meal instead of the parcel if they would like. The soup kitchen is at Vauxhall Christian Centre, 105 Tyers St, SE11 5HS. If the person decides to do this, they can get as many as 10 meals with their voucher. Volunteers are always needed for this service, and they can meet on Wednesday to be part of the cafe team.

For more information on their social services, the post is Christ Church, Puddle Dock, London EC4V 3DB, or call 0845 644 8440.