CAMBRIDGE STREET PASTORS
NOW RECRUITING THE CAMBRIDGE STREET PASTORS COORDINATOR - SEE BELOW
Why Street Pastors?
Did you know that the top safety and policing priorities for Cambridge are alcohol related violence and anti-social behaviour? And that most incidents, and many of the 1,250 hospital admissions each year that result, occur in the “night-time-economy” hours from 10pm to 4am? And that they mainly result from young people becoming intoxicated in pubs and clubs? At a recent multi-agency seminar, Cambridgeshire police and local government officials agreed that there needs to be a pastoral as well as a policing response to this problem, which is getting worse each year.
Cambridge has not yet suffered from the wave of knife and gun crime which has been in our newspaper headlines for some months now – the weapons used on our streets and in the pubs and clubs of Cambridge are still fists and feet. But the stage is set. What should the church do?
Street Pastors - www.streetpastors.co.uk - is an interdenominational Church response to these problems. It is an initiative spearheaded by Ascension Trust, already active in 80 towns and cities across the UK and shown to have, in some cases, a dramatic impact on crime and disorder. This is an opportunity for the church to go out to meet people where they are, declaring the love of God in practical action and always being ready to give an account of the Hope that is in us.
What is a Street Pastor?
Street Pastors are local Christians recruited in a volunteer capacity to join a Street Pastors team. They can come from right across the Christian Community. Candidates must be 18 or over, obtain a CRB check and attend the training course run across 10-12 Saturdays over a period of 7-8 months. After attending the first introductory part of the course Street Pastors are grouped for weekend patrols, Friday or Saturday nights, 10pm – 4am each night. Street Pastors work in teams of 16-20, with 4 on duty each week, to patrol one specific night and area.
When on duty Street Pastors wear distinctive uniforms carrying the Street Pastors logo including winter or summer jackets, polo shirt and cap or beanie. Equipment includes ID cards, phones/radios and a notebook. They have the use of a city centre patrol base for rest and back-up.
Street Pastors walk the streets and visit local pubs, night clubs and parties in the area, developing listening, pastoral relationships with young people and others needing help. They provide a range of practical help so that young people can get home or get to their next destination safely and in good order. And anyone can continue a conversation the next day by contacting the Street Pastors' base via phone or email.
What’s happening in Cambridge?
In association with Ascension Trust, and with encouragement from police and local government officials, a group of Cambridge church leaders has formed a formal Management Committee and is working to bring Street Pastors to Cambridge. The first team of volunteer Street Pastors has now been recruited (although more are always welcome!) and we are preparing for the training programme which starts on 7th February 2009. Up to two further teams of Street Pastors will be recruited in 2009 to patrol other areas/days.
The Cambridge initiative will launch on Friday 27th March 2009 with a service of worship and commissioning at St Andrew's Street Baptist Church to which all interested stakeholders are being invited. The first street patrols will begin the same evening.
We are most grateful to the Cambridge Community Safety Partnership for their generous provision of a Safer Cities grant, and to others who are generously supporting us. Subject to further financial support we hope to appoint a part-time paid Coordinator in January and in the meantime are most grateful to the Cambridge and District Youth for Christ office for their sterling help with our administration.
We will liaise with churches, charities and statutory agencies that can provide follow-up support to young people needing help – practical, emotional, spiritual.
The Care Tent
As an introduction to the work, and in support of our partner agencies, in particular the Police, we are providing teams to work in the Care Tent which again will be run by the Police, Territorial Army, NHS Ambulance and St John's Ambulance on Friday 19th December and Wednesday 31st December. The Care Tent provides medical assistance, refreshments and assistance to night-time revellers between 8pm and 3am. Our teams will provide refreshments and counselling to any who have need.
How can I get involved?
If you'd like to be a volunteer Street Pastor then you can apply using the on-line Volunteer Street Pastor Application Form.
Prayer is crucial to the work of Street Pastors and we are grateful to Tom Donaldson and Hamish Findlay for helping to bring us together. We meet for prayer on Monday evenings at St Andrew's Street Baptist Church 8-9pm (starting again on 12th January). Contact either Tom or Hamish if you can help, especially in support of the two Care Tent nights above.
Gifts to support the work can be made payable to Cambridge and District Youth for Christ, marked to be used for Cambridge Street Pastors and sent to the address below. Complete the Gift Aid form if appropriate - complete and send one half to us and retain the other half for your records.
Of you can just contact us anyway and we'd love to chat to you more, with no obligation.
Cambridge Street Pastors Coordinator
You may be just the person we are seeking to be the first Cambridge Street Pastors Coordinator. The role is part-time (3.5 days a week) with an initial one-year contract to provide operational leadership of the Cambridge Street Pastors initiative. The role includes: recruitment, training and supervision of the team of Street Pastors; organising patrols; arranging follow-up support; liaising with relevant statutory authorities; and general administration and reporting. Please see the full Coordinator Job Description and complete the Coordinator Application Form.
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