Act 4 in Action
NEWSLETTER
Time to say Goodbye
I have never really enjoyed the end of the school year. I suppose one of the reasons for
this is that, far too quickly, it is time again to say goodbye to some fantastic and talented
young adults who have given up their year to come and work with us. I think in the past
we often lamented how we had invested all this time in training and supporting these
volunteers and then, come July, they go and we have to start all over again. However, I
think my feelings are starting to change. Back in early May, I found myself sitting next to
the otter enclosure at the zoo in Washington DC. With me and my family was Kristin
Vought. She was one of our volunteers 2008-9. It was the first time I had seen her since
she left. As we sat there on a very humid afternoon, she told me how her time as an Act 4
volunteer, had had a life changing effect on her and the choices that she went on to
make. Wow and what choices, from going to seminary to working for a large Christian
not for profit organisation (to marrying a minister!!). She told me how she still sang Act
4 songs and had used them with children. She even told me how she was still inspired by
our R Rights programme. I had not expected to hear any of this!
I know Act 4 can not claim to be the sole cause of these choices, but if we are able to give
young adults a foundation that can help encourage them to find their best path to make a
difference in this world, then let’s train and release as many volunteers as we can!
It has been great this year working with the URC Thames North Synod and particularly
with The Church at Fairford Leys, in setting up a new Time to Act team. Not only has
this team already established a presence in a number of schools, it has allowed the
church to expand its community based programmes, as they build off the ongoing model
that is working in Potters Bar and Brookmans Park. So this year not only have we been
able to work with more children, it has also allowed us to work with more young adults.
So, although I feel sad to say goodbye to our volunteers (we have been so blessed to have
Elise, Johann, Dadka and Beatrice), I do so with great excitement, looking forward to
hearing about the next chapter of their stories.
As part of our development goals we are now looking at how we can make more of the
volunteer year, and how we can continue to build a programme of excellence that can
train and support our volunteers to be even more effective in reaching out to children,
but which will also serve them on into the future.
Sam Frankel
Director
Our new volunteers!
Read through the Blog to get some background information on the girls that have decided to support this year's Act 4 Team.
Website: act4.org.uk