What’s been happening at the Bluehouses?
SUMMER 2022 WAS SIMPLY PHENOMENAL. We delivered 97 sessions and 122 different group activities. We engaged with 214 young people, 124 male and 90 female through weekly groups and drop in nights. We also had the privilege of taking young people to both Summer Madness and Summer Camp. We enjoyed our annual week long football camp where we connected with 58 young people, many of which were new to us.
September is always a funny one. Recovering from and processing and evaluating the summer. Team building and staff time together. Strategising, Decision making, launching programmes and trying to find rhythm and routine!
Across September and October we were blessed with 61 Juniors and 86 Seniors through our doors on our 3 Drop In Nights each week. As a team we have also chatted lots about youth culture and changing and shifting dynamics in how young people engage and therefore how we engage and develop programmes for them.
New Staff – Our new female youth worker, Lydia joined us over the summer. This has really boosted our ability to move forward with new ideas and opens up new doors for our work. We have started a Year 8&9 girls group and also started mentoring in schools and pushing into educational support for those who need additional support
Our educational (tutoring & homework club) and Bluehouses Academy programmes (Joinery, Life Skills & Cookery, Music and Young Leaders) will really take off over this next term. It is exciting to venture into new things but it’s a reminder that we need people and resources to sustain it. Please pray for volunteers for drop in nights, helping with homework club, people with the expertise to tutor a young person with education or music or maybe even the time to help keep our centre tidy? Do you have any old instruments that you don’t use anymore? Our Music Academy would love to make use of them.
In June 2023, the Bluehouses will celebrate its 30th Birthday! I have taken on the challenge of completing 30 challenges over the next year in celebration of the work of the Bluehouses and also to raise some funds to support the work of the centre and new Bluehouses Academy.
Challenge 1 took place from 21st-28th August as I travelled to Scotland to take on the West HIghland Way. A 96 mile trek from just outside Glasgow, north to Fortwilliam. Throughout the walk there was lots of forest, hills, sunshine, rain, stunning views, being eaten alive by midges, meeting people from all over the world and even a few tears on the hard days, but I made it.
After 8 days, 96 miles, 11,000ft of ascent and 207,797 steps I made it across the finish line! Why am I doing it?
I love the Bluehouses…It’s a very special place
We journey and do life with people, families and the wider community in Ballysillan through the good times and the really messy, difficult times too.
We call out their gifts and talents and support them to achieve their potential.
We aim to break the cycle and help each person understand that they are made for more and can do incredible things.
We are a lighthouse on the Hill, shining light into the darkness, restoring hope and making people feel safe, loved, valued and worthy.
We help each person discover who God has made them to be.
Finally but most importantly…We Love Jesus – We are church in action. This is what makes the difference and ultimately changes people’s lives.
29 MORE CHALLENGES TO GO…between now and July 2023.
Upcoming Challenges include – doing 30 5k runs, 10k run, half-marathon, learning to crochet, swimming 30 lengths for 30 days and wearing funny outfits for a week.
There are so many ways you can be involved – pray & encourage, donate, take part and take on a challenge or maybe you’d like to come up with a challenge for me to do?
Thank You for your generous support and continued encouragement and prayers.
Louise
What’s been happening at the Bluehouses?
SUMMER 2022 WAS SIMPLY PHENOMENAL. We delivered 97 sessions and 122 different group activities. We engaged with 214 young people, 124 male and 90 female through weekly groups and drop in nights. We also had the privilege of taking young people to both Summer Madness and Summer Camp. We enjoyed our annual week long football camp where we connected with 58 young people, many of which were new to us.
September is always a funny one. Recovering from and processing and evaluating the summer. Team building and staff time together. Strategising, Decision making, launching programmes and trying to find rhythm and routine!
Across September and October we were blessed with 61 Juniors and 86 Seniors through our doors on our 3 Drop In Nights each week. As a team we have also chatted lots about youth culture and changing and shifting dynamics in how young people engage and therefore how we engage and develop programmes for them.
New Staff – Our new female youth worker, Lydia joined us over the summer. This has really boosted our ability to move forward with new ideas and opens up new doors for our work. We have started a Year 8&9 girls group and also started mentoring in schools and pushing into educational support for those who need additional support
Our educational (tutoring & homework club) and Bluehouses Academy programmes (Joinery, Life Skills & Cookery, Music and Young Leaders) will really take off over this next term. It is exciting to venture into new things but it’s a reminder that we need people and resources to sustain it. Please pray for volunteers for drop in nights, helping with homework club, people with the expertise to tutor a young person with education or music or maybe even the time to help keep our centre tidy? Do you have any old instruments that you don’t use anymore? Our Music Academy would love to make use of them.
In June 2023, the Bluehouses will celebrate its 30th Birthday! I have taken on the challenge of completing 30 challenges over the next year in celebration of the work of the Bluehouses and also to raise some funds to support the work of the centre and new Bluehouses Academy.
Challenge 1 took place from 21st-28th August as I travelled to Scotland to take on the West HIghland Way. A 96 mile trek from just outside Glasgow, north to Fortwilliam. Throughout the walk there was lots of forest, hills, sunshine, rain, stunning views, being eaten alive by midges, meeting people from all over the world and even a few tears on the hard days, but I made it.
After 8 days, 96 miles, 11,000ft of ascent and 207,797 steps I made it across the finish line! Why am I doing it?
I love the Bluehouses…It’s a very special place
We journey and do life with people, families and the wider community in Ballysillan through the good times and the really messy, difficult times too.
We call out their gifts and talents and support them to achieve their potential.
We aim to break the cycle and help each person understand that they are made for more and can do incredible things.
We are a lighthouse on the Hill, shining light into the darkness, restoring hope and making people feel safe, loved, valued and worthy.
We help each person discover who God has made them to be.
Finally but most importantly…We Love Jesus – We are church in action. This is what makes the difference and ultimately changes people’s lives.
29 MORE CHALLENGES TO GO…between now and July 2023.
Upcoming Challenges include – doing 30 5k runs, 10k run, half-marathon, learning to crochet, swimming 30 lengths for 30 days and wearing funny outfits for a week.
There are so many ways you can be involved – pray & encourage, donate, take part and take on a challenge or maybe you’d like to come up with a challenge for me to do?
Thank You for your generous support and continued encouragement and prayers.
Louise
