Glenda, 35, was homeless when we met her through helping her partner. We got her into a rented place with our bond guarantee scheme and her aim was to get clean of illegal drugs and pass a social services monitoring process so that she could have her 12 year old son back with her from being in care.

Seven months on and she is doing well - on a methadone 'script; clean drug tests for four months. We moved her to a better flat so as to have her son with her and she now has him for three or four days a week. She is hopeful of passing the lasts tests and then having him with her permanently.

We have given a lot of support, especially with benefits and finances, but also moral support. It seems to be paying off.

The bond guarantee scheme started exists to help vulnerable and often homeless people into rented accommodation. We saw 60 people housed in its first year. The project came in the top 5 out of 500 for a Faithworks award in 2006.

MEETING A RANGE OF NEEDS

Jesus Centres engage the abilities and experience of church members and others to meet a wide range of needs, both in the short-term and over a longer period, for many people.

Our Support Workers, Val and Barney, do one to one work with visitors, helping them with a variety of needs including benefits and money management. They run the Bridge bond scheme, doing initial assessments, benefit claims, liaising with landlords and providing tenancy support. They have built up a good body of knowledge and experience to help people make progress.

Centre Activities

The Coventry Jesus Centre was designed as a multi-purpose building for a number of activities including drop-in services, training, groups such as mums & tots, a café, Christian fellowship and venue hire

Other services include:
'Your Future' short courses including money management, photography, confidence building, cookery.
'Little Ark' for mums & tots
'Daybreak' for over 50's
PC class for the blind
English Conversation class
'Anything Art' class
Maths class
Biometric Health Checks
'Explorers' for spiritual searchers
Midweek Christian service
Creative Arts evening
Solid Rock café on Sundays
Activities such as outings, table tennis, quizzes.