Christian resources include funding and events

The Wessex Youth Trust, founded in 1999 in honour of the marriage of HRH Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys-Jones, provides funding for projects that work with children and young people in the UK. Preference is shown to smaller projects without large government grants and specific projects rather than core costs. Previously funded projects include a wide variety of youth projects, holiday clubs, youth volunteering schemes and work with disabled children. The average grant awarded is between £2,500 and £5,000. The next application deadline is 1 May. For more information, phone Jenny Cannon on 01508 571 230.

The Marsh Christian Trust provides funding for projects working in social welfare in the UK. They are keen to help those who are disabled, young, elderly, homeless or in prison, as well as those with drug and alcohol dependency and mental health problems. Projects displaying a Christian emphasis to their work are given special consideration. The average grant, to be used for core funding, is between £250 and £4,000 and the focus is on long-term annual funding rather than one-off grants. There is no application deadline or form to complete. Applications – which need to include your most recent accounts - should be made in writing and sent to Marsh Christian Trust, 2nd floor, 36 Broadway, London, SE1H 0BH. For more information, phone 020 7233 3112.

Churches and community projects that plan to run summer activities for children and young people between the ages of 5 and 17 can apply to the Lankelly Chase Foundation for £500 to cover the costs of the work. Summer activities must include children and young people who are living in refuges for families escaping domestic violence or young carers. The trust will make 120 grants this year. The application deadline is 13 May. Schemes with strong volunteer support will be given preference. For more information, phone 01235 820 044.

Trusthouse Charitable Foundation gives grants to local or national charities that are working in urban areas of deprivation with a particular focus on young people, ex-offenders, the elderly, those affected by drug and alcohol addiction as well as general work with deprived communities. There are several types of grants, ranging from under £5,000 to £30,000 for capital and/or running costs and the application process is related to the annual income of your organisation. All grants are for one year only. For more information, phone 020 7264 4990.

The Triangle Trust 1949 Fund provides grants to charities in the UK that improve the well-being and health of poor communities. Priority is shown to projects that work with carers, disabled people, older people and people who would benefit from integration and rehabilitation into the community. Preference is given to small charities that serve a locality or religious group rather than national charities, new activities and core costs rather than capital costs. Phone Lesley Lilley on 020 7299 4245 for more information.

Housing Justice is running their popular one-day training workshop, Homelessness and related issues on 14 May and 15 June at their central London offices. The day is designed for church volunteers or small projects and covers a range of homelessness topics from drug/alcohol awareness and legal and mental health issues, as well as advice on boundaries and dealing with conflict. The day costs £25 per person for Housing Justice members. For more information phone 020 7920 6600 or visit the website. Those involved in this work should also consider signing up for Housing Justice’s summer conference on 15 June which will bring together lots of those involved in housing and homelessness.

Livability is partnering with Through the Roof on an event designed to lead to a better understanding of physical and learning disabilities as well as positive, proactive responses to disabled people. Beyond Disability, Creating a more inclusive and enriched church will take place on 8 June in central London. It will include teaching from experienced practitioners, introduction to practical resources, workshops as well as question and answer sessions. The day costs £30 per person, including lunch, and must be booked online. For more information phone 020 7452 2018.

Refugee Week this year will take place from 20-26 June. As this year is the 60th anniversary of the Refugee Convention the theme is 60 Years of Contribution. It’s a great opportunity to explore the experiences, value the contribution and support the individuals and families who are refugees in your community. If you are feeling uninspired about activities, visit Simple Acts – most of which can be done all year round.

Anyone new to management, or in need of a refresher, should plan to attend Livability’s Are you really managing? How to overcome the barriers to become a great manager. It will take place at St Catherine’s Church Centre in Wakefield on 21 June. It costs £20 per person including lunch. Click here to book online. For more information phone 0113 350 8070.

The Community Mission website - a partnership between Livability and Tearfund - has had a refresh! As well as links straight to new stories and resources we have a brand new tool to help you identify key steps for healthy, community-transforming churches and projects. The Church Health Check, ten measurable factors for churches serious about community transformation has been produced by Livability’s Community Mission team.

A survey has confirmed the extent of, and commitment to, community involvement in UK churches. The Church and Community Survey showed that churches surveyed spent, on average, £7,000 on three initiatives per church. In the next 12 months, 68% of churches were planning to increase their initiatives with 81% saying they thought it was essential or very important that church projects maintain their Christian distinctive. The biggest hindrances to doing more were manpower/time; funding; vision/leadership; red tape/laws; info/assessment, and buildings. The biggest encouragements were appreciation/trust built; making a difference/having an impact; being changed; community cohesion; meeting needs/serving and churches working together. Click here to read about the survey

Publicising what you do locally is another good way to create awareness, increase support and recruit volunteers. A new service from Your Church in the News is designed to explore why and how you should be using the media. Guidance is given on everything from writing a traditional press release to making the most of local ‘What’s On’ guides and using Facebook and twitter.

Community Mission is a partnership between Tearfund and Livability. Click here to sign up to future editions of their e-newsletter.