Helping Survivors |
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What every Church Leader needs to know
In building help networks
Let us begin by defining a Help Network:
A Help Network is
a group or network of people or organisations who are qualified counsellors,
professional advisory agencies or qualified trainers, who have agreed to work
together with the church for the benefit of those the church is seeking to
help.
When building a Help Network we may find it helpful to consider
the following::-
- CLARITY OF ROLES - It is important for each person or
organisation in the network and the church to have previously agreed roles and
the means to monitor that the clarity of the roles is maintained to the benefit
of the person.
- RELATIONSHIP - The relationship between the church and network
members must be more than just financial or formal, it should be personal and
strong enough for both parties to be challenged by the other about issues.
- CHECKED OUT - Ensure that you check out the organisation, ask
questions of the organisation and others who know them. Expect and encourage
the organisation to check you out as a church. Ask for references or
referees.
- COMPETENCE - It is so important that the person or organisation
to which you take the person is competent. I must add at this stage that
competent is not spelt C.h.r.i.s.t.i.a.n or m.y d.e.n.o.m.i.n.a.t.i.o.n. and we
must not be biased one way or the other but insist that the helper is competent
and clearly understands their role.
One of course will consider a number of other criteria in building
our network but the important thing is to make a start. Ask yourself would a
fisherman go out in his boat, get above the fish and then start to make his
net. No, and neither should we. Let us make a start and build a sound Help
Network.
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