Autumn always feels like a significant transition for me. I have been programmed by all those years of starting a new school year and the feeling has always stayed with me even though it’s a long time since my formal education ended. As I write this, the new Connection at St Martin’s service model is going live downstairs. We have been preparing for this day since January. From the outside, things might not look that different. However, we know that they are. Alongside changes to our staffing, we are fundamentally changing how we work. The headline is “with not for” homeless people.
This is not a new concept and those diligent readers of Sam Wells’ writing will recognise it. Another great advocate of this approach was Anton Wallich-Clifford, who founded the first Simon Community in 1963. Cyrenians and Simon communities across the UK reflect the role of Simon of Cyrene, referenced by Luke, Mark and Matthew as a Roman Soldier who, present in the crowds, decided to walk alongside Jesus to the crucifixion, helping to carry the cross.
I worked for 8 years at Edinburgh Cyrenians and I was well schooled in “with, not for” by some very wise colleagues. I learned an awful lot there – not least the importance of taking a well-considered theoretical concept and thinking through how to put it into practice on the ground. This is where things can get complicated. We don’t all necessarily interpret the theory in the same way.
Our new way of working will embed itself through good habits, training and support for the team, regular reflections on what is working and plenty of involvement from people who have lived on the streets themselves. It will take a while and I am sure the St Martin-in-the-Fields community will be walking with us as we make this vital transition.
Pam Orchard
