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Redeeming Our Communities FAQ's
TIER TWO: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community Engagement: Assist these groups to connect with their communities by guiding them to key contacts within their local Police Force and other relevant agencies.
Where do we start with community engagement?
- Pray!
- Make sure you have a single point of contact (eg, a ROC Area Co-ordinator) when contacting the Police and Councils.
- Find out what the needs are in your community, and contact the key people from groups developed to assist these kinds of needs. (eg, if your community suffers from debt problems, you could contact Christians Against Poverty to link with them in supporting people in your community). Action should be focused on acts of kindness, or on practical ways of delivering priorities. Police and councillors will know in particular the needs in your area – you can research on Police websites in order to determine Police goals.
- Make sure you can deliver the action you promise to Police or others. Be professional as well as enthusiastic.
More: Christians Against Poverty (CAP) website.
How do we develop partnerships with the Police?
Download our 'Developing Partnerships With Police' document, which expands on the following suggestions:
- Say thank you to our Police (download our Poster)
- Pray for Police in your area by name, (in keeping with the Adopt-A-Cop scheme). Though be wary with non-believers.
- Volunteer in your local Police team
- Assist the Police in the work they are doing
- Approach our Neighbourhood Policing teams to find out the needs of the community, and show them our support
- Share information, ideas and resources.
More: Download the CPA Pray 4 Your Police Guide, Adopt-A-Cop website, Download our Key Steps to partnering between ROC groups and the Police.
How do we approach the Police or Council?
- Arrange meetings to speak with relevant representatives for the Police or Council, and research the people you are meeting!
- Contact the CPA, or Christian 'union' of the area or organisation to see if they know who a relevant person to approach might be.
- Be sensitive;
- Be aware of the language you use and how you communicate.
- We need to keep in mind that we are trying to build a long term relationship and need to build up trust and confidence with police officers.
- Remember that Neighbourhood teams consist of Police officers, Police Community Support Officers (PCSO’s) and volunteers. Establish which role your point of contact has in the Neighbourhood team.
- Confidentiality is important. We will hear of general needs but we may become privy to specific information that must be regarded as confidential amongst our prayer groups.
- We need to be clear about our expectations of each other.
More: CPA website.
How should we pray for these key contacts?
- Ask them how they want us to pray; what can we pray for on a community level, and also on a more personal level once a relationship is developing.
- Invite them to prayer meetings (where appropriate)
- Suggest things like a 'prayer box' in the station or Council buildings for people to write prayer points on, where appropriate.
More: Download the CPA Pray 4 Your Police Guide.
Can we share our faith with Police officers or Council members?
Police and Councillors will be wondering why you want to help them! Yes, tell them you are a Christian, but obviously we need to be sensitive to the fact that we are showing them God through our actions and support, and that overt evangelism is not likely to be appropriate in this context. The relationship between prayer groups and Police and Council should be an ongoing development, and based on a shared desire to see crime and disorder reduction, and a changed community.
More: Download the Key Steps to partnering between ROC groups and the Police guide.
How do we find out about community needs in our area?
- Pray
- Ask your local Police and Council
- Research through the media and available Council reports (such as public crime and disorder records, usually available in local libraries)
- Consult the Churches in the area
What Projects or initiatives can we tell the Police or Council about?
- Christian Police Association
- Christians Against Poverty
- Hope 08
- Care for the Family
- Street Pastors
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