ROC Ambassadors Conference - Autumn 2011
We recently held our fifth ROC Ambassadors Conference. 55 delegates attended, some were already Ambassadors but most were "just looking" and checking us out. I was delighted to meet such passionate people from around the UK with significant representatives from Sussex, the Midlands, Greater Manchester and also some folks from the South West, Leeds, and London. We have around 250 ROC Ambassadors to date and this has really helped establish the vision in many locations.
The conference heard from practitioners who have experience in running the ROC Café youth project. Iona and Howard Jones spoke about the ROC Café Cobridge, which opened in April and has over 200 young people on the books.
Louise Williams spoke about the first ever ROC Centre in Radcliffe, which opened it's doors in October. The Centre aims to provide local services to the community including a police surgery, which has already achieved great results.
Some highlights from the Conference:
- We heard about a potential new ROC Centre in Maidstone.
- A representative from Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service spoke about his aim to see ROC projects across his region.
- Three Police officers from Sussex spoke about their commitment to see new projects there.
- Jackie John, a youth leader from Newham, spoke about a recent ROC consultation where young people expressed their views about community.
The biggest highlight of the conference, however, came when 15 delegates signed up as new ROC Ambassadors!
Responses from Autumn 2011 Conference:
I went to the conference with an open mind and after the two days I could clearly see the benefits of the ROC model. This concept will enable the churches to contribute to the over arching objective of making our communities safer. It will also give them the opportunity to work with the established partners from within their communities. The church movement, whatever the faith, has so much to offer the whole community, their values are intrinsic to enable us to try to influence the behavioral patterns within our youth culture.
- Brad Walker, Lancashire Fire & Rescue Service
A wonderful sense of being with like-minded people who share a love, a passion and a vision for being good news in their community - however they define it and whatever their belief system.
- Bev Smerdon
I've not seen anything like ROC before that is so relevant, so realistic and so practical. It's focus on finding the need and working to meet it is spot on. And I love how its basically one act of love at a time, person by person, transforming one life after another until the community is flooded by it, and transformed.
- Caroline Leighton, West Midlands Police
ROC has a fantastic vision to change people's lives. It was great to use the conference to begin to think about what might practically happen in my community.
- Daniel Cook
ROC = hope & inspiration!
- Sarah Brewster, Sussex Police
Find out about our next Ambassadors Conference here. |
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