By Jim Coggins

A CHRISTIAN ministry is quietly making a difference for children in under-resourced areas of Greater Vancouver.

Urban Promise Vancouver (UPV), now in its tenth year, offers after-school programs and summer ‘camps’ in East Vancouver, Surrey and Vancouver’s downtown area. The after-school program is offered nine months a year.

While these are considered ‘under-resourced’ neighbourhoods, Urban Promise does not work in the worst areas of East Vancouver – because there are very few children there.

The children they work with are often labeled ‘non-performers.’ One elementary school principal said the three neediest kids in her school were in an Urban Promise program.

Multiple challenges

The children often come from families with multiple challenges. Many are immigrants, needing help adjusting to North American culture. Many come from single-parent or dysfunctional families. Some have learning disabilities. All face economic challenges.

Often, the parents are overwhelmed by daily survival and don’t have the energy or ability to help their children with many of the challenges they face.

In these cases, Urban Promise fills the gap. A big emphasis in the after-school program is on homework.  

Cheerleaders

UPV executive director Bruce Robinson said many of the children have “nobody fanning the flames, no cheerleaders.” Urban Promise helps raise the “expectation level.” Robinson said the programs are definitely making a difference in children’s lives – and added that it is fun “watching people exceed your expectations.”

UPV has 10 full-time staff, and uses volunteers called ‘street leaders.’ There were 300 children in the camps last summer, and 90 street leaders. Many are high school students; and notably, some are graduates of the program. Robinson said it is exciting to see an insecure, under-achieving student go through the program – and then, in grade 9 or 10, lead 150 kids. “They wouldn’t normally be doing that.”

To be a street leader, students must fill out an application form, get references and be interviewed – skills their parents often can’t teach them. Robinson said it is gratifying to see kids showing up on time, washing dishes all day, and loving it. “They are learning job skills and responsibility. No one else would give them that chance.”

Robinson said it is particularly rewarding to see multiple levels of discipleship going on. The young kids are watching the junior street leaders, who are watching the senior street leaders, who are watching the junior staff, and so on.

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Robinson said that, while the UPV leaders put the pieces in place, they didn’t plan this. “[They] didn’t realize how all the pieces were going to connect.”

Blatantly Christian

Robinson said that while the UPV program is “blatantly Christian,” 90 percent of the kids have no Christian background. Even the street leaders, who lead children in cooking, art, sports and even Bible studies, are not required to be Christians; but they can’t be antagonistic toward the faith.  

Families are charged $30 a month for the after-school program; that can be waived or lowered – if a parent loses a job, for instance. Robinson said it is important to charge something, because it teaches the families to value the program; and it guards their dignity, because they’re not getting something for nothing.

Robinson said Urban Promise is mission work. The staff are paid a small amount, so they have “at least something to live on,” and they can raise more support. For this reason, staff turnover is fairly high. They often make a three-year commitment. Staff have included architects, teachers and social workers taking a break from their regular work to develop new skills. Robinson said no particular skills are needed.

“You just have to like kids, be creative, have high energy and be willing to work long hours.”

Robinson said churches often ask UPV to come in and run a program for them. If the visions match and if the church is offering to provide a meeting place, funds and volunteers, the ministry may agree. In other cases, UPV offers some guidance and encourages the churches to start their own programs.

Robinson suggests churches survey their neighbourhoods, talk to school principals, identify needs, find out what other programs are being offered, make a commitment and follow through. “It’s not rocket science.”

Robinson also said it is significant that much of UPV’s work is preventative, working with children before they become involved in gangs, crime and addictions.

“It is cheaper to build a fence at the top of a cliff than a hospital at the bottom.”

November 2007