Big society partly = funding local community groups to provide local services? Best local groups in YOUR area?

Question

Big society = funding local community groups to provide local services?

Churches are the biggest, most active community groups in any city, town or village: most active already in meeting the needs of kids, single mums, OAPs, the disabled, etc?

Ideally placed to get & discuss local ideas?

Not least because such a high % of Christians are called by God into the caring professions?

Wanna share YOUR local ideas, as they may help others too?

Answer 1

Catholic Charities

Answer 2

I don't think churches are the biggest, most active community groups. Especially not where I live - the three churches each have an average congregation of about 20 - hardly active, or big. They do very little for the elderly, children, OAPs etc. unless they are members of their religion, which leaves out large numbers of people (from atheists, to sikhs, to catholics, for whom the church is only open one day a week) in the community.



Personally, I'd say the good local community groups are often schools, or charity groups. Indeed, in my local area I'd say the best local community group was the council - it puts funding towards numerous community events, from May Day celebrations, to a fireworks display on the river every November 5th, helps run community groups/centres for elderly people to meet, for homeless people to get help from charities, for single mums to get help in finding suitable employment etc. Groups like that, and other charities etc. reach a lot more people than churches, and unlike churches don't block people out based on their beliefs. After all, we're not all Church of England christians...



Also, what do you mean, a high % of Christians are called by God into caring professions? What about all the non - Christians who are nurses, care assistants, teachers, etc.? There are just as many christians as other people in the caring profession, so I'd say that statement of yours is rather lacking in truth, and undervalues what those non - Christians do.

Answer 3

I think the most obvious community groups exist around schools. The irony of this "new" idea is that it's already there and people ignore it. Every parent is welcomed to belong to their PTA, organisations are welcomed to use the facilities out of hours - evening classes etc.

Do people make the most - no. I think this is an up a gum tree idea - I'm still not sure -are we going to be forced into this?

The community groups in my area are great - they are already doing the job - youth groups, OAP groups, people with boils on their bum groups - you name it.

People who want to do it - do.

I give my all to my job and contribute to the community where I work in doing so. I'll be damned if I've got the energy to do more when I get home.

Answer 4

Sorry had to check if I wondered onto the US site.



Local funding should not go to any religious group, where I live they fragment the 'locals'.



Edit be real any-ones god/s are a myth, I'd be happy to fund any of them if they can prove their fairy story.



Why not fund the teletubies? They have been proven to increase a common social value Lol



Edit - sorry I'm normally called right-wing and please are you suggesting lies are more important than facts? I understand completely about the placebo effect.



I'm an agnostic not an atheist - call it sitting on the fence if you wish.