MADE Course: Spring 2023

This week we celebrated yet another MADE course!

This term’s cohort, six students from Hassenbrook Academy, gave speeches to an audience including: their families, Head teacher, delegates from their work place visits, and the Deputy Mayor of Thurrock, Sue Little.

After all these years, the MADE course is still working. We heard from the student’s Head of Year that the change in these students has been “very clear”.

And to our team she said:

“You might think you are working with 6 pupils but actually the impact you're having is on so many more! Not only have they grown in confidence and self esteem, as they wrote in their speeches, they have also been helping other students in the school with their self esteem!

“Every single student has grown since they started MADE 10 weeks ago”

Our Schools Team Director, Joyce Gjoni, also praised her team, saying, “the whole team are so committed and hard working and never lower the bar. I’m really proud of everyone and looking forward to more celebrations!”

The MADE course is a 10-week programme helping young people to realise that they are made unique and made with a purpose. Through the course, students grow in confidence, motivation and develop aspirations for their future; through soft-skills workshops and work place visits.

Workplace Visits

We are so grateful to all the people and companies that supported us this term:

  • Thurrock Foodbank

  • Bluprint UK

  • Thurrock Digital

  • Hovis

  • Gemma Powell

  • MEARS

  • Thurrock Council

  • DP World

Allotment Days

We have an allotment day on the Proximity Plot 29.

All welcome! No obligation to dig or hoe but there will be chats, biscuits and drinks.

Time

Anytime between 10am - 1pm.

Dates

  • Saturday, 18 March 2023

  • Saturday, 15 April 2023

  • Saturday, 20 May 2023

  • Saturday, 17 June 2023

Looking forward to seeing you there!

Kwok

Share

Mayor of Thurrock Donates to MADE Course

Proximity Schools were the recipients of £500 donation from the Mayor of Thurrock, Cllr James Halden towards the MADE course.

MADE was selected as one of the Mayor’s nominated charities for his civic year for its services to young people and supporting their mental health. Cllr Halden has raised nearly £18,000 from the borough community, and particularly its businesses, to support his nominated charities.

The Mayor of Thurrock and Gable Hall Staff with Proximity Schools team. From left to right: Des Dhillingford, Joyce, Graham, Cllr James Halden, Gary Lewis, Carla, Scott, Gemma

It was with great delight that on 05 January 2023, the Proximity Schools’ team met with the Mayor at ORTU Gable Hall School along with Principal, Mr G Lewis, and ORTU CEO, Mr D Shillingford, where the Mayor presented us with a giant cheque to mark the occasion.

It was extremely encouraging to hear how Cllr Halden highly values the work Proximity Schools carries out across three schools in Stanford-le-Hope and the impact it has in the local community. 

Proximity Schools feel honored and grateful for the ongoing support the Mayor has offered them over the years. 

The work of Proximity Schools depends on the support of the community.

If you would like to give to the work of Proximity Schools as they support 132 young people every week, become a Hope Giver by choosing to give a monthly.

Give to Proximity Schools

Rule of Life 2022

In 2022, we are revisiting the six values of 24-7 Prayer that we held to in our first years as a church community: Prayer, Mission, Justice, Hospitality, Creativity and… Learning!

Phil Anderson helped us set the scene at Encounter Sunday, giving us the helpful imagery of a ‘trellis’. Describing a Rule of Life as the structure for growth as individuals and community.

LISTEN: Phil Anderson on ‘Rule of Life’

We then had one world class teaching after the other, as we welcomed our insightful and courageous friends each month. Thank you so much to all our fantastic contributors for all that you prepared and invested into our community.

You can listen back to every session below, or via “Proximity Church Podcast” on all podcast platforms.

Learning 2023: Holy Spirit

We are excited for all that we’ll learn, discuss and experience during our Learning Sundays in 2023.

Watch Charl’s introduction to Holy Spirit below.

Share

The MADE Course 22-23

New Year, New MADE Course

We are very excited to begin a new MADE course, with six Year 9 students from ORTU Gable Hall School.

MADE is a 10-week programme helping young people to realise that they are made unique and made with a purpose. Through the course, students grow in confidence, motivation and develop aspirations for their future.

The programme consists of engaging and interactive workshops in the morning. We’ll cover topics such as teamwork, determination, communication, and power of choice, amongst others.

In the afternoon the students get to visit a workplace and find out more about that career choice and how people got into that role, often they get to experience what it would be like to work there first hand.

This Term’s work place visits

On our current course we will be visiting IKEA, Hovis, Bluprint UK, Thurrock Food Bank, Mears Group, Tangent International, and Orsett Fire Station, plus others. We are very grateful for local business partnering with us and taking time to talk to and inspire the young people, it real does make a difference.

MADE students visiting Bluprint UK, Stanford-le-Hope

Where did MADE start?

The MADE course was created by Proximity Church in response to the profound pressures, strains, and difficulties that young people face in an ever-changing world. We have run over 20 MADE courses with more than 100+ children.

In these years, MADE has proven to consistently support and engage the most vulnerable. With a wide impact, its effects have also been felt in school, at home and in our community as young people begin the journey of discovering their identity and purpose, and how to relate better to the world around them.