Safe Families
Support, hope and belonging in Sheffield
Safe Families is a national charity that offers support, hope and belonging to improve the lives of local families. They link children, young people and families with local volunteers who can offer them help and support, and they have recently started operating in Sheffield. We asked Family Support Manager Joanne Bibby to tell us more.
Hi Joanne! Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’ve been working for Safe Families for just over two years now as a Family Support Manager. I feel completely privileged to work for such a great organisation and with the families we meet, and I love that the Safe Families staff are encouraged to pray together and encourage each other in our faith.
How long have you been living in Sheffield?
We moved to Sheffield as a family last December and we absolutely love it here. We feel that we have barely scratched the surface of things to do and places to explore, and we love that Sheffield feels like a small town even though it’s a big city. We attend Antioch Church, in the city centre.
What has been bringing you closer to God lately?
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the idea of resting and retreating, of following Jesus’ invitation to come away and rest for a while, and building rhythms of rest and Sabbath into my busy schedule.
What is Safe Families?
Safe Families is a Christian charity that works together with churches to mobilise church members and train and support them to make an impact on local people’s lives. We want to see thousands of local Christians offering hope, belonging and support to their community’s most vulnerable children, families and care leavers.
Over 1,000 churches and community groups have already partnered with Safe Families to mobilise 7,000+ volunteers across the UK. Safe Families hold the responsibility for training, safeguarding, financial matters and the time-consuming paperwork which allows churches and church leaders to focus on building relationships.
This year we expect to equip volunteers and churches to support 2,000 families, so they no longer feel isolated and are being supported to stay together and thrive.
What inspired the project?
Safe Families is inspired by the church! We see the way so many churches reach out into their communities and we want to make that as easy as possible for everyone to engage with.
What is Safe Families doing in Sheffield at the moment?
We love Sheffield and are so glad to be working here. We have a partnership with Steel City Schools and they have asked us for help supporting families they have identified as needing some family friends to help them overcome the challenges they are facing.
What does a typical day at Safe Families look like for you?
Our day often begins with staff prayer to give our days to God, then I’ll be heading out to meet a new family, to get to know them and tell them about the support we offer. After that, I’ll catch up with our volunteers, introducing them to families or doing a review to see how support is going. We work closely with local authorities and schools, so often my day will involve speaking to them and giving them updates.
What have been some high points in your work in Sheffield so far?
We introduced a very isolated mum of four girls to a wonderful volunteer who was able to meet up with her regularly. They went out for walks and coffee together, which mum really looked forward to. The volunteer was also able to access a community fund at her church which helped mum get a new washing machine and bunk beds for the girls. Mum had been hand washing all of their clothes for months so you can only imagine the difference it made!
How has the local Christian community responded to Safe Families?
We have been so encouraged by the response from churches in Sheffield. We have worked with 15 churches and have trained 38 people as Family Friends.
How can Christians in Sheffield support the project, both now and in the future?
Anyone wanting to get involved can respond in all or one of the following three ways:
Volunteering as a Family Friend and providing friendship and support to adults and children who are isolated and alone. This might be taking a parent, who would usually struggle to get out of the house, for a coffee and a chat; or taking a child/children to play at the park or hosting those children in your home whilst a parent is hospitalised or needs a break for a day or two.
Giving financially - as a one-off or regularly.
Becoming a prayer partner and receiving regular prayer requests.
How can people contact you to find out more?
To find out more or to sign up to complete an application form to become a volunteer, you can visit https://safefamilies.uk and click on the ‘Join Us’ button, or call 03334 141488.
About the Author
Joanne Bibby is a Family Support Manager at Safe Families. She has lived in Sheffield for just over a year, and attends Antioch Church with her family. In her spare time she loves getting out for a walk in the Peaks with her family, exploring the coffee shops in Sheffield and cooking up a healthy meal when she gets the kitchen to herself.