friday night project

What Is The friday night project (fnp)?
Friday night project is a youth club for 11-18 year olds. Some young people come because their families come to Wharfedale Vineyard others have been invited by their friends, all young people are welcome. It is held at the Vineyard Centre on Friday evenings. We provide a safe environment where young people can gather to chill, have fun, take part in games and a wide variety of activities varying from sport to art to music to cooking and many other engaging ideas. In addition to this we provide young people with opportunities to gain information and support with any issues they may be facing. We also seek to engage in deeper conversations about life, self image, relationships, dilemmas, identity and faith to challenge and stimulate their thinking and understanding. It is run on term time Friday evenings by a team of volunteers from the Wharfedale Vineyard.

What we want to achieve?
The Vision: A youth club where all young people from varying age, ability, family background, ethnicity and image can feel happy, safe, included, loved, affirmed, valued and accepted; where they feel heard and appreciated: where they can make a contribution and learn new skills; where their problems can be aired and supported with sensitivity and confidentiality; where they can build relationships with each other and positive role models; and a bridge from which we can build relationship with them and through them with their families and communities. Our heart is to very naturally and practically be the love, voice, hands and feet of Jesus and the church in their midst.

Why we feel this is important?
Young people are hard pressed on every side with an overwhelming deluge of conflicting, contradicting and confusing messages from school, peers, media sources and in some cases their own families.
In a recent survey young people were asked what they looked for in a role model. Surprisingly an overwhelming percentage said they were looking for a parent/ grand parent figure over a celebrity or a young trendy youth worker. When questioned over this, the reasons they gave were, because they felt they had no one to guide them, reassure them or lead them. They said they wanted someone who could teach them through their own life experience and support them through the complex circumstances of their lives.
In response to this National finding we are trying to develop a team of volunteers who vary in age and life experience, who have a passion for young people and will be clear sign posts to a generation of young people who feel overwhelmed by choice, circumstance and expectation. We hope to provide some solid ground under their feet from which they can build a solid foundation for maturity and faith in a fun and lively environment that reflects loving relationships and family.
With this in mind we seek to sow generously into the young people according to the promises of 2 Corinthians 9 vs 8-15 that they might encounter God’s indescribable gift to them.

if you want to know any more about friday night project please call Ian and Liz Harden.