The Street Pastor training programme started off with the session on Roles and Responsibilities, which is an overview of the role. Essentially it was an extended job description. The following isn’t what was taught during the session, but are rather my own thoughts and opinions on it.
First, it’s important to understand what a Street Pastor is, since, to most people, the name would imply someone who evangelises on the streets with placards, Bible verses and whatnot. This isn’t quite what Street Pastors actually do.
I’d argue that all practising Christians evangelise through their behaviour and actions in the secular world, for better or worse. Being a Street Pastor, just like any ministry that one might be called to, should be seen as extension of that. Here we have a night-time ministry, and that requires a certain approach and a certain set of skills.
Conversion is not the primary aim of this ministry. Les Isaac founded the Ascension Trust because he was inspired by earlier, less successful, intiatives to reduce violent crime on the streets of Britain. At the time, the Church, which is at the basis of communities, seemed to be doing nothing to address the social problems – I’d counter this by pointing out the Church does operate a welfare system behind the scenes. So, it’s more accurate to say the primary goal of Street Pastors is to transform their communities.
Another misconception might be that Street Pastors are amateurs or ‘do-gooders’. This also isn’t quite the case. Becoming a Street Pastor entails a considerable amount of professional training in a range of things – drug awareness, mental health issues, communication skills, a bit of sociology and cultural understanding, etc.
Local Authorities, Police and Street Pastors form what is termed the ‘Urban Trinity’. This partnership puts the Street Pastors in the unique position in several ways. First, we’re trusted by the police and by those who fear police involvement for whatever reasons. Secondly, we can do things the police and local authorities cannot do, since Britain pretty much doesn’t have an accessible mental health system, and it’s extremely unlikely a person in need would encounter an outreach team representing a large charity organisation. Thirdly, it’s usually the case that people express to us things they wouldn’t share with others for fear of being judged.
One thing I really found surprising is the demographics. When the Street Pastors started out in 2003, it was with 18 people, and only three of them were men. That was roughly the same male/female ratio at yesterday’s training session – two males (not counting the organiser) and about eight females. Also, to my slight disappointment, I’m the youngest on this programme by at least two decades, and admittedly this does cause me to question whether this ministry is right for me.
Core Values
Every organisation has core values, or what they profess to be their ‘core values’. The Street Pastors’ are:
- The sanctity of life: It goes without saying that every life is precious, but the implication is also that everyone is deserving of our time and attention.
- Valuing and honouring the community: Obviously, otherwise none of us would be doing this.
- Being a person of integrity: We do nothing here for personal gain, or take advantage of our position. In your personal life, it means staying true to your position and professed values.
- Personal responsibility: This was discussed in the context of personal development, identifying personal areas for improvement.
- Growth and development of those we meet: Everyone has a right to realise their potential.
Qualities of a Street Pastor
Admin requirements: This covers the application form, DBS and other formal requirements for joining.
- Personal qualities: Street Pastoring is 99% team work. You and your local team are reliant on each other. If you’re not reliable or able to work with others, the team simply couldn’t do the job. Obviously, a Street Pastor must be reasonable good at dealing with those s/he will encounter, and that involves a range of other personal qualities – this should come with experience.
- Spiritual qualities: Some people have asked why one must be a practising Chrstian to join this initiative. The main answer is that our faith is the basis of what we do. And, though we’re not the Church, we’re an expression of it. The weird thing I’ve noticed about some Christians is they have that something, a rare and elusive quality, that makes them a comforting presence even to atheists.
- Community-minded: We must be capable of signposting people to community resources, which is again something the local authorities often don’t have the time or patience to do. For this, Street Pastors must understand the local community and be working in partnership with local authorities and police.
- Relationship builder: Developing a network of relationships and channels with key players in the community is essential.
A Catholic Commentarium 