So excited to report in this post that our Street Pastor numbers are definitely growing here in St Helens. Core Roles and responsibilities training is in place for the next tranche of trainee Street Pastors 🙂

We have four people signed up for their first observation session; (two have already completed it and one will observe on our next patrol); and also booked onto our training day for Core Roles and Responsibilities on 18th March.

Two more people are prayerfully considering whether volunteering as a Street Pastor is something that God is putting on their heart. Local churches are giving us space to talk about Street Pastoring in St Helens now that we have some stories to share; this also enables us to thank people for their support so far and explore new ways with them.

Follow this link to our facebook page to see images of our last two patrols with new trainee Street Pastors observing 🙂

What training does a Street Pastor receive?

There are 8 core modules that are delivered locally and then elective session depending on need identified.

Core Roles and Responsibilities training is key to ensure that Pastors know what guidelines we are working to.

Other core training includes:

Training around Youth culture and Safeguarding – helping us to recognise and understand some of the issues that young people are dealing with. Giving us confidence and skill to recognise situations that may be a safeguarding issue. Awareness of what to do in such a situation.

Communication and listening skills. Communication and listening skills are two of the key things that a Street Pastor needs. Building rapport with people quickly is essential whilst acknowledging that relationships and trust take time.

Drug and alcohol awareness and knowing your community. Being out on the streets in the night-time economy makes these modules essential learning. We need to know the type of situations that may arise, how to recognise issues and get help for people appropriately.

Police training around how to work effectively and independently but supportively with the police. Ensuring that Street Pastors are aware of personal safety issues; understand how the police work locally and are able to maintain good relationships in light of independent status.

Good News and Kingdom Living. The heart of being a Street Pastor though one of the least talked about. Street Pastors are about demonstrating their faith, living it rather than talking about it. It’s why we have a practical focus for our mission, aiming to share God’s love with everybody that we meet. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t times when God sends us to someone who wants us to pray with or for them; or who simply wants to have a conversation exploring faith. It just means that we are guided by what the person we are with wants, so if that’s just a friendly greeting; pair of flip flops; bottle of water and biscuit; that’s fine too.