EDGES MAGAZINE Issue 26

July/Aug 2001

EDITORIAL COMMENT


T.H.O.M.A.S. continues to give people hope.
An existing client shares the following

"Like a budding tree I sprout new branches creating an array of exiting chances. T.H.O.M.A.S. is my water and light ...."

It is so inspiring watching people change their lives. Our Drug Rehabilitation Programme has grown from strength to strength. People can access our programme form the street. Many projects first need funding before admitting a client. We don't work like that. The client is admitted first and funding comes later down the scale. We are constantly providing new opportunities for people who come to us in chaos. However, not everyone is able to change. Each day we provide a service for people who are homeless. Many of these are not yet able to take the step that is needed for Rehab; however we still work with them.

Edges continues to communicate with people throughout the UK and different parts of the world. In this edition we listen To Amensty International give an account of the Death Penalty in the United States. We also travel into to Europe to examine the plight of Gypsies who struggle for acceptance.

Each day people from all over the UK communicate with us. We continue to provide a platform for excluded people. Our mentoring project for ex-offenders continues to attract interest.

MENTORING is the new buzz - word, which seems to be captivating our society. Its main focus is on friendship. The workplace with its business management and staff development is engrossed by this concept. Schools and colleges are using it in their personal and educational support. It has even found its way into the local community where neighbourhoods are providing guidance to people in need of help. As a society we expect everybody to be skilled. Do you need to be a skilled friend? I think not.

One of my main areas of work is to try to reconcile socially excluded young people with mainstream society. This can be a hard task. People are labelled. I constantly see young people struggling with their crosses. At the moment our organisation is training eighteen mentors to befriend young people coming out of prison.

People come to us and they have never experienced what it is like to have a true friend. The human heart hungers for much more than a counsellor, or a project worker. Many young people have spent their whole lives in a world dominated by professionals. In this environment the individual becomes like a tennis ball being thrown from person to person.

Although we are totally professional, I hope we are providing something more than the norm.

left arrowback button {short description of image} {short description of image}right arrow


. Material Copyright © 1997-2001 THOMAS (Those on the Margins of a Society)
THOMAS is an integral part of Catholic Welfare Societies, Registered Charity number 503102