Community Development

At Urban Seed the regular work of volunteering at Credo Café lunches and other Credo activities is done by our Credo community members. Many of our volunteers are people who, as a result of poverty or disadvantage, have faced barriers that have prevented them living the kind of lives they might have otherwise chosen. For many, the Credo community is the closest thing to 'family' they connect with. These people come to know Credo very well and some choose to join the 'Credo Team' which is responsible for the planning and running of the space and associated activities. Credo Team members make plans and decisions about the community and the work of providing lunch, playing cricket, ‘Pain in the Arts’, weekends in the bush, and so on. For some, a result of this is that they have more confidence to (for example) get a job, join a choir or a cricket club, or find a place to live.

 

Why our volunteering ‘program’ is a bit different

In Credo Café, we welcome your visit no matter who you are, but we prefer you to simply sit down, enjoy lunch, and chat to whoever is around. A listening ear and a willingness to share stories and experiences is the most valuable thing you can offer. One-off ‘volunteering’ in the traditional form of dishing out food, on the other hand, can feel confusing and disruptive for community members. It can take away their work, and has the potential to reinforce unhelpful views that some of us have about ourselves and society. For example, if someone in a suit comes and serves soup to a homeless person for a day, the sense that the business person is powerful and the homeless person is powerless can be emphasised. Credo is based on our belief that all people are equal, no matter what our life experience.

Other opportunities for involvement in Urban Seed include Credo Cricket, Pain in the Arts, Writing Group and regional projects.

If you are interested in finding ways to get involved, or participating in our next Mission Exposure week, please contact us.