Workshop For Teens

Workshop for teens

By Jelgava Baptist church

Jelgava Baptist church was founded in 1874. Currently the congregation has its own building for worship with 180 seats and utility rooms, a two-story building where Sunday school classrooms, the church office and rooms planned for a Family support center are located. At the moment the congregation has about 150 active church members of different ages. We have a Sunday school (30 children), choir (25 singers), youth ministry (10 youth), men’s ministry (8-10 men), senior/women’s ministry (15-20 members).
Jelgava is the 4th biggest city in Latvia (about 57,000 inhabitants), it is located 45 km South of the capitol city Rīga. The Jelgava region (30 km radius) has 36,000 inhabitants. Jelgava was founded 750 years ago and always has been a center of politics, manufacturing and trade.
Nowadays Jelgava is an industrial city and has many educational opportunities. In Jelgava there is the University of Agriculture of Latvia, vocational education schools such us Jelgava Technical school (which is located 500 m from the church), high schools (one of them is 300 m from the church), Zemgale Region Human Resource and Competence Development Centre, a music school and an art school.
Manufacturing in Jelgava is well developed; there are successful companies in woodworking and metalworking and also agriculture.
The biggest congregations in Jelgava are the Catholic Church, two Lutheran churches, two Orthodox churches, and two Baptist churches. All of these churches have a good collaboration with the city government.  Other congregations are Methodists, two Pentecostal churches and about 10-12 free churches.

Church outreach/mission goals and strategy.

The vision of our church – it is the place where a person’s life is changed.

1.    The main focus – families (children, youth, parents, men). Family is seen as the foundation on which to build a healthy society. We seek to strengthen families because the family is the best environment for educating and raising children. Strategy – Vacation Bible School, Sunday school, lectures for parents, boys’ workshop, men’s small group, summer camp.
2.    Support foster families, families with children with special needs, single-parent families in their psychoemotional needs. Strategy – Family support center, lectures, consultations, classes.
3.    Social work, ministering in social care institutions, support for low-income or senior families in their daily needs.

PROJECT -  Workshop For Teens

Relevance of project

Teenagers spend less time socializing, instead they spend time playing computer games or they spend their time pointlessly on the streets which can create the risk of addictions to alcohol, cigarettes etc., and encourages teenagers to start partying.
That is why we want to offer them alternative options how to make better use of their spare time and at the same time create an environment that is open, accepting and friendly.  This would also create opportunities to talk about spiritual values and point out the important questions of life.
The workshop could also be a place in Jelgava where boys from city with their fathers could spend Saturdays together making something for their home or repairing what is needed.

Purpose of the project

Purpose is to offer the possibility for teenagers (and their fathers) (about 10 – 12 persons at a time) to be together in practical activities 1-2 times a week for 2-3 hours each time. Lessons will be led by a professional crafts teacher who has worked many years in this area.
Teenagers would be able to see the result of their work, would be able to make new friends and they could also invite their unchristian friends.
The workshop would create contacts and relationships with boys and men from the surrounding neighborhood.
An additional goal is to give a chance to church men to take part in practical ministry.

Tasks, stages, steps that have to be taken in order to realize this project

1.    Remodeling of workshop interior.
2.    Purchase of equipment and tools (air filtration system, lighting, electricity, work benches)
3.    The celebration of workshop opening.
4.    Regular lessons.
In the future it would be possible to arrange thematic practical-spiritual events and fellowship on Saturdays for fathers and sons.

Resources what is church planning to use in implementing this project

Church pays for costs of remodeling plans.
Church provides the workshop room.
Church will pay for utilities (electricity, water, heat, materials)
Teacher – experienced craftsman, church member, and volunteer.
Leader of teenagers’ ministry.
3 – 4 church members take part in remodeling and outfitting the premises (managing and implementing the remodeling, provision of supplies).

Roles/tasks of collaboration partner team

Wall and ceiling finishing, painting, electrical installations, plumbing and heating system, installation of tools, work tables, shelves. Take part in funding building materials, tools and equipment for workshop. Ideas and suggestions for content of the lessons (if possible).  

Expected budget for the project

Total costs: 11,300 euros
Costs of remodeling plans: 1800 euros
Building work: 2000 euros
Stationary equipment: 3000-4000 euros
Electrical hand tools: 1500 euros
Hand tools: 1000 euros
Raw materials for lessons (wood, metal, plastic, cardboard, plywood, etc.): 500 euros
Consumables (pencils, glue, color, lacquer, blades, etc.): 150 euros

Co-financing needed: 8500 euros

We are dreaming, that in the future it would be possible to buy a small CNC milling machine and 3D printer.

Cost of necessary materials for the project

Building materials (incl. wires, pipes, lighting elements, sink, radiators): approx. 2000 euros
Stationary equipment: 3000-4000 euros
Electrical tools: 1500 euros
Hand tools: 1000 euros

Other expected expenses
Transportation and procurement costs: 350 euros

Persons responsible for implementing the project from your church:

Raitis Šķerbergs, manager of project, member of the board, Sunday school teacher, teenage ministry, rskerbergs@gmail.com
Andulis Krūmiņš, in charge of the workshop, teacher, Sunday school teacher, and craftsman.