Networkfour Projects
Birmingham Pastors
Birmingham Pastors is a volunteer street care team based in and around the city centre offering pastoral care to those in need. The main focus is:
- To provide a daily 'street presence' to support anyone in need
- Reduce the danger to vulnerable people
- To prevent homelessness and rough sleeping
- Prevent and reduce criminality
The 'Outreach' Pastors operate daytime patrols of two or more people around the city centre. Connected by radios to Police Camera CCTV we work alongside police, retail security staff, street wardens and the Ambulance Service engaging rough sleeping, poverty and vulnerability. This makes for a safer city with a coordinated caring approach.
Who is supporting us?
As a city wide charity, we are committed to working together with a wide collaboration of partner agencies and emergency services to ensure that the lonely and vulnerable individuals on our city streets get the help, support and hope they need most.
Networkfour is working closely with all the Business Improvement Districts, West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, The WMCA Mayor's Office, West Midlands Police, Birmingham City Council, a range of local churches and the West Midlands Ambulance Service. Together, we help care for and support hundreds of vulnerable individuals each year.
We are always looking for new volunteers, so if you would like to join Birmingham Pastors or find out more about what we do, then please get in touch. Volunteers must be 18 or over.
The Birmingham Pastors have become an integral part of our city-centre care and response working alongside and supportive of our frontline police constables, WMP Impact Team and PCSOs. They perform a crucial and important role in the City Centre partnership to help keep people safe and look after those that are vulnerable. This highly effective volunteer project and charity is a real inspiration and excellent example of how community volunteers can provide street based care in support of our city, those in need and vulnerable and work effectively to enhance statutory partners daily provision such as West Midlands Police, West Midlands Ambulance service, Birmingham City Council and the range of other partners working for the good of our city.
The dedicated volunteers do a phenomenal job with kindness and compassion, providing care in response to the complex range of vulnerabilities that we sadly see in our City on a daily basis. This practical support enables my officers to effectively respond to other incidents such as crime and violence. As a charity Networkfour are a critical friend, not only volunteering thousands of hours of care and support, but actively involved and attending BCC Local Partnership Delivery Group Meetings and playing their part in promoting female safety, protecting drink spiking victims and pastorally caring for those who will visit the City during the upcoming Commonwealth Games. These dedicated volunteers show up in all weather, rain or shine, caring for people in need and always go above and beyond caring for those in need. I and all my officers are deeply grateful for their support
James
West Midlands Police - Chief Inspector, James Spencer
Volunteers: We Need You
We depend almost entirely on the kindness and commitment of our volunteers. The Birmingham Pastors project particularly is built on volunteering by the good people from faith groups, students, retired folks or anyone (over 18 years old) with a heart for the vulnerable who can commit to at least one four-hour shift per month.
We try to be as flexible as possible to get you rapidly registered, trained up and active. Go on, hit that button!
