The Encouragement Program aims to end poverty in Regina, Saskatchewan, through relational restoration, beginning with our Leaders (participants) and Allies (volunteers).
Early in the inception of MayBell Developments, we were led to the resource “When Helping Hurts”. We were spurred on by the holistic concepts of how to view poverty. This informed our structure for program delivery, and the Encouragement Program became the beating heart of our organization.
The foundation of the Encouragement Program is poverty alleviation through relational healing: moving people closer to glorifying God by living in a right relationship with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of creation. Our goal is to develop leaders in the poverty community who can use their voices to bring about a better tomorrow.
Faith & Finances unites people from varied financial backgrounds and explores money management skills and biblical stewardship principles. The program addresses the challenges the materially poor face and helps them rediscover their God-given dignity. Additionally, it seeks to address some of the challenges unique to those facing poverty, including predatory lending, low financial literacy, poor credit, and broken relationships.
Although created to reach ‘low-income’ adults, the cost of living is affecting many and financial challenges are not limited to those who are formally recognized as living in poverty. There are many who may benefit.
Faith & Finances runs a Spring and Fall session each year beginning in March and September. Sessions are 12 weeks long with an orientation for Allies and a graduation for Leaders. Class sizes are typically kept small so it is important to let us know your interest in the course early.
For more information on becoming a Leader, Ally, or providing meals, please see our Get Involved page.
The WorkLife program is centred on the same principle of relational impact. The curriculum maintains that God has designed all people in His image with unique gifts and abilities and given them the task of adding value to His world through work. It emphasizes that everyone deserves to find and keep meaningful work, at the same time acknowledging the challenges of those in a multi-generational poverty situation. WorkLife encourages participants to make meaningful changes in their lives by transforming their beliefs and choices around work.
WorkLife is not currently operating. We are training a team of facilitators for this program and hope to have it up and running in time for our Lilium Village Residents.
If you would like to participate as a facilitator or would like more information on the roles and responsibilities, please reach out to our Executive Director, Michelle, at michelle.coghill@maybelldevelopments.com.