The Indian Dream
Three years ago, Tim Broadbent left a paid job to volunteer at Hub House - a youth centre which sees 120 young people coming through the doors every week. Newsround caught up with him to talk about football, fathers and life as a youth worker...
What's the most challenging part of your role?
I think being and staying motivated and passionate about the whole process, bringing young people in, working with them, and keeping them real to me, instead of just numbers through the system.
The job obviously takes up a lot of your life - what keeps you motivated?
I think without the energy and vision Jesus brings it would be pretty awful. Also, what really inspires me is the change I see in people who've come such a long way.
For example, we had a feedback session at the end of a football residential with a team of 16-17 year old lads. They had to give each other positive feedback on their behaviour. It took over two hours to go around the football team, but it was amazing! Nearly brought us all to tears - all these tough lads, saying how they valued one another. It was a massive breakthrough when you think that two years ago they were fighting and kicking each other, people were getting banned...the change has been really amazing. When things like that happen, I remember why I do it; this is what it's all about!
What would you say is the biggest problem facing the guys you work with?
Definitely the sheer lack of fathers or a father figure. They resent their dads who left them at a young age. It's so tragic, you can see that they just want someone to love them. They feel robbed of what should have been theirs. But if you get the son off the streets with something to do, it affects the whole family, and that's what we really want.
...Football seems to play a huge role that.
Yeah. Some of the guys are very reserved, but mention football or what team they support and everyone has something to say! I'm so proud to say that in our first match of the season (which we won by the way 5-4) we didn't get any red cards!
There's rumours of a trip to India - tell us about that.
Yes! It's the most exciting project I have ever been involved in. I was telling the football team about my time in India and they were really motivated by it. One lad called Craig, said to me, "Tim, take me to India". He put his hand out for me to shake it and I paused to think about it; it wasn't going to be just a shake and "yeah ok 'course I can". I know these guys have probably had broken promises all there life so I knew if I shook his hand I had to say yes! So I did, and it started from there. I knew I couldn't let them down!
We're taking 6 of the football team in December 2008 to work with the street kids, in Chennai and Bangalore, coaching them how to play and also getting to know poverty in its fullest form. Although these guys are not from affluent backgrounds, as with anyone, when you see 3 year-olds living on the streets, you realise their poverty on a whole other level.
I know the guys will learn so much from this experience and be changed by it. We still have about £6,000 to raise, so we're planning a London to Brighton sponsored cycle ride. We'd love to get more, we'd love to take out loads of footballs to give to the children, so the more money we get, the better!
What do you want for the future of Hub House?
I'd like to start working with fathers as well as sons, because I think that will do loads in terms of getting to the root of the problem. I'd like to help raise a generation of guys who will be really good fathers.
I'd also like to be able expand our staff team. We get offers from all over about taking on tennis and netball teams etc but we just don't have enough people to run them, so we are always looking for volunteers.
To find out more about volunteering at Hub House, call Tim on 020 7921 4209