New employment and community hub opens in city
A BRAND new community and employment hub has opened in Coventry.
The Covenant and Kingdom community hub in Coundon will serve the whole city and specialises in debt advice and job coaching.
The centre is being independently run by husband and wife team Jackie and Warren Kemp, who see it as their purpose to “help build something for the community.”
It opened its doors on July 1, and aims to “focus on work and wellbeing for those in the Coundon and surrounding areas”.l
The local couple want it to be a space which has a renewed sense of community, support, and where anyone can walk in and receive help.
The not-for-profit hub will also provide a much-needed meeting space for other groups in the area.
Speaking to the Telegraph Mr Kemp said: “If Covid-19 has taught us one thing, it is that people are desperate for a sense of community. Covenant and Kingdom is there to help individuals and families within our community.
“There is free help available for unemployed people looking to get back into work.
“That help includes CV writing, job applications, and interview preparation.”
As Coventry and Warwickshire continues to get to grips with the ongoing fallout caused by the Covid19 pandemic, the opening of Covenant
and Kingdom, and the services it offers, will be of some reassurance to local people.
As we reported in our Coventry newsletter, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused some community groups to halt their operations, and others left with great uncertainty on how they can continue to serve the people in their area.
Despite the country having been on lockdown, the needs of local families haven’t gone away and as uncertainty around jobs lingers, places like the Covenant and Kingdom centre will be a welcome addition to the area.
Mr Kemp said: “Both of us have thought about doing something like this for some time, the lack of community is quite prevalent and we felt compelled to do something about it.”
The centre is self funded and is a non-profit organisation, however the couple are in the process of applying for charitable status.
They have already put some services into place, as Mr Kemp explained: “In the months to come we will be offering qualifications in mental health, first aid, dementia champion training and several other well-being initiatives.”
And in the short term, they are still able to safely offer help: “In the meantime, we are already a drop off point for foodbank donations, a point of contact for Good Neighbours (part of Hope Coventry) for people in CV6 and also those seeking help with debt or money management via CAP (Christians Against Poverty.)
“Our meeting room and group meeting area are available to hire and we welcome the chance to reach out to individuals, groups, charities and businesses in the area.”
So where does the name Covenant and Kingdom come from? Mr Kemp answered: “We’re both Christians, there’s a biblical reference there. Covenant is the relationship you have, kingdom is the bigger piece. Our relationship is with the community to help them build something.”
If you want to find out more, you can visit the centre at 77 Barker’s Butts Lane, CV6 1DZ. Email : nfo@ covenantandkingdom.org or call: 07506 150236. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm.