Preparing Families for Life Overseas
A day workshop for families who are preparing to live abroad
Saturday 20 April 2013 10am-4.30pmThis day is now fully booked. Please contact us if you would like details of next year's workshop to be sent to you.
Moving
overseas as a family is an exciting and challenging experience! The
popular ‘Preparing Families’ day at Redcliffe College is specially
designed to equip parents and children understand and prepare for life
as a family in another culture.

The
separate adult and children’s programmes give you the tools to not just
survive – but thrive living overseas. Each session draws on the expertise of
Marion Knell (Global Connections TCK Forum, European Member Care
Network), Janet Chapman (Global Connections TCK Forum, OMF
International) and Stephen and Yolanda Jerrard (New Tribes Mission).
For the adults:
Parents will be helped to understand the dynamics of bringing up
children in another country, and the effects of cross-cultural living on
family life.
For the children:
Primary
school-aged children will participate in a parallel pre-field
orientation programme run by Janet Chapman and Yolanda
Jerrard, where they will be able to explore their own feelings about the
move and be given strategies to cope. You can listen to an
interview with Janet and Yolanda here
Babies and pre-schoolers
Three and four year olds who have not yet started school will have their own programme run by Christine Lewis, who during term-time supervises the Redcliffe creche. Babies from 3 months to 2 years will attend the Redcliffe creche. Please note the creche is full, however there are places on the children's and adult programmes.
Feedback from families:
‘I
just wanted to write and say how much we enjoyed the day on Saturday.
The best thing to come out of it was that my 9-year old daughter said
that she now didn't mind about the possibility of the move. She had been
quietly apprehensive about it and the leaving of friends etc., but is
now clearly not so worried about it as she had been. Please pass on our
thanks to the leaders of the children's ministry for helping the
children get a clearer picture of what they can expect in the next few
weeks and months.'
Cost and to book
The cost is £40 per adult or £70 per couple, and £18 per child (aged between 3 months and 11 years). To book, please download the booking form below and send with payment to:
Debs Austin-Sparks, Redcliffe College, Wotton House, Horton Road, Gloucester GL1 3PT
More about the speakers
Marion Knell
leads the adult sessions. A trained teacher, she became involved in the
care of missionary families while working for Arab World Ministries, and
lectures on the subject at UK Bible Colleges and International
Conferences. Marion is also involved with the European Member Care
Network and works for a secular international relocation company as a
youth and adult trainer. Her book, Families on the Move was published in
2001 and her latest book Burn-up or Splash Down - surviving the culture
shock of re-entry is now available.
Janet Chapman has
worked in Third Culture Kids ministry with OMF International since 1984,
living in Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore and now Preston. Her
work has included teaching year 2, advising families, giving homeschool
support, developing orientation material for children, debriefing TCKs,
co-ordinating teams running TCK programmes at conferences and leading rekonnect, an annual re-entry camp for TCKs. In 2009 she qualified as a
counsellor.
Stephen and Yolanda Jerrard work with NTM (New
Tribes Mission). They served as house parents for several years in West
Africa and Papua New Guinea. Now based at NTM’s headquarters, their
ministries involve serving missionaries through working in personnel,
member care and MK/TCK care.
Directions
Redcliffe offers a host of
short courses and
events throughout the year.
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