Now, this wouldn’t be for everyone – the national Emmaus Assembly – a couple of hundred people from Emmaus communities right across the UK and beyond – talking, listening, for two days, in a hotel.
To be honest, it was daunting even for me, a veteran of the business conference scene. This was my first national Emmaus Assembly, having been a volunteer and trustee for only a few months. 95% of these people were total strangers to me. I probably had something in common with each of them, but what? How to start a conversation? How not to expose my lack of grasp of all things Emmaus? Is this what they call social anxiety, or ‘impostor syndrome’ perhaps?
I needn’t have worried. An hour into the event I was feeling right at home. After a warm welcome to everyone from Charlotte Talbott, the brilliant new Chief Exec of Emmaus UK, I was standing with a cowbell in my hand. All around me the other delegates were getting to know their new instruments – agogos, tambourines, surdos and shakers. We were a samba band, playing in perfect tempo together (well, almost). The energy and exuberance of our Sambista was infectious. What a brilliant ice breaker. We were a team. If we could turn ourselves into a samba band with only a few minutes of instruction, what else could we achieve together?
Then it was time for a different listening experience – an update from the Evolving Emmaus steering group. I’ll be honest, I tend to switch off when I hear about committees, but this was a useful update on how we’re working together as a federation to build a stronger Emmaus. The world is changing around us, we have to adapt, I’m glad that some very experienced and driven people are looking at how.
Next up – workshops! Time to do some real work. There were 17 different workshop topics covering everything from solidarity to online retail, campaigning for change, working with refugees, supporting people with addictions, and making street art! I wanted to do them all. Sadly, this would have required the Assembly to be twice as long and they weren’t going to do that just for me!
And so this was the pattern for the two days, alternating between workshops and plenary sessions. No time to get bored, just inspiration all the way. Every session had a mix of companions, staff, trustees, and sometimes, external experts.
Emmaus South Manchester doesn’t have accommodation yet, so for me, it was brilliant to get to know some of the companions this way and to see their passion for the work Emmaus is doing. The model of ‘A bed and a reason to get out of it’ really works for them.
So what else did I learn?
The (brand new) Federation Strategic Plan
This was the official launch of the strategic plan and it all made perfect sense to me. It reminds us why we exist – to give hope and a sense of belonging to those who have experienced homelessness and poverty. It sets out our mission – essentially, to empower those people to improve their lives whilst using our voice to achieve social change. It drives us on to help more people, to work smarter, shout louder, and work together better.
A tough outlook
A number of speakers referred to the economic outlook. In a rousing closing speech by Terry Waite (someone who for me personifies ‘inspiration’) we were reminded that by the end of this year the pressures facing individuals and the knock-on to charities like ours could mean very challenging times. Are we ready? Can we do more to help?
Greater companion representation
I was struck by the appetite of some companions to be more involved in the running of Emmaus. Companions are at the heart of Emmaus and they outnumber staff by a ratio of two or three to one. Some of them spoke extremely passionately and articulately about issues that concerned them. We can only become stronger by harnessing their enthusiasm.
Beyond homelessness
I’d heard about solidarity before the Assembly and was aware of the call in the Emmaus Universal Manifesto to ‘serve first those who suffer most’, but I didn’t realise how this had been applied in different countries. It was extremely uplifting to see the myriad ways the Emmaus movement is applying itself to local needs across the globe. The Emmaus International website is the place to learn more.
The challenges of campaigning
There was quite a bit of discussion at the Assembly about our campaigning work. I think some feel we’re not about that. After all, it would be easy to become politicised and we know politics can be divisive.
My own take is this: society’s problems have to be tackled at their roots and we need to be activists for change. At Emmaus we have our feet in the real world and those making policy at the national and regional levels need to hear our reports from the front line. There won’t be change without pressure, but we need to apply that pressure judiciously and without entering a party political blame game.
Wrist and return
It was my pleasure and privilege to attend the Assembly along with fellow Emmaus South Manchester trustee Sam Days and our Chair, Frances Hirst. I’ll go again if the chance arises, but more than anything I’d encourage others to give it a go.
As we left the event I got around to fully exploring the contents of my ‘goody bag’. It included an Emmaus wristband. Filled with renewed enthusiasm for the cause I now wear it as a reminder that I need to do whatever I can each day for this wonderful movement. There’s so much that still needs doing.