Run a CAP Life Skills group

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Partner with us to run a CAP Life Skills group in your church. 

CAP Life Skills is a friendly group that gives people the confidence and decision making skills they need to survive life on a low income. Your church can offer your local community practical money saving techniques and how to make money go further.

I’ve met so many people through CAP Life Skills! It’s a big family – I look forward to the group and feel excited to help others. I learned about budgeting and changed my habits and, because I’m spending differently now, I save so much money. Last year I was actually able to go on holiday with my kids. 

Jenny — CAP Life Skills member 

All you need to know about running CAP Life Skills

We provide all the training and ongoing support for you to equip those struggling on low incomes to budget and manage life’s pressures. This includes materials to run our eight-week course, and also includes ongoing support for your coaches from a dedicated team at CAP’s head office.

To create CAP Life Skills, we took the principles of our CAP Money Course, which thousands of people benefit from each year, and made it more in depth and wider ranging so your church can truly serve those in need.

  • Recruit a CAP Life Skills Manager who can work/​volunteer for eight to ten hours a week (hours may be spread across the week and split between volunteers). 
  • Recruit a couple of volunteers to assist the CAP Life Skills Manager to run the group.
  • Have regular access to a room and kitchen (preferable), a computer, the internet and a printer.
  • Provide refreshments for members.
  • Invite a CAP Speaker to give a talk at a Sunday service, which will include a regular giving ask.
  • Help people practically to gain the skills and confidence to take control of their situation.
  • Draw new people to your church.
  • Build meaningful relationships with people in your community.
  • Show the love of God and help to share the gospel in a relevant way.
  • Engage your congregation in practical, local mission.

We ask for a monthly partnership contribution of £60 paid via Direct Debit.

Jenny’s story

Hear how life changed for the better for Jenny after attending CAP Life Skills.

My abuser went for me, and I realised what I had gotten myself into. I thought I was done and dusted. I was worried about the kids, you know, what’s gonna happen?​‘Cause I had three children to him. We went into a refuge for months. But then even when I came out, he carried on with the abuse. And the physical abuse you heal from, but you still know the threat’s there, and you’re scared of them.

I felt useless, worthless, unlovable. I felt just worn out and drained. I had lost my whole identity because when I was with my ex, I wasn’t allowed friends, and I wasn’t allowed a social life or nothing. Obviously, suicide comes through your mind. It’s just horrible, horrible. Basically, in the end, I couldn’t take it. I had a nervous breakdown

My neighbour just said,​“Are you okay?” when I was going to the shop, and I just broke down crying. I went to the doctors and I got pointed towards the Life Skills Group. I thought I’ll give it a go. And it was down at our local church, the New Brighton Baptist Church. And at first, I was thinking,​“oh, they might be a bit, I don’t know, judgmental.” But they were far from it. Just, all’s I’ve had from all of them, is, support, and encouragement, and practical help, left, right, and centre, and friendship. It is, it’s amazing. It actually does make you think about your finances and cooking, and we’ve planted things, like our own tomato plants, and they’re teaching all sorts of really good stuff. You know, I’ve got a lot more confidence, I go more places, I don’t worry so much, and I have actually got a social life now, an extended family. If they say I can’t go, I’m gonna volunteer to help.

I was getting invited to CAP events. I went to the one at the New Brighton Baptist, with Sandra there and Moira. When I felt the love of God and the peace, you know, fill my heart, that was just incredible. That’ll last me a lifetime. And so I said the prayer without hesitation, and it’s filled a hole in my heart that nobody else could fill.

Day-to-day life for me now is so much better. You know, I’ve got friends to go and see. I’ve got places to go. I love taking photographs, photography, painting, writing poetry, going to church. Just enjoying my life, actually enjoying life. It was like almost as if everything was black and white, and now it’s in Technicolour. It is absolute transformation.

Forgive me, Lord, I went astray, But even so, you heard me pray. You sent me friends that guided me, And now I’ve found my family tree. Your roots so strong and branches tall, I know, my Lord, you’re there for all. I’m just a leaf upon your tree, But now I know your love for me. Oh Lord, you are a mighty tree.

CAP Life Skills stats

28 
new Life Skills groups opened in 2021 
126 
active Life Skills groups at the end of Dec 2021 
Group of men and women sat around a table holding cups of coffee and looking at workbook leaflets.

Sign up to run Life Skills

Contact the team to find out more about running Life Skills

01274 760580

[email protected]

Request a callback