Good deeds that shine

HOW often have you walked past an eyesore in your neighbourhood and thought 'if only someone would do something about that'. Well, here's a newsflash - you are someone and you can do something.

That is the philosophy behind a new not-for-profit York co-operative called Shine by Contributing. The brainchild of Charlie Sanders, Vince Mitchell and Emma Taylor, who all have a background in advice, guidance and healthcare, it aims to enable people to develop personally by helping others.

"It's quite simple really," said Vince, a 28-year-old nurse. "We strongly believe in the notion of good deeds."

It says a lot about the world we live in that this idea initially seems suspicious. In our modern 'me, me, me' society it can be difficult to grasp the concept of doing something for nothing. But, as Vince argued, to bring cash into the equation is to miss the point.

"It's not about doing something for nothing," he said. "You might not make any money, but you gain a lot in other ways.

"I think people are looking for something worthwhile to do with their lives. It's not all about what you can get, it's about what you can give. And the great thing is that once you start giving, you start getting.

"People want to make a difference. Doing a good deed, however small, gives you a tremendous feeling of personal satisfaction, a feeling that you have really made a difference."

The three friends have known each other for a long time and have a similar outlook on life. As a nurse, guidance counsellor and occupational therapist, they have a wide range of different skills, but with a considerable overlap.

They all work full-time but wanted to tackle a 'big project' in their spare time. Shine by Contributing is that project.

"We initially thought about doing some life coaching," said Charlie, 28. "But that is all about the individual. We wanted to make it more socially responsible, so we could help people in a much broader sense."

The co-operative is starting its first course next month. The group will meet for two-and-a-half hours a week for 12 weeks to work on personal development through projects in the greater community. These projects don't have to be major fund-raising efforts; volunteering to paint the fence round an old folks' home would be just as effective.

"We're not saying this course will change your life - but it might," said Charlie. "People who take part might just want to get out and meet new people, or they might want to work on their personal development. It doesn't matter why they come, as long as they are motivated and want to do something, whatever that something might be."

Sessions will cost £10 per person. This money will be used to pay for the hire of the meeting room, stationery and any materials used. Whatever is left over will be given back to the group. The members can use it to fund their own project or donate it to charity. It's up to them.

"The course is structured in that we have subjects such as 'relationships', 'career' and 'the environment' to talk through each week," said Charlie, "but this structure is essentially very loose and flexible. We want people to get what they need from the sessions."

Ideally they would like to work with eight people on the first course. This relatively small number will allow those taking part to get to know each other quickly and work more effectively as a group.

"We live in a very self-centred, self-obsessed society," said Vince. "We want to get the message across that we are all connected and all of us can make a contribution.

"People think 'I'm only one person', but everyone can make an impact on their community. It can be a very empowering experience."

Emma, Vince and Charlie know what they are talking about when it comes to making an impact. They have all been involved in fund-raising for charity, conservation work and improving their local area by creating a sensory garden, planting trees and painting a school.

The message they are now hoping to get across through Shine by Contributing is simple: everyone can make a difference.

"We want people to look at themselves and ask 'how can I be of use?'," said Vince. "By the end of the course we hope they will be personally more fulfilled and able to make a real contribution to their community."

The trio also hope they will get something out of it too. Not financially - they are not taking a penny themselves - but personally.

"We're all very excited," said Charlie. "We've got bags of energy, we're really keen and we're ready for it to completely take over our lives.

"If you could measure success in passion alone, this would already be a very successful project indeed!"

For further details about Shine by Contributing, phone 07739 692017 or 07870 498886, or email

shinebycontributing@yahoo.co.uk

Updated: 09:23 Tuesday, January 25, 2005