The importance of listening
As our charity joins in ‘The Big Listen’ as part of the Diocese of Salford’s Synod, Patrick O’Dowd, our director, talks more about the importance of listening and how it also helps us support people across Greater Manchester and Lancashire…
Listening is important in every part of our life. Whether that’s listening to friends, family, colleagues or others in our community, or listening to what’s happening in the wider world around us. We’re all listening and taking in a huge amount of information every day.
But it’s not just listening about what is being said that is important, it’s taking time to understand, to think about other perspectives, to discern and to take action too.
Every day our teams in Caritas services work alongside people experiencing poverty, homelessness and discrimination.
As part of that work, we listen attentively to those that come to access support. We are open to hearing what they say and, I believe most importantly, we’re willing to discern, respond and adapt our services to make sure that we can continue to provide the best support possible not just now but in the coming months and years too.
Many of our teams have completely reshaped the work they do thanks to that feedback and support from local people.
In our services we adapt the way things are run to make them more accessible to more people, sometimes through very simple changes like adapting timings, changing formats or adding or removing elements of support in response to their needs. We also have encouraged community volunteers at some of our services – usually people who have previously accessed (or are currently accessing) the support there but who have gone on to volunteer and help others too. Again, they’re important not just in our successful provision of those services, but also to give lived feedback on them.
Making sure that people aren’t being left behind and that, whatever their background, current situation or experiences, they are able to be supported to transform their own lives with dignity is central to what we do. This begins and can only be done by attentive listening with the heart.
At this time across Greater Manchester and Lancashire, ‘The Big Listen’ is taking place as part of the Diocese of Salford’s Synod. Convoked by Bishop John, the synod is seeking to connect with people living across the diocese, whether they’re active in the Catholic faith in their parish, not currently active Catholics, people of other faiths or none. It’s a true collaboration between clergy and laity, underpinned by listening. There are lots of ways people can access ‘The Big Listen’ and you can find out more, here: https://www.dioceseofsalford.org.uk/faith/synod/.
At Caritas, we’ll also be contributing by working closely with people in our services to ensure they are able to participate in ‘The Big Listen’ too. They will have the opportunity to respond to questions on what is being asked of the Church in the Diocese of Salford at this next stage of our journey. All their responses will be submitted as part of the diocesan synodal process.
We’re passionate about ensuring as many people as possible can take part, especially as this important initiative helps to shape how the diocese can respond to the needs of local communities now and in the future. An important voice will be that of the Deaf Community who will have the opportunity to contribute in a variety of ways including a face-to-face meeting supported by a BSL interpreter or via a group video setting.
As people in Greater Manchester and Lancashire continue to experience significant challenges, especially as the cost-of-living crisis grows, ensuring their needs and thoughts are heard is vital. At Caritas we’re always looking for ways to do this even more effectively and are always open to feedback and ideas from anyone in our community.
As a charity, listening – and most importantly, hearing and discerning what is said – is vital as we seek ways to continue supporting local people to transform their lives with dignity.