A Different Kind of Christmas

'A different kind of Christmas'
Singing has the power to connect us all and boost our spirits.
Join us on 19th December, live on YouTube, to sing carols and experience some festive merriment from the comfort of your homes.

You can watch a trailer here:
youtu.be/kE17W9nITCs

If you have Facebook, you can join the event here: fb.me/e/1PO4I3Ah7

HERE IS THE YOUTUBE EVENT LINK: youtu.be/o4AhB9ha5k4
***This event will only be available on Saturday 19th Dec at 7.30pm so you will see a 'private' warning sign until then. ***

Click here for the songsheet:
drive.google.com/file/d/16BME-WOgBxJU9fw05hEMnoVCj8mwiYxZ/view?usp=sharing

This Christmas, opportunities for togetherness feel more important than ever.
We are running this virtual carol service in aid of STEP's work on the frontiers of child protection - equipping the Kurdish government to set up a foster care system in Iraq.
***Please donate (£5 'ticket price' suggested) to help us give a gift of family to some of the most vulnerable children in the world. ***

---- More about STEP’s work: ----
Children can be seen as commodities in Iraq, with many working in the market to provide income for their families from as early as 5 years old. Institutional care is currently the only support available to children without families or those at risk in their current circumstances.

STEP has conducted legal research, and worked with government officials since 2010, to see the foster care system through from conception to realisation. The foster care pilot started with long-term foster care, in which 11 foster families were trained and 10 children were placed within them. This year the focus has been on short-term and emergency foster care to test safeguarding measures and the judicial system. The foster care system was due to be rolled out this year but, due to working limitations with COVID-19, the rollout has been postponed to next year to ensure all parts of the system have been properly tested and reviewed. In 2020, so far:
• 19 training sessions were delivered to social workers (11 of these were held remotely)
• 20 consultations were provided to social workers in the Foster Family Unit (the department of the government that was set up to focus on the foster care system)
• 5 training sessions were delivered to foster families
• 45 reference handouts were produced
• 32 other documents to be used in the foster care process were developed (e.g. forms)

Special thanks go to:
Shehan Somaratna - organisational and musical brains behind the event
Thanasis Tsiakiroudis - videography extraordinare
Will Linn - graphic designer behind our beautiful banner and posters
Julia Debling - STEP employee; musical, comms and organisational support
All other incredible singers and musicians involved - thank you!!

STEP is developing a new website, but if you'd like a little more information, feel free to visit the old one: step-uk.org