In a world where God has provided plentifully, it is a painful reality that some people live in extreme poverty. Christian Aid’s vision is a world where everyone has fullness of life, as God intended. This vision is rooted in the belief that God loves everybody equally.
Christian Aid recently hosted their national conference at The Hayes, bringing together their entire UK team. Nick Georgiadis, Income and Public Engagement Director at Christian Aid, shared the difficulties of an increasingly hybrid team. However, this three-day gathering was designed to bring colleagues together in person, strengthen unity across this hybrid team, and help everyone move forward with shared clarity, energy, and direction.
The Challenge
In a hybrid world, it is easy to stay busy but slowly drift apart. Christian Aid did not want that to happen.
Nick described it simply:
“In a hybrid world, the opportunities for everybody to get together are increasingly scarce. But the richness of conversation and the energy and the relationships that come from getting away together are irreplaceable.”
He also explained what can happen if a team never gets away together:
“Gradually, we would be less united and splinter. We wouldn’t understand each other’s work as well. We wouldn’t understand the context, we wouldn’t understand the direction, and that would mean that we are less effective and are delivering less impact for those in poverty.”
For an organisation serving people in poverty, that matters. Unity is not just a nice-to-have. Clarity, shared direction, and strong relationships are essential.
Time spent together is really important in creating a coherent team that's moving forwards together in the right direction.
Christian Aid wanted time and space to create a coherent team. A team that understands each other’s skills, roles, strengths, and weaknesses. A team that knows what is working, and what needs attention.
The Solution
Christian Aid chose to bring their UK-based colleagues together, alongside some international colleagues, for three days at The Hayes. The purpose was to cement and embed their new operating model in a practical way. Not just to talk about it in theory.
As part of this, Christian Aid had exclusive use of the venue. This meant the full team could gather together in shared sessions, while regional teams could also break out into their own dedicated areas for practical workshops and focused discussions. It also gave people the freedom to move naturally between spaces, with informal areas for conversations and plenty of outdoor space for prayer and reflection.
It brings us all together to develop a more effective team in the fight against poverty.
When they looked at venues, Nick said they considered several others. But The Hayes stood out for inclusion and accessibility. He added:
“The team are helpful and approachable and went above and beyond to accommodate our guests' needs.”
The event design was intentional. Day one was split, with Nick’s department spending time together on their growth programme, while other teams focused on building a shared understanding of Christian Aid. Nick shared an important decision they made along the way:
“My team had started the growth programme work before the event, but actually we stopped doing the online session because we realized we needed to do it together in person.”
Days two and three moved into smaller groups where they focused on how they work together, how they connect, and how they deal with challenges.
Nick described the rhythm like this:
“We spent time working hard on specific areas… but took breathers with coffee breaks… where we could just be together, get to know each other. And actually, it’s really important that we understand and know each other because we’ll be more effective as an organisation as a result.”
Being away solved another challenge too: distraction. Nick said:
“If you’re online, you are distracted by other important things that are going on. Emails pop up, day-to-day work is very busy, and so it’s very hard to not be distracted. But coming away puts you in a different context. It takes you away from that busy life, and you can focus on the bigger picture.”
The Impact
Some of the most meaningful outcomes were relational and spiritual.
“We’ve had some really rich time together in prayer… And there’s been some invaluable connections over lunch, over drinks, where we’ve learned more about where people are at in life.”
The impact goes deeper than just making friends.
“I’ve spoken to people that I wouldn’t have spoken to if we were online… I’ve got to know people, I’ve laughed with people. That means we are just a more coherent team than we otherwise would be. And that alone makes time away together irreplaceable.”
For leaders who feel the tension of cost, Nick said:
“Everything’s about choices… and if you are thinking about investing into your team… getting away together away from distractions is a critical part of forging a long-term effective team. So, while it does have the cost, I think it’s a cost well worth paying. And I have no doubt that it will repay many times over.”
It was a productive and rich time together.
He also spoke warmly about the venue and the flexibility Christian Conference Trust offered. His sense was that the setting makes it possible to shape the experience around what an organisation actually needs:
“I think because of the venue, the setting, and the way Christian Conference Trust has worked with us… I can’t think of a team for whom it wouldn’t work. With the facilities, you can shape your event into whatever you need.”
We support Christian Aid’s mission and encourage you to pray for God’s blessing on their ministry this year.
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