01. Faith in the community
Our new umbrella campaign, "Faith in the Community", provides a framework for delivering both the traditional elements of our work, such as Faith Evenings and the"Spirit of the Nation" photographic programme, as well as new areas of work involving long-term partnerships with community, public and business sector organisations and the development of Shared Sacred Spaces within each region of the UK.
The term "Faith in the Community" is both a statement and an imperative, reflecting and responding to, the Government's commitment to "create strong cohesive communities in which every individual, whatever their racial or ethnic origin, is able to fulfil his or her potential through the enjoyment of equal opportunities, rights and responsibilities". (Click here to view or download Improving Opportunity, Strengthening Society Two years on – A progress report on the Government’s strategy for race equality and community cohesion Department for Communities and Local Government: ©Crown copyright, 2007)
The Faith in the CommunityTM Product and Process
Aimed at Housing Associations, local authorities and other organisational stakeholders, URI UK's Faith in the Community “package” delivers the Cohesion Delivery Framework (July 2008) and Face-to-Face and Side-by-Side: A framework for dialogue and social action in a multi faith society (July 2008) with the following key products and processes:
Step One: In-house assessment of partner organisation
- (a) Identifies the aspirations of the organisation
- (b) Assesses current levels of awareness and engagement amongst staff and management
- (c) Researches and maps the multi faith environment/context
Step Two: In-house diversity workshop/training
- (a) Provides customised staff and management diversity training
- (b) Offers a tailored development programme
Step Three: "Seeing is Believing"
- Takes key staff (and partners, customers and other stakeholders in the area) by coach to visit faith centres and faith leaders within the community to see how they work and the impact their services and support has locally
Step Four: Faith Evening (Appreciative Enquiry)
Step Five: "Spirit of the Nation"
Step Six: Publication of a Multi Faith Directory for the Town, City or Borough
Background to our work with Housing Associations and Local Authorities
During the past eighteen months we have been working with Rosebery Housing Association (RHA) to support and develop their work on cohesion and diversity.
Rosebery invited URI to become involved because Housing Associations and Local Authorities have an obligation to address the requirements of Government legislation in respect of social cohesion and inter faith, in particular those set out in the KLOE Cross Cutting Theme relating to Diversity. (Click here to view or download Audit Commission Housing Inspectorate Key Lines of Enquiry Cross-cutting themes: Diversity)
In working towards excellence in the area of Diversity and other Governmental guidelines, Housing Associations and Local Authorities are identifying the need for clarity in understanding their role as an organisation, and in determining how best to meet the needs of their customers, partners and other stakeholders.
- Hosts, with the Mayor at a civic (and therefore neutral) venue, 100 members of the community, drawn from different faith groups in the area who will come together to share food and engage in a structured conversation with someone from a different faith and a different generation.
Step Five: "Spirit of the Nation"
- Works with 24 young adults from the different faith groups within the area to create a body of work which, using the medium of photography, captures the relationship between work and worship of key representatives of the community.
- Creates an exhibition at the Town Hall which will subsequently tour all schools, colleges, civic and faith centres in the area.
Step Six: Publication of a Multi Faith Directory for the Town, City or Borough
- The faith groups active in the area are listed
- The story of each faith group is told
- The main cultural and worship traits of each group are identified
- Particular areas of sensitivity for each faith group are described
- Appropriate contact details are provided.
Background to our work with Housing Associations and Local Authorities
During the past eighteen months we have been working with Rosebery Housing Association (RHA) to support and develop their work on cohesion and diversity.
Rosebery invited URI to become involved because Housing Associations and Local Authorities have an obligation to address the requirements of Government legislation in respect of social cohesion and inter faith, in particular those set out in the KLOE Cross Cutting Theme relating to Diversity. (Click here to view or download Audit Commission Housing Inspectorate Key Lines of Enquiry Cross-cutting themes: Diversity)
In working towards excellence in the area of Diversity and other Governmental guidelines, Housing Associations and Local Authorities are identifying the need for clarity in understanding their role as an organisation, and in determining how best to meet the needs of their customers, partners and other stakeholders.
Through its work with Rosebery, URI UK identified the opportunity for our organisation to work in partnership with Housing Associations and Local Authorities to help meet these needs. Initially URI UK works with these partners in-house, carrying out a needs assessment, local research and mapping of the multi faith environment. We then use this information to provide customised diversity training and a bespoke development programme (Stages one and two of a six step process). The next stages of our unique process reach out into their constituent neighbourhoods and communities. This gateway enables us to facilitate and deliver the kind of grass roots events and programmes which have seen great success in the North of England. (Click here to view descriptions and images from these events: Text for the windwow = URI’s on-going series of Faith Evenings, enable the hundred plus guests, who are invited from across different faiths, to sit with someone of a different generation and a different faith to explore their spiritual beliefs. This personal approach avoids confrontation and has been so successful that John Battle MP (the former Prime Minister’s Inter-faith envoy) describes each such conversation as a ‘brick’ to build our new Society.
One of the key goals of the Faith in the CommunityTM initiative is to ensure that our Housing Association and/or Local Authority partners are able to access the necessary funding to meet the cost of the cohesion and interfaith work that URI UK arranges and facilitates in their neighbourhoods and communities. We also enable value to be added or ‘spin-off’ initiatives supported by matched funding from the Trust and Foundation sector or the local "Community Chest".
One of the key goals of the Faith in the CommunityTM initiative is to ensure that our Housing Association and/or Local Authority partners are able to access the necessary funding to meet the cost of the cohesion and interfaith work that URI UK arranges and facilitates in their neighbourhoods and communities. We also enable value to be added or ‘spin-off’ initiatives supported by matched funding from the Trust and Foundation sector or the local "Community Chest".
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