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A showcase of F&BF’s Faith Action Project in Solihull
“What is missing in our current model is community power: the role of local people, acting together spontaneously or through enduring institutions, to design and deliver the kind of neighbourhood they want to be part of. The economic and social model we need for the future has community power, and the civil society that enables it, at its heart. This is the way to level up the country – to make great places ‘from within’ rather than by outside interventions.”
In August 2022, the Faith New Deal (FND) initiative commissioned projects across the UK to explore possibilities of new partnerships between Faith-Based Organisation (FBOs) and statutory services. This initiative came as a response to the Kruger report, quoted above, which called for a “new deal” between government and faith communities, “actively supporting the extraordinary work of organisations of all faiths.”
This call – to honour and explore the exceptional and vital role which faith plays in the fabric of our society – is central to our values at F&BF. Thus, we proposed a project in partnership with the Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC), uniting those who are motivated by faith to social action, and decision makers in the council through community organising and co-production.
One of the main successes of the programme is the participatory methodology employed. This methodology was developed in a way where participants are both participating and shaping the project at the same time. This enabled participants to work together to develop a common agenda to make their local area better while collaborating and creating better relationships as a group. Through a mapping exercise, and after conducting listening campaigns with their communities, participants identified the main issues in Solihull as: poverty, hate crime and loneliness.
Through participatory methodology barriers of communication between the faith communities were broken down through actively listening and sharing common experiences, while the communication between the faith communities and SMBC is becoming stronger through clear and fresh relationships between both parties. The participatory methodology employed in this project helped FBOs to find issues of common concern; moving from talk to action. As a result of this project the following social action is taking place:
Short-term social action
Both SMBC and the participants acknowledged the importance of an external party (F&BF) mediating this process and are keen for the partnership to continue. Thus, we are seeking to secure funds to support the Multifaith Action Hub to continue developing solutions to the long-term issues identified: poverty, hate crime and loneliness. Watch this space!
Long-term social action include campaign on poverty, hate crime and loneliness which will hopefully be developed as the follow up from this project.
Check out Mahmooda’s blog where she writes about her experience building community relationships in Solihull.
Faith Based Organisation | Name | Contact number | Faith | |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Olton Project | Sally Shehata | sally@theoltonproject.com | 07949 910 456 | Muslim |
St Augustine's RC Church | staugustine.solihull@rcaob.org.uk | 0121 705 0228 | Christian | |
Solihull Sikhs | Harpreet Atwal | harpreet@atwalwealth.co.uk | 07970 749 536 | Sikh |
Solihull Sikhs | Suki Atwal | sukhi@atwalwealth.co.uk | 07793 124 421 | Sikh |
Solihull Sikhs | Rupinder Wilkhu | micro_cad@hotmail.com | 07827 842100 | Sikh |
Solihull Methodist Church | Rev. Molly Chitokwindo | revmollychi@gmail.com | 07878757 024 | Christian |
Solihull Hub | Adil Abbasi | adil@solihullhub.org | 07813 875 745 | Muslim |
Solihull Hub | Hassina Karim | hassina.karim@btinternet.com | 07429 148336 | Muslim |
Sandalls Cottage (Solihull Masjid) | Zahida Hussain | Zahida-afet@hotmail.com | 07960 881 207 | Muslim |
Sandalls Cottage (Solihull Masjid) | Dr Sadia Ahmed | sadia.ahmad@ukim.org | 07817549 693 | Muslim |
New Testament Church of God | Pastor Richard Jones | pastorjones.ntcgkingshurst@aol.co.uk | 07772 942 876 | Christian |
Solihull Baha'is | Semira Manaseki-Holland | s.manasekiholland@bham.ac.uk | 07883858 939 | Bahai |
Czech & Slovak Slovak Club UK | Miriam Masiarova | miriam.masiarova17@gmail.com | 07811321 713 | Christian |
Connection Church, Kinghurst | Emil Kerekes | pastor@weareconnectionchurch.com | 0747 889 1196 0121 770 9759 | Christian |
Stay connected with the latest our FBOs are doing by joining our Facebook Group: Solihull Faith Action Project
For more information, get in touch with our West Midlands Programme Coordinator: Mahmooda@faithbeliefforum.org