FAITHFUL ENDEAVOURS - Scottish Government

FAITHFUL ENDEAVOURS How public agencies and faith communities can work better together

This was developed as part of the Scottish Government's Better Community Engagement Programme

FAITHFUL ENDEAVOURS How public agencies and faith communities can work better together

Written by Faith in Community Scotland’s Transformation Team and the Scottish Community Development Centre as part of the Scottish Government Better Community Engagement Training Programme. January 2011

Foreword Faith communities exist in every part of Scotland and in virtually every neighbourhood they make a positive difference to the quality of people’s lives. Whilst many of them are membership organisations, I know of very few faith communities which exist exclusively, or even primarily, for their own members. Instead they see it as an important dimension of what they are about that they serve and support the wider neighbourhood of which they are a part. Of course, faith communities cannot pretend that everything that they have been involved in through the centuries has been positive. Faith has been, and continues to be, a source of division as well as good. But the overall balance is, I believe, overwhelmingly positive. Take away the contribution which faith communities make to the life of our local neighbourhoods and Scotland would be a much poorer place. The importance of acknowledging, valuing and harnessing that contribution is perhaps even more important at a time of increasingly limited public resources and also when Scotland’s faith communities are becoming much more diverse. Much of the work undertaken by the faith communities in Scotland currently goes on ‘under the radar.’ It involves little or no public money and is overwhelmingly provided by volunteers. This, alongside a lack of understanding of what different faith communities stand for, can sometimes lead to them being misunderstood. It can also result in faith communities excluding themselves from the wider public debate. This publication demonstrates some of the very good work which is already going on to nurture a growing understanding between public agencies and faith communities as well as identifying key ways to deepen that relationship. I hope that it will be useful for both faith communities and public agencies as together we seek to find ways to support a fairer Scotland for all.

Martin Johnstone Chief Executive Faith in Community Scotland

FAITHFUL ENDEAVOURS - How public agencies and faith communities can work better together

Table of contents Introduction. ................................................................................................................................................................2 Background..................................................................................................................................................................3 Context. .........................................................................................................................................................................3 Aim...................................................................................................................................................................................3 Faith communities in Scotland............................................................................................................................4 What do we mean by community engagement?......................................................................................6 What are the benefits of public agencies and faith communities engaging with one another?...............................................................................................................................................................8 From the perspective of public agencies........................................................................................................8 From the perspective of faith communities..................................................................................................8 What are the barriers faith communities experience in engaging with public agencies?........... 10 Practical barriers...................................................................................................................................................... 10 Barriers surrounding faith, values and culture.......................................................................................... 11 What prevents public agencies engaging effectively with faith communities?........................ 13 Lack of knowledge. ............................................................................................................................................... 13 Capacity and Resources. ..................................................................................................................................... 14 What will help faith communities and public agencies engage more effectively with one another?............................................................................................................................................................ 15 Building working relationships......................................................................................................................... 15 Training and support............................................................................................................................................ 17 Information and resources................................................................................................................................. 17 Bibliography.............................................................................................................................................................. 18 Acknowledgements. ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Appendix 1: Introductions to the main faith communities in Scotland........................................ 21 Appendix 2: Example Session Plan - Better Engagement Between Public Agencies and Faith Communities....................................................................................................................................... 28 Appendix 3: Intermediaries and Faith Organisations. ........................................................................... 33 Appendix 4: Better Community Engagement between Public Agencies and Faith Communities Resource Guide.............................................................................................................. 36


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Introduction This resource – a collaboration between Faith in Community Scotland and the Scottish Community Development Centre – comprises of: a guidance document for better engagement between faith communities and public agencies; an introduction to the six main faith communities in Scotland; a session plan template for working towards better engagement between public agencies and faith communities; a list of useful intermediary and faith organisations; and a reading list of useful resources for better engagement between public agencies and faith communities. As such we believe this guide will be useful to public agencies and faith communities seeking to engage more effectively with each other. Furthermore, it should serve as a good introductory guide to anyone who is new to working with faith groups, or to those who aim to bring faith communities and public agencies together.

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Background The Better Community Engagement Training Programme ran from March 2009 to March 2011 in ten local demonstration sites across Scotland. The programme was based on the Better Community Engagement Curriculum Framework (Learning Connections, Communities Scotland, 2007), which sets out a framework of competences designed to enable the planning of learning in community engagement.

Context Faith communities in Scotland make up a large section of Scottish life. Their activities are wide and diverse and their reach into localities is extensive. Faith communities are active in working to alleviate the effects of poverty and to support those people who are in most need. Faith communities make a rich and visible difference for people living in our most disadvantaged communities. The guidance was written by Faith in Community Scotland and the Scottish Community Development Centre. It is based on the results of a research inquiry which involved a literature review, focus group sessions involving leaders of faith communities and public and voluntary sector agency workers, targeted interviews and practice development seminars. The guidance aims to provide basic and accessible information on engagement between public sector and voluntary sector agencies and faith communities. The guidance is limited to a broad overview but gives pointers to sources of information for those who seek more in-depth information. It includes: • • • •

a resource guide; a sample session plan for faith communities and public agencies seeking to work together to examine how to engage most effectively; a list of intermediary and faith organisations; and a series of fact sheets on the characteristics of the six main faith communities in Scotland.

Aim This guidance document has been designed to help those who work in public and voluntary sector agencies and faith community representatives to engage better with one another. The aim of the document is to enable all parties to better understand each other and to act together to tackle the issues they face in improving the quality of life of those living in the most disadvantaged communities in Scotland


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Faith communities in Scotland Scotland embraces a wealth of diverse faiths. The majority of beliefs are represented by the Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Jewish and Buddhist faiths. Current census data tells us that, of a population in excess of five million, over three million people state that they belong to the Christian community, approximately 43,000 are Muslim, between and six and seven thousand people state they are Jewish, Sikh and Buddhist respectively and over 5,000 people are of the Hindu faith. Overall people belonging to faith communities exceed 60% of the population. (A fact sheet on the six main faith communities in Scotland is appended as part of this guidance document.) Faith communities in Scotland carry out activities designed to support their own faith group members and many also support people from the wider community, either in local areas or for specific interest groups. Work is conducted either through the faith organisation itself or through charities set up to deliver specific services. Examples of the kinds of activities delivered by faith communities are: Work with homeless people or people with alcohol and addiction problems The Roman Catholic Church established the Mungo Foundation, which now runs over 50 different projects including care homes and hostel accommodation http:// www.themungofoundation.org.uk/. Work with offenders and their families The Quaker community set up the ‘Toy Box’ project in Barlinnie prison, an initiative designed to support volunteers to look after children of visitors to the prison visiting rooms, ensuring that the children’s visit to a prison is a good experience. Care for older people The Muslim Elderly Day Care Centre is a partnership project between Glasgow Central Mosque and Glasgow City Council. It is hosted in a dedicated area of the Mosque’s community centre. The centre opens Monday to Thursday daytime and offers opportunities such as socio-cultural activities, healthcare and welfare surgeries, adult education and advice and information. Members are provided with transport to and from the centre and a daily lunch club.

General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census: Ethnicity and Religion Tables – Council Area, http://www. scrol.gov.uk/scrol/warehouse/NewWards_ER_CA.jsp accessed 15 November 2010 1

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Family support and education The largest welfare organisation in the Scottish Jewish community, Jewish Care, has a unique contract with East Renfrewshire Council to deliver a wide range of social service provision working in partnership with the local authority http://www.jcarescot.org.uk/ Calderwood Jewish Education also works in partnership with East Renfrewshire Council to provide Hebrew language and Jewish studies classes in Calderwood Lodge Primary School http://www. calderwoodlodge.e-renfrew.sch.uk/ Community Learning The Cranhill community project in Glasgow, founded in 2001 and run by representatives of the Church of Scotland, Roman Catholic Church, the local credit union and housing association (among others) employs eight members of staff to run a programme of activities for the local community which include ESOL classes provided by John Wheatley College, a rolling programme of training opportunities in health, employment skills and a community cafe. More information here http://www.cranhillcp.co.uk/ A Place Where All Belong Orbiston Neighbourhood Centre is a community-based organisation, operating for the benefit of people living in the Orbiston and Bellshill area of North Lanarkshire. The centre opened in 1995 to provide a range of different services and initiatives within the local community. Over the past 15 years the Centre has been pulsing at the heart of Orbiston, providing a community focus and playing an important part in many people’s lives. The Centre exists for local people and offers childcare, elderly care, befriending, community café and food store, volunteering, training opportunities and daily worship led by members of local churches. The Neighbourhood Centre receives over 1000 visitors per week through the services provided and the local groups and projects that also use the Centre. For more information: www.oncbellshill.org


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What do we mean by community engagement? Community engagement is now an established term and is used to describe modern participatory governance practice. Since the 1990s public policy and policy guidance has recognised that the involvement of citizens in public service planning is key to delivering better designed and more effective services. A useful way to define community engagement is to use the ‘ladder of participation’,2 developed by Sherry Arnstein in 1969;

Community engagement relates to the top three rungs of the ladder and is concerned with shared decision making, shared action and support to independent action on behalf of communities themselves or, as described in the ladder, citizen control.

Arnstein, Sherry, (1969) “A Ladder of Citizen Participation,” Journal of the American Institute of Planners Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 216-224 2

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The need to engage communities is now embedded in policy and policy guidance across many sectors. Within the context of engaging faith communities the most notable is the guidance on Community Planning through which the Local Government Scotland Act 20033 requires all public services to work together. The guidance in the Act states: ‘Community Planning is essentially a process to secure greater engagement from communities in the planning and delivery of services’. Since the Local Government Scotland Act 2003 there have been various initiatives implemented at national level to secure greater effectiveness in the way we involve local communities in the design and delivery of local services. In 2005, the National Standards for Community Engagement4 were launched. The Standards were commissioned by the Minister for Communities through Communities Scotland, and developed by the Scottish Community Development Centre with the extensive participation of over 500 community and agency representatives. The National Standards define community engagement as: ‘Developing and sustaining a working relationship between one or more public body and one or more community group, to help them both to understand and act on the needs or issues that the community experiences’. In 2007, the Better Community Engagement Curriculum Framework5 was published which sets out a framework for learning for community engagement and, in 2009, the Scottish Community Empowerment Action Plan6 was launched, which states, “When local people are actively engaged in tackling issues within their community, and in helping to realise the community’s potential, those people are likely to have an increased interest in and engagement with the affairs of local government and indeed Government across the board.” To date, most guidance has been aimed mainly at the public sector. Whilst all guidance is based on equality principles, there is little in the way of specific reference to faith communities yet they are a key partner in providing local services.

Local Government Scotland Act (2003) http://www.hmso.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/acts2003/20030001.htm National Standards for Community Engagement – www.scdc.org.uk/national-standards-community-engagement 5 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1046/0055390.pdf 6 Scottish Community Empowerment Action Plan - http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/264771/0079288.pdf 3 4


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What are the benefits of public agencies and faith communities engaging with one another? The benefits that accrue from agencies and communities working with one another are now widely recognised. By engaging effectively, agencies and communities (both geographical and communities of interest) can share knowledge, skills and expertise and combine resources to achieve positive outcomes for local people. In the context of faith communities and public agencies working together the benefits are vast.

From the perspective of public agencies • Community engagement work can benefit from some of the unique qualities of faith communities, for example, faith communities provide broad geographical bases for engagement. They have pre-existing support networks as well as strong ties and deep roots in the community that can all help to reach more vulnerable groups. • There is often a high amount of social capital (e.g. events, clubs, group activities, volunteers, staff, campaigning) generated within faith communities which can be harnessed and built upon to ensure good, comprehensive local provision of services. • At a material level, faith communities possess buildings that can be used for wider community purposes (e.g. community cafe, ESOL classes, IT suites, integration activities). Faith-based organisations are also capable of raising substantial funds for community work. • Through engaging with faith communities, public agencies can gain a better understanding of the needs of diverse communities. This sort of engagement will lead to better designed services, more relevant and culturally appropriate to the communities they serve.

From the perspective of faith communities • Faith communities, and the people who live in specific localities, will benefit from better designed, more relevant, services. • Engagement will lead to faith communities having more knowledge about how government works and how decisions are made. In other words, the more engaged faith groups become the more influence they will have over decisions that affect them.

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• Engagement with public agencies will benefit faith communities by highlighting, and perhaps enhancing (e.g. through funding), their wider social contribution. Faith communities already carry out a lot of valuable community work and by linking up with other sectors faith groups can ensure they do not end up working in isolation, or simply “ploughing their own furrow” as one faith community representative in this research suggested. Example of good engagement – Glasgow Community Planning Partnership Glasgow Community Planning Partnership recently commissioned a survey of faith communities in the East End of the city. From this a Churches Directory has been produced covering the East End of Glasgow. This contains details of over 20 churches in the area, including contact details, services provided, numbers of staff and volunteers, details of community work and current level of engagement with planning. Local faith communities have welcomed this as an example of being taken seriously as equal stakeholders in community planning processes. Example of good engagement – Equality and Human Rights Commission The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) arranged a series of meetings between religious and secular groups with the specific purpose of developing good relations between faith groups and other communities. This has not been without challenges with some issues proving divisive. However, faith communities commended the intention to bring diverse groups together to seek common ground. Example of good engagement – Calton Parkhead Parish Church Calton Parkhead Parish Church is working in partnership with academics from the University of Glasgow and other stakeholders, collecting, preserving and interpreting the oral history, artefacts, archives and physical landscape of the area. Together, they are focusing on aspects of life in the past which affected everyone, such as the nature of housing, childhood, leisure, work, spiritual and social life, and how these have changed through time. Using the data collected they aim to create a permanent resource to safeguard and investigate the heritage of the area, help integrate new members of the community and pass on the feeling of belonging to a vibrant community to future generations.


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What are the barriers faith communities experience in engaging with public agencies? Although community engagement is established in policy and policy guidance in Scotland, engagement between faith communities and public agencies remains relatively underdeveloped and many barriers, real and perceived, still exist. Since the establishment of Faith in Community Scotland and other initiatives carried out by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission and the Equalities Unit of the Scottish Government, faith communities are becoming more established at a national level as key partners. Their activities are increasingly being recognised as important to the support and sustenance of civil society and their contribution to anti poverty and community based work is acknowledged as essential. At a local level, engagement between public agencies and faith communities is valuable but can be patchy and largely inconsistent, mainly due to the barriers outlined below. Barriers to engagement faced by faith communities fall into two broad groups: practical barriers and barriers surrounding faith, values and culture.

Practical barriers Lack of knowledge, skills and confidence Faith communities often feel they lack the knowledge, skills and confidence to engage with public agencies - this reflects the experience of other community organisations. This issue was evidenced in the research conducted for the preparation of this guidance document - an initial survey on community engagement was found to be difficult for faith groups, many of whom had not heard of materials and found the language overly complex. Some were unfamiliar with policy initiatives such as the National Standards for Community Engagement and the Better Community Engagement Curriculum Framework and therefore found it difficult to respond. Other research has found this to be an issue amongst faith communities in Glasgow.7 Furthermore, members of faith communities often may not understand the official language or jargon that agencies use. Public bodies are complex and always changing The complexity of decision making structures is a substantial barrier - it is often difficult to know where to begin when engaging with government and other public agencies. Agencies, agendas and priorities do not always remain static within the public sector and it can be hard to keep up with structural change. Public agency staff move can move post on a relatively regular basis making personal contacts and professional relationships difficult to build on.

Clegg, C. and Rosie, M. (2005) Faith Communities and Local Government in Glasgow Scottish Executive Social Research p2 7

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Once the system has been negotiated there are skills involved in engaging with both public agencies and wider communities that may take time to develop. Confidence is important in this regard, and people may have a fear of speaking out, challenging people in official roles or being seen to ‘rock the boat’. “Part of the issue is not knowing how to be involved and what the local structures are. If people are invited they will generally react positively” (John Deighan, Roman Catholic Parliamentary Office) Resources and capacity Another practical barrier is that of resources, this has also been raised in England and Wales with respect to interfaith work8. Engagement can take up time, money and organisational capacity, and there is a large variation in how much of these resources faith communities have. Some faith communities may be less organised and structured than they are perceived to be by public agencies. There are many people from faith communities living in areas where there are less formally organised faith community structures and where access to support is limited. There are marked differences between faiths in terms of established structures and leadership. For example, Christian and Jewish faiths have a stronger historical presence in Scotland and, on the whole, have more established structures than Muslim or other more ‘recent’ faiths in Scotland.

Barriers surrounding faith, values and culture Cultural and religious beliefs A shared set of values is integral to faith communities and, in many cases, it is the values of faith communities which motivates them to become involved in community work. However, values can also have an adverse impact on engagement and it is important here to distinguish between cultural and faith beliefs9. Cultural beliefs can prevent members of faith groups from becoming involved in engagement structures, for example, traditional cultural beliefs about gender may prevent women from taking part in engagement in public life10. Dietary and other religious requirements could prevent participation where arrangements are not made to put the necessary support requirements in place. Suspicion of each other’s motives Difficulties may also arise when those engaging in a process are suspicious of the other parties’ aims. This highlights the need for those involved to be clear about the difference between supporting religious activities and social action arising out of the beliefs of a faith group.

Local authority engagement with faith groups and inter faith organisations: survey of England and Wales 2008 (2008) Local Government Association 8

Faith Communities Toolkit: for leaders and managers in the learning and skills sector (2005) Centre for Excellence in Leadership p54 9

Empowering Muslim Women: Case Studies (2008) Department for Communities and Local Government, accessed 14 Sep 2010 p25 http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/669801.pdf 10


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Faith communities may also be concerned that engagement with the statutory sector will require dilution of their core values thereby highlighting the need for everyone involved to focus on their shared values and motivating factors and build on these, e.g. building a fairer more just society. In addition, faith groups believe that faith, as an equality strand, needs to become more naturally incorporated into the mindset of statutory agencies when dealing with equality groups; “It is good to see that faith groups are becoming recognised more as valuable, and viable, partners in the social, economic and physical regeneration of Scotland, however ‘Faith’ is a relative newcomer to the 6 Scottish Government Equality Strands of: Disability, Gender, Race, Religion or Belief and Sexual Orientation. ‘Faith’ fits within the Scottish Government ‘Religion or Belief’ strand of the Single Outcome Agreement but, in many cases, ‘faith’ will encompass people who fit within the other strands. To enable Scotland to capitalise on the resources faith groups bring to the wellbeing and regeneration of Scotland’s communities, especially in the economically poorest communities, much more needs to be done by us all, faith communities, alongside the wider statutory and voluntary sectors, to ensure faith groups are included in the planning and delivery of services throughout the country.” Pauline Edmiston, Project Coordinator, Transformation Team, Faith in Community Scotland. Where a situation of mistrust exists, accusations of intolerance can arise.11 Some faith communities report that institutional racism and racial hatred still exist across many sectors and agencies. The current global situation may have led to increased mistrust of faith communities, increased discrimination and increased negative stereotyping. This is felt to have particularly impacted on the Muslim and Jewish communities. Scepticism of engagement Furthermore there is scepticism of engagement amongst faith groups. Faith communities speak of a legacy of poor engagement and a resultant mistrust amongst faith groups that their views will not be taken into account by statutory agencies. Existing engagement mainly takes place at a research or consultation level only and has not yet advanced to the stage of true partnership working. There is a perception that at the higher levels of consultation with faith communities findings are often shelved. In this respect involvement may seem tokenistic, fostering a general attitude of “why bother?” Achieving a collective voice Various groups often exist within faith communities and these may have different understandings from one another. In this regard, it can sometimes be difficult to achieve a collective voice when engaging with public agencies, especially if only one of these groups is represented in any engagement process.

Clegg, C. and Rosie, M. (2005) Faith Communities and Local Government in Glasgow Scottish Executive Social Research p1-2 11

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What prevents public agencies engaging effectively with faith communities? The barriers public agencies may face in engaging effectively with faith communities fall into two main categories; lack of knowledge and available capacity and resources. Lack of knowledge An overarching issue for public agencies is a general lack of understanding about faith and the engagement needs of faith communities, a finding supported by literature in England.12 Staff working in government and other statutory agencies often do not know who to contact or to consult, where to find people and what issues faith communities are concerned about. For example, it is sometimes hard to identify faith group leaders – is it always the religious leader or are there also ‘community leaders’ within faith groups? If there are community leaders, are they self-appointed or appointed by faith groups? Sometimes there is an over emphasis on engaging with leaders in faith communities. There is a need to identify who within each faith community can most widely represent the views of that group. Public agencies may have little faith ‘literacy’. Faith communities will have many different values and customs and these can vary within each individual faith group. Cultural practices and traditions are not necessarily the same as faith practices and traditions. This can make working with faith communities seem like a complex business. As a result, statutory staff may be nervous when dealing with faith communities (a finding in English research13) and try too hard to be culturally sensitive when, as many faith communities will say themselves, sometimes it is best to ask if unsure. A lack of knowledge can feed into a mistrust or suspicion of faith communities. Public agencies sometimes see faith communities as having a religious-promoting agenda, as being divisive and exclusive and as being unpredictable. In common with the English experience,14 statutory bodies can therefore be nervous about being seen to use public money to promote religion. This may prevent funding and support from reaching faith communities who are involved in genuine community engagement and regeneration. This highlights a common misconception that all work stemming from faith based groups has a religious purpose and therefore fails to acknowledge activities where the aim is to respond to social issues.15 Face to Face and Side by Side: A framework for partnership in our multi faith society (2008) Department for Communities and Local Government p32

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13

Ibid p32

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Ibid p33

A draft document was produced by the Scottish Government Equalities Unit and COSLA to provide guidance for local authorities on how to assess requests from faith based groups for funding. Unfortunately, this has not been developed due to organisational restructuring. 15


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Capacity and Resources A practical barrier to effective engagement is that public agencies may have limited resources and capacity. Faith groups can be large, diverse and widely dispersed. For example, the Muslim community in Britain and in Scotland is diverse and many different groups within the Muslim community face very different issues.16 To engage effectively with any diverse community takes time and resources that are in particular short supply given current government spending cuts. While this area of work should be embedded as normal practice, and part of the way public agencies operate, there is still some perception that it is cost intensive. Language can be perceived to be a strain on resources, with limited facility to translate information and other associated engagement material. More generally, some work is required to effectively translate the jargon of community engagement into everyday language for those unfamiliar with such terminology. As highlighted under barriers faced by faith communities, staff and programmes frequently come and go and this is made no easier with the uncertainties caused by economic recession. It can be difficult to achieve continuity in such conditions, something that is essential to building trust and links. Mobile communities Some faith communities cross localities, e.g. Muslim communities congregate according to where their family mosque or a particular faith leader is as opposed to where their local mosque is – this can make engagement on a locality planning basis more difficult.

John Perry and A Azim El-Hassan (2008) A Guide to Engaging Muslim Communities The Chartered Institute of Housing p6 16

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What will help faith communities and public agencies engage more effectively with one another? To overcome the barriers to effective engagement between faith communities and public agencies open and honest dialogue is needed. Methods for engendering such dialogue will always vary according to the particular needs of local communities or community groups and will be ‘fit for purpose’ for the focus of the engagement. Guidance on community engagement methodology can be found within the National Standards for Community Engagement17 and within several support materials hosted by national and local organisations. More information is available in the resources section of the guidance. In respect of faith communities and public agencies engaging more effectively with one another, three main areas were identified in the research as being important to consider; building working relationships, training and supporting and sharing of information and resources. The following section gives some general pointers for practice;

Building working relationships An important element of community engagement is building strong relationships. This can be achieved by; Working together for a common purpose Often the outcomes both faith communities and public agencies seek are the same, for example, minimising the impact of poverty or the creation of mutual care and support networks. Identifying those common concerns can provide a basis for engagement and joint working, building on each others strengths and resources. Ongoing communication and dialogue Engagement between public agencies and faith communities should not be on an ‘as required’ or ‘if an issue arises’ basis. Both sectors should seek to establish named contacts and to implement a mechanism for regular information sharing and communication. Asking ‘what do you need to know from us’? It is important in any engagement activity for all partners to be able to be clear about what they expect from one another. Early on in any engagement relationship, roles and responsibilities should be clearly defined and the basis on which to work with one another agreed by all parties.

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http://www.scdc.org.uk/uploads/standards_booklet.pdf


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Seeking common values Although some core values may differ between faith communities themselves and faith communities and public agencies, some of them will be shared by all partners. Acceptance that some core values will be different, and that we therefore should have respect for one another and each other’s beliefs, is fundamental to good community engagement. Identifying common values will underline areas of mutual concern and profile those areas where community engagement and collaborative work will flourish. Learning to understand each other’s needs Every faith community and public agency will have different needs according to the nature of their work, their particular locality and the communities they serve. Learning about one another’s needs should be an important part of the dialogue between faith communities and public agencies and seeking to see issues from one another’s perspective is critical. Sharing information All partners will have information that is of value to one another and it is important that useful information is shared. Once common outcomes are identified and faith communities and public agencies understand what their role is and what they need from one another, the type of information they require of one another will become clear. Methods for sharing information should be agreed, while we live in an age of technology it may be that some faith groups may not have access to email or Internet resources for example. Information, from both parties, should be understandable and accessible. Meeting informally A common complaint from community organisations in the past has been that agencies have a tendency to expect community members to come to them , meet on their premises and as part of formal structures for engagement18. In order to engage effectively, public agencies should offer to meet with faith communities in their own localities or premises. Public agencies should seek to participate in informal dialogue where appropriate - if information is shared and partnership work takes place out with formal structures it is no less valid. Encouraging Partnership working Often there are several faith communities within a geographical area or locality, sometimes those faith communities have buildings or run services in very close proximity to one another. Like any other partnership arrangement, organisations and groups who have in interest in the local community working together will always be beneficial - resources can be shared, duplication of effort and activity avoided, skills and good practice shared.

Kath Maguire and Frances Truscott. ‘Active governance: The value added by community involvement in governance through local strategic partnerships’, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2006) 18

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Training and support Faith communities and public agencies can benefit from community engagement training and faith literacy training respectively. However, there are perhaps other options worth exploring than simply straightforward training delivered by an external agency. For example: Training does not have to be formal, but can be informal and involve action or experiential learning bringing faith communities and public agencies together, such as cross-sector placements. Many faith groups or faith organisations will be able to bring valuable information on their faith and their communities to any training scenario. Some faith groups may be established enough to be commissioned as training providers for public sector agencies Conversely, public sector agencies should be able to provide opportunities to include faith group representatives on their training courses in community engagement, community capacity building or any other element of training which may be of benefit to them Volunteering schemes can be set up where public sector workers might give a few hours per week/month to learn about the work of faith organisations and help them to deliver their activities Faith based representatives may be interested in shadowing schemes, learning about the way the public sector works

Information and resources There are a number of existing resources that can help faith communities and public agencies to engage with one another. A list of helpful resources is given in appendix 4. In addition, appendix 3 gives a list of some of the main faith organisations and intermediary faith organisations.


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Bibliography Arnstein, Sherry, (1969) “A Ladder of Citizen Participation,” Journal of the American Institute of Planners Vol. 35, No. 4, pp. 216-224 Better Community Engagement: A framework for learning (2007) prepared by the Scottish Community Development Centre for the Scottish Government http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/1046/0055390.pdf Centre for Excellence in Leadership (2005) Faith Communities Toolkit: for leaders and managers in the learning and skills sector p54 Clegg, C. and Rosie, M. (2005) Faith Communities and Local Government in Glasgow Scottish Executive Social Research p2 Department for Communities and Local Government (2008) Empowering Muslim Women: Case Studies, accessed 14 Sep 2010 p25 http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/669801.pdf Department for Communities and Local Government (2008) Face to Face and Side by Side: A framework for partnership in our multi faith society p32 Faith Communities and Local Government in Glasgow (2005) Scottish Executive Social Research p1-2 General Register Office for Scotland, 2001 Census: Ethnicity and Religion Tables – Council Area, http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/warehouse/NewWards_ ER_CA.jsp, accessed 15 November 2010 John Perry and A Azim El-Hassan (2008) A Guide to Engaging Muslim Communities The Chartered Institute of Housing p6 Kath Maguire and Frances Truscott. ‘Active governance: The value added by community involvement in governance through local strategic partnerships’, Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2006) Local Government Association (2008) Local authority engagement with faith groups and inter faith organisations: survey of England and Wales 2008 Local Government Scotland Act (2003) http://www.hmso.gov.uk/legislation/ scotland/acts2003/20030001.htm National Standards for Community Engagement – www.scdc.org.uk/nationalstandards-community-engagement Scottish Community Empowerment Action Plan http://www.scotland.gov. uk/Resource/Doc/264771/0079288.pdf

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Acknowledgements Faith in Community Scotland and the Scottish Community Development Centre wish to thank the faith groups, organisations and individuals who took part in the focus groups, interviews and one day seminar, without whose contribution this guidance could not have been produced. We would also like to thank the Scottish Government for funding the Better Community Engagement programme which this guidance is part of.


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Faith in Community Scotland Faith in Community Scotland is an anti-poverty charity founded in 2005. We bring together a diverse team of people committed to change – local people living in Scotland’s poorest communities as well as dedicated staff and volunteers alongside a creative Board of Directors. We support individuals and faith groups in Scotland’s poorest neighbourhoods to achieve the difference that they are capable of. We have developed our work in Glasgow; grown in our role as a grant funder; supported people to speak out about injustice; established new work with ex-offenders and their families; and made a positive start to growing work in Dundee. We have developed our work in Glasgow through The Transformation Team which works with local faith communities in Glasgow to tackle poverty and make a difference in the poorest areas by providing a wide range of training, resources and support which helps to build people’s skills and to increase their confidence. We carry out this work because we believe poverty and inequality continue to ruin people’s lives and that must change. We do it because people of faith – across Scotland’s diverse faith communities – can and must come together to make a difference. We do it because local people have the wisdom.

Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) The Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) launched as a Company Ltd by Guarantee and registered Charity in Scotland on the 1st July 2009. SCDC is recognised by the Scottish Government as the national lead body for community development. Formerly a partnership between the Community Development Foundation (CDF) and the University of Glasgow, SCDC has a track record of eighteen years of activity. SCDC’s vision is for an active, inclusive and just Scotland where our communities are strong, equitable and sustainable. SCDC’s mission is supporting best practice in community development. Our three key priorities for achieving our mission are to; 1. Build strong, healthy, sustainable and equitable communities 2. Work with agencies and partnerships to achieve effective community engagement and community participation 3. Influence policy by researching issues and contributing to government working groups and committees on related policy issues.

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Appendix 1 Introductions to the main faith communities in Scotland The Christian Faith At the centre of Christian belief is Jesus whom Christians believe is the Son of God. They see God as a community of three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God the Father created the world, God’s Son Jesus reveals the nature of God as loving and forgiving and transforms human nature from sinful inclinations into a life of love and service, while God’s Spirit is the supportive presence of God among all people. Individuals are admitted into the Christian Church through baptism which can take place in childhood or adulthood. Private prayer and meditation is important to Christians in their daily life. The Christian holy day takes place on a Sunday when congregations gather in churches to worship. The central ritual of much Christian worship is Holy Communion or the Eucharist which is a sharing of bread and wine in memory of Jesus’ last supper with his disciples and symbolic of his death and resurrection. Some churches celebrate Holy Communion every week, whereas for others it is monthly or even annually. Important dates include Christmas, the celebration of Jesus’ birth and Easter, which commemorates the death and resurrection of Jesus. The forty days before Easter are known as Lent and it is common for many Christians to make a sacrifice at this time such as fasting. Generally all food is seen as a gift from God. No food is seen as unclean but everything is to be enjoyed in moderation and gratitude. (Source: Scottish Inter Faith Council, www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org)


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The Muslim Faith Islam is an Arabic word which means submission to God. At the heart of Islam is the belief in the unity and universality of God. The Arabic word Allah means the One God. Muslims also believe in the unity of all mankind and have a strong sense of community and are aware of their solidarity with Muslims worldwide. Muslims recognise the prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Jesus and they see Mohammed (peace be upon him) as the last and final prophet. Mohammed was born in Mecca in 570 CE. He received the Holy revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel which was recorded in Islam’s holy book, the Qur’an which is regarded as the literal word of God. Islam has five pillars, the foundation stones of Islamic worship and action: Shahadah: There is no God but the one true God and Mohammed is his messenger. Inciting this with intention three times makes someone a Muslim Salat: Prayer takes place five times a day at given times. It is made facing Mecca and is preceded by ritual washing known as wudu. Zakat: Two and a half percent of a Muslim’s assets over a given specified amount is given in welfare tax to benefit the poor and needy each year. Hajj: This is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca which takes place at a fixed time of the calendar, which Muslims try to participate in at least once in a lifetime. Sawm: During the month of Ramadan Muslims are required to abstain from food, drink and sexual acts from dawn till sunset. The ill, eldery and travellers are exempt. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic Lunar Calendar and the month of the Islamic fast. The appearance of the new moon at the end of Ramadan marks the beginning of the festival of Eid ul Fitr. Eid ul Adha marks the completion of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, celebrated by pilgrims and non-pilgrims alike. Muslims differentiate between food that is allowed - halal, and food which is forbidden - haram. Pork, carnivorous animals and blood are haram. Meat must also be slaughtered according to biblical rites by a Muslim butcher. The consumption of intoxicants is also forbidden. (Source: Scottish Inter Faith Council, www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org)

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The Jewish Faith Judaism is based on the belief that there is one true and universal God who is revealed in the Torah, the Jewish holy book containing the divine laws that were revealed to Moses on Mount Sinai including the Ten Commandments. These are the basic tenets by which Jews must live their lives along with the values of loving one’s neighbour and tolerance to one’s fellow human beings. Jews believe that God will reward the righteous and punish the wicked at the end of time when there will be a resurrection of all the dead. Jewish people worship in a synagogue, which is often a centre for the many aspects of communal life. On the Eastern wall of the synagogue is an ark where the holy scrolls of the five books of Moses are kept. They are made of parchment and hand written by scribes and are treated with great respect and are removed during some services to be read by the Rabbi or other members of the synagogue. There are three daily services, with longer services on Saturdays and festival mornings. There are a number of festivals throughout the year. This includes the Jewish New Year which includes two days of reflection and prayer. Ten days after this comes Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement which is spent in prayer and a 25 hour fast. In the spring there is Pesach or Passover which commemorates the delivery from slavery in Israel. Shabbat, the Jewish sabbath begins before nightfall on Friday and lasts until the sighting of the first three stars on Saturday night. It should be observed as a day of rest and Orthodox Jews will not write, travel, work or cook during it. Judaism has a number of dietary laws. Food that has been prepared in a ritually acceptable way is known as kosher. For meat to be considered kosher it must have been prepared correctly, normally under rabbinical supervision. Pork, rabbit and fish without scales or fins are not considered kosher. Meat and dairy products should not be taken together at the meal. (Source: Scottish Inter Faith Council, www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org)


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The Sikh Faith The Sikh faith was revealed through the teachings of the 10 gurus, the first of whom was Guru Nanak who was born in 1468 CE in the Punjab, India. The 10th Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, vested spiritual authority in the Holy Sikh Scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhs believe that there is one God who is both transcendent and immanent. Consciousness of God and God’s grace can be realised and received through contemplation, truthful living and selfless service to others. A Sikh’s way of life is governed by the following principles: Nam Simran - remembering and praying to God at all times, Kirat Karna - earning a living by honest means, Wand Shakna - sharing with the poor and needy, Sewa - selfless service to God and humanity, Equality - to treat all humans as equal. The Sikh place of congregational worship is called a Gudwara. It consists of two halls, a prayer hall and a larger hall where the congregation sits together and shares a community meal. On entering the Gudwara heads must be covered with a scarf and shoes removed. Sikhs give utmost respect to the Holy Scriptures which contains the word of God. Guru Gobind Singh introduced the concept of equality by making it obligatory for baptised Sikhs to share Amrit (holy water), adopt the same name of Singh (for men) and Kaur (for women) and wear the five articles of faith - Kesh (uncut hair, often worn with a turban), Kangha (a small wooden comb), Kara (an iron/steel bangle), Kirpan (a short sword) and Kachhera (shorts). A Sikh festival or holy day is called a Gurpurb: Remembrance Day. This usually refers to the birth or death of the Gurus. Sikhs do not take alcohol, tobacco or other intoxicants. Observant Sikhs, especially those who are baptised are vegetarian. They also exclude eggs and any food containing animal derivatives. (Source: Scottish Inter Faith Council, www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org)

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The Buddhist Faith Buddhism is based on the teachings of the Buddha Shakyamuni who lived in Northern India 2500 years ago. Buddhists believe that the essense of Buddha is within each of us and we can attain our Buddhahood through sincere practise of the eight-fold path, which includes virtuous conduct such as compassion, meditation and the cultivation of wisdom. There are several schools of Buddhist thought and practise, including the Theravadan tradition (originally from India, Sri Lanka, Burma and Thailand), the Tibetan tradition (northern India, China, Tibet and Mongolia), the Zen Buddhist tradition (China to Korea, Japan and Malaysia) and the Western Buddhist Order. Buddhist festivals generally commemorate particular events in the Buddha’s life, including his birth (Wesak), his enlightenment, the day of his first teaching (Dharma Day) and his death (Parinirvana). Although their high valuation of life and their rejection of violence means that some Buddhists are vegetarian, this is not always the case. There are meditation groups and centres throughout the main Scottish cities. These include a large Tibetan Buddhist temple at Samye Ling together with its retreat centre on Holy Island, a priory in Edinburgh for the Soto Zen School and Glasgow and Edinburgh Buddhist Centres. (Source: Scottish Inter Faith Council, www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org)


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The Hindu Faith The Hindu tradition has no founder and is best understood as a group of closely connected religious traditions rather than a single religion. Hindus believe in one God under many manifestations or images, so that all prayers addressed to any form or manifestation will ultimately reach God. For Hindus, religion is a sanctified and disciplined path one follows to reach a higher level of consciousness or goal, i.e. to become a better person by following the path of Dharma, the ancient law that underlies the order of the universe and is reflected in a moral and ethical life. They believe in the law of karma, a simple law of cause and effect. Hindus believe in the divine nature of the soul which journeys from body to body depending on the merits and sins of one’s action, which determines one’s future rebirth. Hindus believe that the Divine descends to earth and these manifestations of God include Rama, Krishna and the Buddha. They also see the presence of God in all living things. Worship and general religious activity are commonly centred around the home, such as the veneration of divine images around a shrine morning or evening. Prayer and the reading of the Holy Scriptures are also important practises. Hindu temples have public worship twice daily and Sunday is a day for communal worship and activity. There are many religious festivals, the most commonly celebrated being Diwali, the festival of lights and Navrathri, nine nights during which goddesses such as Durga, the Great Mother are worshipped. Hindus follow the concept of ahimsa (non injury) which encourages many of them to be vegetarian. (Source: Scottish Inter Faith Council, www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org)

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The Baha’i Faith The Baha’i faith began in Persia on 23rd May 1844 when a person known as the Bab proclaimed that he was a messenger from God and the herald of ‘the Promised One’, a messenger greater than himself. In 1863 a person known as Baha’u’llah claimed to be the one whose coming the Bab foretold and announced that he had come to help bring about a new age of global civilisation which would be characterised by unity and peace. The Baha’i faith proclaims the oneness of God, religion and humankind. Baha’is believe that God reveals His purpose progressively through prophets such as the founders of all the major world religions. Baha’i custom and practise is founded on scriptures written by Baha’u’llah. The focus of the Baha’i community is the Nineteen Day Feast when local Baha’is meet to worship, discuss and have fellowship. Baha’is may worship at their local centre, individual homes or one of the temples that are on every continent. Other obligations include daily prayer and the yearly nineteen day fast when no food is consumed from sunrise to sunset. Festivals and holy days are based on the birthdays of important figures of the Baha’i faith or significant events in the history of the faith, such as the birthday of Baha’u’llah on the 12th November. Baha’is do not have food laws but are advised to eat moderately and keep a balanced, healthy diet. They do not drink alcohol and drug taking is not allowed unless prescribed by a doctor. (Source: Scottish Inter Faith Council, www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org)


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Appendix 2

Example Session Plan - Better Engagement Between Public Agencies and Faith Communities This session plan was devised and used in a one day seminar which brought together members from Faith Based Organisations (FBO) and statutory and public sector agencies (PA). The seminar was run as part of the Better Community Engagement training programme and was part of the engagement process for the development of the guidance document on better engagement between public agencies and faith communities. AIM

To encourage joint working and to generate ideas and information to enable partnership working between faith communities and statutory groups to be more effective.

OUTCOMES

1. Faith communities and public agencies will understand the benefits of engaging with each other. 2. Faith communities and public agencies will have improved under standing of the barriers that affect their engagement and suggest solutions to overcome these limitations. 3. Faith communities and public agencies will identify the best format of any future learning to promote and encourage better engagement across sectors.

Assumptions

Delegates will be positive about partnership working and faith organisations and public agencies engaging better with one another. This will be the first time many delegates from across the different sectors will have met.

Equipment /Resources

Copies of the guidance document on better engagement between public agencies and faith communities Lap top & projector, power points slides introducing each exercise Digital camera Sticky wall (if available, if not use flipcharts) A4 coloured card, Ideas cards A5 Sticky dots Laminated questions on A3 for each section Markers, pens, paper, post its Snakes and ladders template Registration list, session evaluation forms, equal opportunities forms

No. of participants

Minimum 12, maximum 30 participants

Timing

5 hours including lunch (suggested time 10-3 pm)

Session Outline

• Introductions • What’s in it for me? What are the benefits of better engagement between faith communities and public agencies? • What are the main barriers we face in engaging positively with one another? • Identifying solutions • Sharing learning

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Time

Activity

Introductions 10.00-10.20

Welcome and housekeeping. Introduction by organisers, background to the session. Participants to introduce each other sitting at the tables they choose to sit at - and to pose the question to one another ‘what do you hope to get from today?’ Flipchart paper on each table - one person from each table records and feeds back to the large group.

Why bother? What are the benefits of partnership working? 10.20-10.40

On powerpoint slide or flipchart: • • • •

What have we got to gain by engaging with this sector? How can it help my organisation/faith group? How do agencies benefit from engaging with faith groups? What do faith groups stand to gain from engaging with agencies?

Questions also highlighted on sticky wall/flipcharts Group exercise Talk questions through in your groups and write down on cards as many reasons as you can think of why these 2 sectors should engage with each other. Quick thinking... 10 minutes and then feedback. Invite feedback - each group nominates feedback person - responses recorded on sticky wall/flipcharts Barriers - Identifying barriers between Faith Communities and Public Agencies 10.40-11.30

On a powerpoint slide or flipchart; • We’ve established that partnership working is a good idea... so what’s stopping us? • What’s getting in the way of this becoming a reality for both sectors? Group Exercise Split into 2 groups – faith based representatives in one, public agency representatives in the other • • •

Each group defines barriers they experience Each group highlights what they think the problems are with the other side! Record suggestions on cards – 1 SUGGESTION PER CARD – give example, e.g. language, culture

Facilitator coordinate feedback from groups and flipchart Facilitator to explain the next exercise - prioritising key barriers Group Exercise In the same groups, discuss the barriers highlighted in the previous exercise and identify the top 3 priorities for each sector; • Faith representatives voting on barriers for faith communities • Agencies representatives voting on barriers for agencies Coordinate feedback – each group votes on top 3 across all groups - write on cards FAITHFUL ENDEAVOURS - How public agencies and faith communities can work better together

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11.30-11.40

Comfort break – during this time facilitators record top 3 priorities on sticky wall/flipchart

SOLUTIONS – solutions; identify learning required to build confidence 11.45-12.45

Explain next exercise - identifying solutions Group exercise In mixed groups, reflect on barriers for each target group and list potential solutions on separate cards Facilitator records all solutions on sticky wall/flipchart and, in discussion with all the participants, clusters themes. Invite participants to expand on any of the solutions to explain the benefits of this idea. Nominal voting exercise Using sticky dots to be placed on the sticky wall/flipchart, EACH PERSON votes for top 3 solutions Facilitator summarises top 3-4 solutions to be developed

12.45-1.30: LUNCH Encouraging wider learning 1.30 3.00

On a PowerPoint or flipchart: • How do we present learning in a way that engages other partners? • What learning styles can we use? • How do we avoid learning to engage better being uninspiring, boring or too complex? • What resources do we have already that we can use? Introducing some examples – • Better Engagement Between Faith Communities and Public Agencies Guidance and appendices • Personal testimony (if possible, identify guest speaker from either a faith based organisation, public agency, or both to give a personal testimony from their own experience in engaging across sectors) • Creative resources - snakes and ladders Group discussion How might personal testimonies be used to break down barriers, where it would be appropriate, what local examples might we have? Introduce snakes and ladders: The Snakes and Ladder game has been devised as a visual and participative way of exploring benefits/ opportunities versus disadvantages/pitfalls. It uses a game format which most people will be familiar with and can relate to. In this particular scenario it is used to assess the pros and cons of community engagement. It can be amended for different scenarios.

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In a group participants would use the snakes and ladders sheet to discuss and note the benefits versus disadvantages of a particular scenario. Writing the benefits at the base of a ladder and the disadvantage’s at the head of a snake. Once completed the sheet will give an overview of some key benefits and disadvantages and can be kept as a visual record. Group exercise In small groups, test out snakes and ladders In the large group, facilitate discussion on snakes and ladders - for example, would this enable better engagement or partnership working? Facilitator summarises today’s session: • • • •

Commitment to benefits of engaging better Identified barriers and what’s needed to overcome these Solutions identified Best ways of presenting this information to maximise learning and implement future action

On PowerPoint or flipchart: • What’s needed to facilitate this learning? • What’s required to ensure that learning will be used? Group exercise In small groups, discuss how best to distribute and make use of today’s learning. Write down ideas on cards – facilitators gather in and pledge to circulate as a follow up to the session Round up and final feedback, evaluation; equal opportunities monitoring and thanks


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Appendix 3 Intermediaries and Faith Organisations This list signposts some of the major faith based organisations and intermediaries as a useful source of information for public sector agencies.

Scottish Faith Based Organisations Action of Churches Together in Scotland (ACTS) is a national ecumenical organisation of churches in Scotland, founded in 1990. It is the successor to the former Scottish Council of Churches. www.acts-scotland.org/ Baha’i Council for Scotland. The main website for the Baha’i communities across Scotland can be found at www.bahai.org.uk/scotland/index.htm CrossReach launched in June 2005 this charity was previously known as the Church of Scotland Board of Social Responsibility. Under the new name, CrossReach, it continues the Church of Scotland’s long tradition of providing care and support. www.crossreach.org.uk Faith in Community Scotland is an anti-poverty organisation with a commitment and passion to reducing poverty in Scotland. It provides training, resources, advice and support to faith groups, (churches, mosques, gurdwaras, synagogues etc), developing their potential to make a difference in Scotland’s poorest communities. www.faithincommunityscotland.org FWBO Scotland is a community of people who practice Buddhism in the context of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order. They have 7 groups and 3 centres in Scotland, each is independently organised and managed locally. www.fwbo.org Hindu – There is currently no umbrella or Scottish wide Hindu organisation. Hindu Temples can be contacted as follows: Hindu Temple & Cultural Centre, Edinburgh St. Andrew Place, Leigh, Edinburgh, Scotland, EH6 7ED; Tel: 0131 440 0084 Hindu Temple, Glasgow 1 La Belle Place, Glasgow, Scotland, G3 7LH; Tel: 0141 332 0482 Karuna Bhavan (ISKCON), Lesmahagow Bankhouse Rd., Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, Scotland, ML11 OES; Tel: 01555 894790 Tayside Hindu Cultural & Community Centre, Dundee 10 – 12 Taylor’s Lane, Dundee DD2 1AQ; Tel: 01382 669652


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Muslim Council of Scotland (MCS) is an accord of Muslim associations, mosques and institutions in Scotland. It is a membership-based umbrella organisation, accommodating and reflecting the variety of social and cultural backgrounds and outlook of the Muslim community. www.mcscotland.org Scottish Churches Housing Action brings together numerous Christian denominations or organisations in Scotland in their work to eliminate homelessness in Scotland through mobilising volunteers to help homeless people in Scotland. Scottish Churches Housing Action connects the values of the Churches with action to help homeless people. www.churches-housing.org Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCOJEC) is the representative body of all the Scottish Jewish communities. The Council advances public understanding of the Jewish religion, culture and community. www.scojec.org Scottish Interfaith Council raises awareness of the different faith communities and groups in Scotland and seeks to build good relations between persons of different religious faiths through dialogue, understanding and co-operation. www.scottishinterfaithcouncil.org/ Sikhs in Scotland is a website and portal for the Sikh community in Scotland and can be found at www.sikhsinscotland.org The Mungo Foundation The Mungo Foundation, formerly the Community Social Services Department of the Archdiocese of Glasgow, builds on a long and successful tradition of the Roman Catholic Church in providing innovative social care services and responding to unmet need and social exclusion. www.themungofoundation.org.uk

UK Faith Based Social Action Organisations Faith-based Regeneration Network UK (FbRN) is a leading multi faith network for community development, community regeneration and social action. www.fbrn.org.uk Faith in Action is a national network which is bringing together grassroots organisations that are delivering or seeking to deliver public services and helping them access funds, deliver contracts and create more effective partnerships with government at every level. www.faithaction.net

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Equalities Organisations Black and Ethnic Minority Infrastructure in Scotland (BEMIS) is the national Ethnic Minorities led umbrella body supporting the development of the Ethnic Minorities Voluntary Sector in Scotland. www.bemis.org.uk Council of Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations, CEMVO Scotland set up in April 2003, with the aim of building the capacity of the country’s minority ethnic voluntary and community sector. The wide-ranging work of CEMVO Scotland reflects the diverse needs of the groups it serves. www.cemvoscotland.org.uk Scottish Alliance of Racial Equality Councils (SAREC) was formed by the four Scottish racial equality councils: Central, Edinburgh and Lothians, Grampian and West of Scotland to further their work for a just integrated society in Scotland. (There is not an independent website for SAREC; information can be accessed from the WESREC website). www.wsrec.co.uk COSLA Strategic Migration Partnership work in partnership with key stakeholders to ensure foreign nationals living lawfully in Scotland have access to a range of support services and are empowered to contribute to the social, cultural and where possible, economic vitality of the nation. www.asylumscotland.org.uk Get fair Campaign against poverty has a vision to ensure that no one in the UK is marginalised or excluded from society due to poverty. Get Fair campaigns for a decent, adequate income for all, homes and neighbourhoods that secure health and wellbeing, and good quality services as a right for all. www.getfair.org.uk Scottish Refugee Council is an independent charity dedicated to providing advice and information to people seeking asylum and refugees living in Scotland whilst campaigning for fair treatment of refugees and people seeking asylum. www.scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk


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Appendix 4 Better Community Engagement between Public Agencies and Faith Communities Resource Guide This resource guide contains summaries and web links for a range of resources from Scotland and the rest of the UK which provide further useful information on working with faith communities. It was compiled through consultation with faith-based organisations, internet searches and consulting reference lists contained within individual resources. The guide should provide useful further reading for those who wish to find out more about: • Current community work being carried out by faith groups • Current engagement between faith communities and public agencies • Faith communities and understanding faith • How to better engage with faith communities • How to better engage with public agencies • The benefits and challenges of inter faith work Resources have been grouped according to themes in order to make the resource guide easier to navigate. The resource guide can be used as a stand alone document or used as an accompaniment to the guidance document on Better Engagement between Public Agencies and Faith Communities.

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EDUCATION Title Faith Communities Toolkit: for leaders and managers in the learning and skills sector Author (s) Centre for Excellence in Leadership Year 2005 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A practical guide to engaging more effectively with faith communities in teaching and learning containing a brief guide to faith communities. Contains useful pin pointers and even provides a list of useful phrases. There are individual sections for staffing, working with learners from different faiths, team working, leadership and working in partnership. Also includes brief guides to 9 of the main world faiths in the UK. http://www.lluk.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Faith-communities-toolkitfor-the-learning-and-skills-sector.pdf

EQUALITIES Title ‘Religion or belief’: Identifying issues and priorities Author (s) Linda Woodhead Year 2009 Summary of content and publisher/weblink ‘Religion and belief’ was added as a new equality strand to the Employment Equality Regulations 2003 and the Equality Act 2006. This report identifies the main issues and priorities affecting the equalities agenda that have arisen as a result of these changes. Consideration of community engagement is largely limited to seminar abstracts in the appendices section. Published by Equality and Human Rights Commission (Research report 48) http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/research/research_report_ 48__religion_or_belief.pdf


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Title Empowering Muslim Women: Case Studies Author (s) Department for Communities and Local Government Year 2008 Summary of content and publisher/weblink This document provides case studies of engaging with Muslim women. The projects are all based in England but are relevant to those working with Muslim women in Scotland. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/ pdf/669801.pdf

Title The Muslimah Report Author (s) Faith Associates Year 2008 Summary of content and publisher/weblink About the Muslimah project in High Wycombe which amongst other things seeks to develop the capacity of Muslim women and girls to become ‘active citizens’. Useful for projects seeking to engage with Muslim women. http://www.faithassociates.co.uk/images/PDF/Muslimah.pdf

FAITH AND SOCIAL CAPITAL Title Churches and Social Capital: the Role of Church of Scotland Congregations in Local Community Development Author (s) John Flint, Rowland Atkinson and Ade Kearns Year 2002 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Research into the Church of Scotland’s engagement with local communities. A good summary of the kinds of community engagement work being carried out by faith communities. The research explores the idea that church activities can enhance social capital in Scottish communities. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/3676/social_capital_report.pdf

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Title Faith as social capital: Connecting or dividing? Author (s) Robert Furbey, Adam Dinham, Richard Farnell, Doreen Finneron and Guy Wilkinson Year 2006 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Explores how faith organisations and their members contribute to social capital in the UK. The research identifies the potential of faith communities to contribute to social cohesion and also the barriers to this potential being realised. Recommendations are put forward for local authorities, funding bodies and faith communities themselves. Published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/9781861348388.pdf

Title Faith in England’s Northwest: The contribution made by faith communities to civil society in the region Author (s) Northwest Development Agency Year 2003 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A survey of every place of worship in the Northwest of England, assessing their contribution to the wider social good. Projects identified range from community art initiatives to projects tackling substance misuse. www.nwda.co.uk/PDF/FaithEnglandsNorthwest4.pdf

Title Angels and advocates: Church social action in Yorkshire and the Humber Author (s) Yorkshire Churches Year 2003 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A study similar to the Northwest above, though based in Yorkshire and the Humber www.crc-online.org.uk/reports.asp?slid=89&mid=90


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Title Faithful regeneration: The role and contribution of local parishes in local communities in the Diocese of Birmingham Author (s) Cairns, B., Harris, M. and Hutchison, R Year 2005 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Research conducted with church-organised projects in Birmingham investigating their contribution to building social capital and improving social cohesion. The case is made that faith based projects have a positive impact in this regard, although obstacles presented by churches are identified. http://www.ivar.org.uk/sites/default/files/images/Diocese_FinalReport_TOP_ COPY_24Jan05.pdf

Title The role of Church of Scotland congregations in developing social capital in Scottish Communities: Enabling and cohesive or irrelevant and divisive? Author (s) Flint, J. and Kearns, A. Year 2004 Summary of content and publisher/weblink An assessment of Church of Scotland congregations to social capital in Scottish communities. Both their positive impact and challenges are explored.

Title Faith in the community: the contribution of faith-based organisations to rural voluntary action Author (s) NCVO Year 2007 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Document produced by National Council for Voluntary Organisations about voluntary and community work in rural areas conducted by faith-based organisations in England. Sets out the case that faith communities can play a crucial role in rural communities, and argues that similarities between voluntary and community sector mean the two should work closer in the future. http://www.ncvovol.org.uk/sites/default/files/UploadedFiles/NCVO/Publications/ Publications_Catalogue/Sector_Research/NCVO_faithincommunities_pdf_0.pdf

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Title Faith communities contributing to local strategic partnership priorities Author (s) Yorkshire and Humber Community Development Network Year 2010 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A 4 page report illustrating the value and contribution faith groups in Yorkshire and Humber make to their local communities. http://www.cdf.org.uk//c/document_library/get_file?uuid=07031549-20af4cd9-904a-b941ed9bb7c5&groupId=10128

Title Faith, Cohesion and Community Development Author (s) Community Development Foundation Year 2008 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Final evaluation report from the Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund. Reports finding that faith groups in England take an active part in their communities, supporting disadvantaged and excluded groups. At the same time, the report recommends that the capacity of faith groups needs to be strengthened and links with government improved. Includes a set of conclusions and recommendations. http://www.cdf.org.uk//c/document_library/get_file?uuid=13ef2768-4233-4ea5bcf3-ab5d98ea86d1&groupId=10128

FAITH GUIDES Title A Guide to Faith Communities in Scotland Author (s) The Scottish Interfaith Council Year 2003 Summary of content and publisher/weblink This booklet contains basic guides to nine of Scotland’s faith communities (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, The Baha’I Faith, Brahma Kumaris and Paganism). It also includes advice on meeting people from different faith groups and a short list of contacts. Available on request from The Scottish Interfaith Council.


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HEALTH Title A Multi-Faith Resource for Healthcare Staff Author (s) NHS Education for Scotland Year 2007 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A guide produced for NHS staff to 13 different religious faiths in Scotland. Gives a good introduction to issues such as diet, washing, dress, birth and death customs, family planning and attitudes towards health. Also covers religious practices such as fasting. Useful for anyone who would like an introduction to faiths in Scotland. www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/media/7219/march07finalversions.pdf.pdf

Title Religion and Belief Matter: An Information Resource for Healthcare Staff Author (s) Scottish Interfaith Council , The Scottish Government Health Directorate Year 2007 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Guide to understanding and responding to Religious and Belief Needs of patients for NHS staff. Contains examples of good practice from health boards in responding to religious and belief needs of patients. http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/2514.aspx

HOUSING Title A Guide to Engaging Muslim Communities Author (s) John Perry , A Azim El-Hassan Year 2008 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Extensive guide to engaging with Muslim communities with some specific recommendations for those working in the housing sector. The report provides useful insights around diversity amongst Muslims, engaging with the whole community (including the most marginalised), examples of good practice and links to further information. There are sections on engaging with Muslim women and young people and a set of general recommendations on community engagement with Muslim communities. http://www.cih.org/publications/downloads/pub700.pdf 42


Title Developing good practice for effective community engagement and housing needs assessment for minority ethnic communities Author (s) ODS for Communities Scotland Year 2005 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Research by Organisational Development and Support (ODS), in partnership with Positive Action in Housing and the Grampian Race Equality Council into effective community engagement for minority ethnic communities. Also gives a needs assessment of housing for black and minority ethnic communities and provides a good practice guide. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/94257/0085782.pdf

Title Planning and Engaging with Intercultural Communities Author (s) Comedia Year 2006 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Provides advice and information on working with different cultural groups for planners and those working in housing and community development. The document proposes 12 ground rules for community engagement with intercultural communities. http://www.ignite-ne.com/ignite/Documents-hvstr.nsf/0/ 18C59753C535931E8025722D0051B757/$file/interculturalcommunities.pdf

INTER FAITH Title Faith Matters: Case studies from the Faiths in Action Fund Author (s) Evison, I. Year 2010 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Presents the successes and challenges of projects funded by the 2008 Faiths in Action grant programme which funded local inter faith activities throughout the United Kingdom. Gives practical tips on inter faith cooperation and policy messages for decision makers. Utilises the four building blocks to better partnership with faith communities as set out by the Department for Communities and Local Government (see above). http://www.cdf.org.uk//c/document_library/get_file?uuid=86399f5e-e970-4ec49d95-f884bb18abcd&groupId=10128


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Title Local Inter Faith Activity in the UK: A Survey Author (s) The Inter Faith Network for the United Kingdom Year 2003 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A survey of inter faith and multi faith groups and networks across the UK. Describes the different types of interfaith work, developments supporting such work and also constraints. The study recommends the setting up of a UK strategy on interfaith activity. http://www.interfaith.org.uk/publications/lifsr-web.pdf

Title Time to talk: faiths at the table of dialogue in today’s UK Author (s) Inter Faith Network for the UK Year 2003 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Report on the 2003 National Meeting of the Inter Faith Network for the UK. This conference was focused on interfaith dialogue and the report contains papers on this subject that were presented at the event. http://www.interfaith.org.uk/publications/timetalk.pdf

Title Faith Communities Pulling Together Author (s) Community Development Foundation Year 2008 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Presents over 30 case studies from the CDF’s Faith Communities Capacity Building Fund, which targeted funds at developing the capacity of faith groups to improve their communities and to engage in inter faith work. This resource details the successes, challenges and lessons from the fund’s work. http://www.cdf.org.uk//c/document_library/get_file?uuid=449ed36c-99f1-469081a1-12ad2eae5cbd&groupId=10128

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT Title Face to Face and Side by Side: A framework for partnership in our multi faith society Author (s) Department for Communities and Local Government Year 2008 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Guidance on community partnership work for communities and local authorities in England, but applicable to such work in Scotland. The guidance is based on public consultation and sets out four building blocks to better partnership with faith communities. Gives practical suggestions towards following this framework and identifies potential challenges. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/898668.pdf

Title Faith Communities and Local Government in Glasgow Author (s) Clegg, C. and Rosie, M. Year 2005 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Research into levels of engagement between faith groups in Glasgow and government and also between different faith groups. A range of opportunities and barriers are highlighted. The conclusions provide helpful recommendations for Glasgow City Council which may well be transferable to other agencies. http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/76169/0019156.pdf

Title Local authority engagement with faith groups and inter faith organisations: survey of England and Wales 2008 Author (s) Local Government Association Year 2008 Summary of content and publisher/weblink An investigation of how local authorities in England & Wales are engaging with inter-faith and faith organisations through funding, consulting and involvement. The research is based on an online survey and also gives an introductory background to the growing interest in engagement with faith groups. A range of challenges are outlined. http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/aio/1297417


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Title Ensuring a level playing field: funding faith-based organisations to provide publicly funded services Author (s) Department of Communities and Local Government Year 2010 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A ‘myth busting’ exercise instructing government service planners (in England and Wales) on funding and contracting out to faith based or religious organisations. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/15073411.pdf

Title Working Together: Co-operation between Government and Faith Communities Author (s) The Home Office Year 2004 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Gives advice and recommendations to government departments and faith communities on engaging with one and other. http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/communities/pdf/151393.pdf

Title Faith Groups and Government: Faith-based organisations and government at local and regional levels Author (s) Community Development Foundation Year 2008 Summary of content and publisher/weblink This report presents findings from research conducted with faith groups and public agencies around faith-based organisations building relationships with local and regional government. It summarises the experiences, challenges and successes of such engagement and shows the important role that faith-based organisations can play in government policy and service delivery http://www.cdf.org.uk//c/document_library/get_file?uuid=db32eeea-60554f7b-aa31-d926d8411562&groupId=10128

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REGENERATION Title Active Partners: Benchmarking Community Participation in Regeneration Author (s) Yorkshire and Humber Regional Development Agency Year 2000 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A report summarising community regeneration best practice in Yorkshire. Not specifically focused on faith and religion. However, contains a section on promoting inclusivity in regeneration work with some recommendations for multi faith work http://cogs.uk.net/uploads/File/active%20partners%281%29.pdf

Title ‘Faith’ in urban regeneration? Engaging faith communities in urban regeneration Author (s) Farnell, R., Furbey, R., Shams Al-Haqq Hills, S., Macey, M. and Smith, G. Year 2002 Summary of content and publisher/weblink Explores the potential and difficulties of engagement in public life by faith communities in 4 urban areas in England. Contains recommendations for government and those working in urban regeneration in terms of working with faith communities. Published by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation http://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/files/jrf/jr138-faith-communities-regeneration.pdf

Title The Salt of the Earth: a report on the contribution of the churches to Glasgow’s renewal and regeneration Author (s) Glasgow Churches Action Year 2007 Summary of content and publisher/weblink A database of Christian church operated activities. Geared towards facilitating co-operation between churches and statutory agencies. Many facts and figures are provided on the types of activities churches engage in. Recommendations given for both churches and public sector.


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Title Tools for Regeneration: Practical Advice for Faith Communities Author (s) Faith Based Regeneration Network UK Year 2006 Summary of content and publisher/weblink An extensive guide for those in faith communities who are working in regeneration, covering aspects such as how to establish a community organisation or social enterprise, raising funds, community development, monitoring and evaluation and partnership working. Copies can be purchased from the FbRN website at http://www.fbrn.org.uk/fbrn-publications

Title Faith in Community Development Author (s) Community Development Exchange, Churches’ Community Work Alliance and Faith Based Regeneration Network UK Year 2005 Summary of content and publisher/weblink 4 page report on seminar held in March 2005 which focussed on faith groups and community development in England. Raises some of the issues and challenges faced by faith groups and community development professionals when working together http://www.ccwa.org.uk/v2/downloads/cms/1144164257.pdf

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Written by Faith in Community Scotland’s Transformation Team and the Scottish Community Development Centre as part of the Scottish Government Better Community Engagement Training Programme. January 2011