About the Forum
The Forum is core funded through the Voluntary and Community Unit (VCU) of the Department for Social Development (DSD). The Forum’s work is administered by the Churches’ Community Work Alliance NI, and overseen by Eddie McDowell, CCWA Director, on behalf of a steering group consisting of members of CCWA’s management committee. Rob Fairmichael took up the post of (part-time) Co-ordinator of the Community Faiths’ Forum in May 2010.
Members
Rev Tim Bartlett, Rev Robert Beckett, Rabbi Menachem Brackman, Rev Colin Campbell, Ms Aileen Coney, Mr Lindsay Conway, Pastor Alain Emerson, Ms Jean Gibson, Mr Edwin Graham, Ms Lindsey Holley, Rev Richard Johnston, Mr Cliff Kennedy, Mr Russell McCaughey (Co-chair), Rev David McClay, Mr Cyril McElhinney, Janette McKnight, Sheikh Anwar Mady, Fr Martin Magill, Rev Dr Gary Mason, Pastor Malcolm Morgan, Rev John Peacock, Ms Nicola Rooney, Mr Gopi Sharma, Rev Bill Shaw (Co-chair), Mr J P Singh, Rev Earl Storey, Pastor Jeff Wright.
In attendance: Rob Fairmichael (CFF coordinator), Eddie McDowell (CCWA Director).
Briefing
There is a long tradition of Faith-based Organisations (FBO’s) within the Voluntary and Community Sector. The Department of Social Development (DSD) Voluntary and Community Unit (VCU) has been engaging in an ad-hoc way with Churches and FBO’s over the last number of years. It has provided regional core funding to CCWA since 2003 to support this work.
The Inter-Departmental taskforce report on Protestant working class communities (April 2006) identified and reported on the potential of Church communities and FBO’s for doing much more to meet the needs of those in disadvantaged communities.
In addition, UK research shows that faith groups have a wide involvement in social concern and:
- make a multi-faceted contribution to individual and community wellbeing
- are strongest where social need is highest
- reach parts of society that other groups struggle to connect with
- are rooted in their local communities
- provide a level of continuity and sustained support
- are largely self-financing
- have the ability to stimulate high levels of volunteering.
- generate local trust, commitment and financial or in-kind resources
As a result of such a contribution, VCU has been interested in exploring how faith groups could further support and assist DSD in carrying out its mission of “Together, tackling disadvantage, building communities” throughout Northern Ireland and, in particular, areas of deprivation.
In light of this, and in keeping with other UK and Irish Government and Faith initiatives, DSD has invited CCWA to facilitate the initial setting up of a pilot Northern Ireland Community Faiths’ Forum looking to progress this possibility.
The business of the Community Faiths’ Forum will be ‘Faith’ working in and for the ‘Local Community’. Thus, the Forum will
- Provide opportunity for FBOs to raise concerns and advise on issues emerging at grass roots directly with Government officials
- Offer a way for the Department for Social Development, and other Government departments, to collaborate with Churches and FBOs as important and effective social partners
- Share learning and best practice about the contribution made by faith groups in Northern Ireland, particularly in traditionally hard-to-reach communities and in new emerging minority communities
- Facilitate Faith communities in identifying ways they can be more effective in meeting the needs of the disadvantaged, marginalised and excluded people in their local community
By way of actual work, it is envisaged the Community Faiths’ Forum will engage in
- Member Support
- Policy Dialogue
- Network Development
- Advocacy and Campaigning
- Research and Dissemination
- Resource Development
The Community Faiths’ Forum is designed to be a forum for discussion of social and community issues. It includes five experienced individuals from the Baha’i, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh religions alongside just over twenty members drawn from various Christian traditions. Social issues such as poverty, housing, Shared Future and volunteering, and community engagement will always be the primary items on the agenda for discussion and this will have relevance for the entire community and for all faith groups who seek to help disadvantaged, excluded or marginalised people in local communities.
One of the additional objectives of the pilot Community Faiths’ Forum will be to test and make the case for a more permanent Community Faiths’ Forum. This initial pilot phase is scheduled to run for over 2 years up to end of March 2012. It is considered likely that a more permanent Faith Forum will be utilised by other Government Departments and public bodies for consultative and communication purposes, thus strengthening its capacity to speak for faith communities into the very heart of Government here in Northern Ireland.