Faiths in Action
The Faiths in Action programme aimed to empower women to build bridges in their communities by running interfaith events for 300 local people over two years. To this end, 73 women from diverse backgrounds received four days of training to work confidently with different faiths and opinions to build relationships and understanding. They ran 26 events for a total of 372 people in the community. Events were run on the themes of tackling unemployment, enjoying sport together, exploring faith with people recovering from mental health problems, meeting in a synagogue and exploring the relevance of light through a candle-lit meal.
The course was both a personal journey for participants and had a wider impact on the local community and inter-faith relations. It supported people to create new relationships and build bridges across difference, and gave people the opportunity to meet and work with others that they would not have previously mixed with. Furthermore the events run by our trainees have set an example of what is possible in the inter-faith community and have given confidence to women to run follow-up events. So there are now women "out there" who have the confidence, skills, vision and passion to promote and enable interfaith work - and the work of Conflict and Change in general. Women have realised how much they have in common rather than being frightened or put off by the differences between them.
Here is what one of our Faiths in Action trainees had to say about the programme:
“My key learning was seeing myself differently, and having a better awareness of how I communicate with other people. I’m more aware of how I use my voice in a conflict, how it can be used to increase or de-escalate a situation. I learnt how to make peace with my neighbours, how to better understand people who are different in my area. I’m more aware of how I can address issues in my every day life…more observant of my own self- my body language and how I communicate. I’m more aware of how I can use all these skills in my work. I’m more able to step into other people’s shoes, to be empathetic.
I never thought I could facilitate a group- to be honest I didn’t use to push myself forwards in a group- but I’ve gained the confidence to be able to facilitate a group, to bring other people out of themselves, to bring a group of people together.
There’s a lot to be learned about people from other cultures. I realised I need to
look at my own prejudices, my own assumptions, to look at myself and see new ways I can step out of the box and have more understanding of people from other cultures.
I have been using the skills with my Tuesday mum’s group. We organised an event on the day of the Royal Wedding, to get other members of the community together and make links. More than 80 people attended at different times of the day and it was a really lovely chilled out event, with people just chatting and getting to know each other. We used a couple of ice-breaking activities that we’d learned on the course and people really enjoyed themselves and they really broke down some of the barriers between people.
Since then we’ve had a stand at a fun-day event (promoting the group) and have held a swap-shop and bring and share events. Some of the group have really grown in confidence: Marie, for example, organised an evening session when I couldn’t be there. Taking part has really brought out their ideas and their skills.
I also use the skills I learnt in my work: I’m a Support Worker at Alternatives. I share what I have learnt with the parents there, and also network and use the contacts I have from C&C’s networking events and share those links and opportunities with the women I work with.”
