Strategic Plan 2011-14

The Faith Based Regeneration Network is the leading national multi-faith network for faith based community development, regeneration and social action. It was set up in 2002 by practitioners from the nine major faiths in the UK, who had found meeting together valuable for sharing ideas and communicating with government.

Section 1 About FbRN
1.1 Vision Statement

FbRN’s vision is of all faith communities participating fully in civic life at local, regional and national levels. It believes that this is necessary for civic life and civil society to prosper.

1.2 Mission Statement

FbRN’s mission is to enable and facilitate the active participation of faith based organisations in community development, regeneration and social action and to build their capacity to engage in civil society. 

1.3 Aims

FbRN aims to:

  • Assist faith based organisations to build the skills and capacity they need for effective locally based social action
  • Identify and help develop good practice in faith based social action so that local practitioners can replicate and adapt it in their own contexts
  • Facilitate contact and communication between practitioners in local faith communities and those who make and implement public policy, so that policy encourages and assists the development of effective social action 

1.4 Values and Principles

The values underpinning FbRN are:

  • Faith and loving kindness
  • Promoting social justice
  • Service to the community
  • Integrity
  • A commitment to be ethical
  • Equity and equal opportunities
  • To include all faiths in a sensitive but assertive manner
  • A commitment to practice and model our values in our work and actions 

1.5 Achievements

In 2009-10 FbRN had a direct membership of 1,300 individuals and organisations operating in communities, and through them reached a further 9,000.

Its well visited website offers: good practice advice and worksheets; stories and examples of faith based social action across a wide range of faiths; news; policy information; job vacancies; notification of events; signposts to other reliable resources. The newsletter, sent about every three weeks, complements the website.

The popular Tools for Regeneration: Practical Advice for Faith Communities, has been made into a series of worksheets on the website; new sections have also been added. A further good practice publication Practical Spirit: interactive project development for faith based organisations involved in social action, accompanied by video clips was produced in 2010.

FbRN has organised seminars, for example a series on faiths and social enterprise, and faith and community development, from which three further publications were developed: Faiths and Frontiers on the Starship Social Enterprise – boldly going as faith based entrepreneurs; Keeping It Together – a reflective practice tool; Priceless, Unmeasurable? faiths and community development in 21st century England.

National conferences include: 2009, ‘Joining up the Dots’, aimed to facilitate joined up working between faith based social action organisations and the wider voluntary and community sector; 2010, ‘Faiths, Social Action and Big Society’, at which faith based social action organisations engaged with this new policy concept and worked together on what it might mean for them and how they would engage with it.

In its ‘Faith Organisations Becoming Visible Programme’, the Faith Based Regeneration Network is working with the highly regarded Community Sector organisation Community Matters, the Church Urban Fund and the Faith and Civil Society Unit of Goldsmiths, University of London to develop a quality assurance framework for faith based organisations. This will build on the VISIBLE framework which Community Matters has been using for some years. VISIBLE is endorsed by the Charity Commission, the Local Government Association and the Office of the Third Sector. It has had a good take-up with small and medium sized community organisations, but as yet has not been much used by faith based organisations. The purpose of the project is to ensure that VISIBLE can be used effectively by faith based organisations, thus raising their profile among other community providers and agencies. As part of the process, we will be piloting the quality assurance framework with seven faith based organisations. This is an eighteen month Programme.

FbRN is a strategic partner of the Department for Communities and Local Government. It has been an active and engaged member of the government’s Faith Communities Consultative Council, convened by DCLG. FbRN produced a research report for DCLG to assist in developing its Framework for Partnership in Our Multi Faith Society, Face to Face and Side by Side, published in 2008. In 2009, FbRN produced a display of faith based social action for the first national Inter Faith Week.

As part of a group convened by DCLG and including the Local Government Association and the Inter Faith Network for the UK, FbRN has been assisting in the refreshing of the 2002 LGA guidelines for local authorities in working with faith groups, Faith and Community.

An important part of the framework of Face to Face and Side by Side was the development of regional forums of faiths. FBRN, in partnership with the inter Faith Network for the UK, convened meetings of the regional forums of faiths which became the English Regions Faiths Forums Network. ERFFN is a valuable opportunity for RFFs to keep in touch with each other, exchange resources, share good practice and work together on issues of common concern.

1.6 Current Structure and Governance

FbRN is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. It has an office base in Islington, London and has three part-time core staff, Executive Director, Finance Officer and Network Officer. It runs a quality assurance Programme Faith Organisations becoming VISIBLE, which employs two part-time members of staff, a Programme Manager and a Research Officer. FbRN is managed by the Executive Director who is responsible to the Board of Trustees, and who, between Board Meetings works with the Chair of Trustees. Other officers of the Board include, Treasurer and Vice-Chair.

Trustees of FbRN are drawn from the nine faith traditions identified as the main traditions in the UK: Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Zoroastrian. The Trustees have an involvement or an interest in faith based community development, regeneration or social action. While they do not represent their faith traditions, having a diverse Trustee body that is representative of the communities and organisations FbRN serves, enables FbRN to plan and implement its programmes in a way that is sensitive to their needs and in tune with their values and aspirations.

1.7 Modes of Operation

FbRN has a unique position which enables it to serve and articulate the needs of faith based organisations. It does this most effectively in partnership with a wide range of other civil society and public sector organisations.

FbRN considers that the scale and scope of faith based social action is very great and the needs of FBOs are very diverse. It therefore welcomes other organisations seeking to work in similar fields and seeks to work cooperatively with them to maximise the effective use of resources.

Section 2 Main priorities for 2011

 2.1 The Current Context and Priorities

This Plan is being written at a time of rapid and significant change in the context in which FbRN and the constituency it seeks to serve operates. The economic crisis, the substantial cuts in public spending, and the agenda of the Coalition Government are having profound effects on the Voluntary and Community Sector and wider civil society. Because of the uncertainty this gives rise to, it is difficult to plan in detail. This Plan sets out some of the long term guiding principles and values for FbRN and attempts to identify what the main priorities will be in the more immediate future.

 2.2 Extending the reach of FbRN

FbRN will be pro-active in extending its reach to areas where it has the potential to make a positive contribution to faith based social action, but where it is not yet known.

2.3 To further develop the sustainability of FbRN by moving towards a higher proportion of generated income in relation to grants.

This will be directly connected to the vision and aims of FbRN.
Until 2010, the only charges that FbRN made were for conferences, seminars and some publications. All of its other services were free to local faith based organisations (FBOs). The funding context which made this possible has changed. In 2011 and 2012 a range of strategies will be employed to move FbRN to an enterprise model which will embody the vision and aims of FbRN, ensuring that local FBOs continue to benefit from FbRN’s expertise and experience.

2.4 To assist government and other key funders in understanding the role, potential and needs of faith based organisations engaged in social action

For faith based social action to flourish and be effective at local level, public policy that affects it should be designed with an understanding of how FBOs work.

2.5 To help equip faith based organisations to be more effective in their social action role

With the ideas of the Coalition Government about Big Society come opportunities for faith based organisations to play important roles in delivering services and providing benefit for the communities in which they are set. FbRN will help to build their capacity for these roles by providing information and advice, and by helping to develop and promote good practice. There are also potential difficulties and drawbacks associated with Big Society. FbRN will strive to ensure that faith based organisations are aware of these and can reflect effectively on their implication in order to make informed decisions.

2.6 To build partnerships and alliances in order to meet these needs in the most effective, efficient and sustainable manner

FbRN has always been keen to work in partnership, particularly with VCS national support bodies, for example through the ‘Faith Organisations Becoming VISIBLE’ Programme’. In the current context, these types of partnership are even more important to maximise scarce resources and ensure that faith based organisations are benefiting from the best possible expertise.

Section 3 Work Programme April 2011 – March 2012

3.1 Moving towards a sustainable financial model which generates
income from services

The following will be explored:

3.2.1 Local FBOs paying for some FbRN services

FbRN will develop its ‘offer’ to local FBOs so that they will be able to take advantage of new sources of funding, for example the bursary fund being proposed by the Office for Civil Society. The services that will be offered include:

  • advice on setting up a faith based social action organisation, applying for funding, employing staff, good governance, working in partnerships, embodying faith values in a social action project
  • services tailored to faith based social enterprises; this will be done in partnership with other organisations in the wider VCS
  • FbRN will scope out the potential for a help-line that could be conducted by email, through the website, and by phone.

3.2.2 Assisting local FBOs to access grants to pay for services

The FbRN programme to establish a quality assurance standard, VISIBLE, requires a contribution from the seven pilot organisations which are participating. This contribution is paid for by grants to the individual pilot organisations from the Church Urban Fund (CUF). FbRN negotiated these grants with CUF. This is one model which we intend to replicate: that is, FbRN offers a service which local FBOs need and assists them in accessing the funds to pay for it.

FbRN knowledge of funding regimes will also be used to tailor services offered so that they meet the requirements of specific programmes, for example the proposed Office for Civil Society Bursary Fund (as above). FbRN would then offer the service to local FBOs along with the information about the appropriate fund. It may also be possible to assist the FBO to draw up the application.

3.2.3 Income from consortia delivering programmes in the wider VCS

FbRN is part of the consortium that will deliver the National Community Organisers Programme. While this will not involve FBOs themselves paying, it will provide FbRN with a stream of income for the delivery of services that will benefit local FBOs.

3.2.4 Conferencing and workshops

FbRN has experience of delivering successful conferences and skills workshops, and has brought in a mix of funding for these events. In keeping with its mission and aims, FbRN will deliver conferences and workshops in partnership with local and regional organisations. These will not only benefit local FBOs, but also act as a form of income for FbRN and the local organisation.

3.2.5 Publications

FbRN will continue to produce high quality publications that assist local FBOs, in hard copy and on the website. FbRN will scope out the potential for charging for access to some of its material on line, balancing this against the needs of the smaller, less well resourced FBOs.

3.3 Extending and improving contacts with faith communities

FbRN has a good reputation among, and good links with, a number of national faith institutions. In 2011/12 it will seek meetings with people who have access to key networks in the following communities, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh, in order to develop the FbRN offer to their constituency, and establish ways of connecting with the organisations that serve those communities.

FbRN has very good existing links into the numerically smaller communities of the Baha’i, Buddhist, Jain and Zoroastrian faiths through its Trustees. Therefore in 2011 it will concentrate on the groups listed above.

3.4 Identifying the needs of faith based organisations engaged in social action in the current, rapidly changing context

It is essential that all our work is based on evidence. FbRN has developed a good rapport with its constituency and an understanding of its needs and concerns. In 2011 this will be augmented by research, including a questionnaire to all those on the FbRN data-base, that will give a greater depth and clarity to underpin FbRN’s ongoing work.

3.5 Faith Organisations Becoming VISIBLE

For faith based organisations delivering social action to take their place in a robust Voluntary and Community Sector, and take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Big Society, they need to demonstrate the quality of what they do.

FbRN is working with the national support organisation, Community Matters, to test out their robust and comprehensive quality assurance tool, VISIBLE, (endorsed by the Office for Civil Society and the Charity Commission) with faith based organisations. Another key partner is the Faiths and Civil Society Unit of Goldsmiths, University of London. Goldsmiths is providing robust research alongside the Programme and also a connection with the Third Sector Research Centre.

The results of the Programe will be:

  • The VISIBLE quality assurance process will become more accessible to faith based organisations
  • FBOs will see a tool from the wider Community Sector as relevant and will more readily access the rich resources in the rest of the Sector
  • A Community Sector infrastructure body will have increased its capacity and skills in working with FBOs
  • Other partners, for example local authorities, and funders will have a means for assessing the effectiveness of FBOs that will help dispel some of the myths that sometimes prevent FBOs accessing resources and engaging in partnerships.

The VISIBLE Programme will run until the end of September 2011.

3.6 Raising the profile and improving communications

3.6.1 New aspects of the communications strategy

FbRN will

  • contact the faith press with articles on current topics of interest that illustrate what FbRN can offer to their readers
  • use social networking, for example, Twitter, to develop the profile

3.6.2 Newsletter

In 2009 FbRN decided to focus on its email newsletter as its primary means of communication. This will continue to be sent out every 2 to 3 weeks. In 2009 it reached over 10,000 individuals and groups. At the beginning of 2011, FbRN was getting reports of many groups closing because of cuts, including some which sent on the newsletter to their members. It is therefore not possible to set a realistic target for extending reach in 2011/12. The situation will be monitored and necessary action taken to maintain as wide and deep a circulation as possible.

3.6.3 Website

FbRN’s website will be developed so that it can become one of the tools enabling FbRN to generate income by offering specialist services. However, it will still maintain an openly accessible website with information, encouraging examples of faith based social action, jobs and policy and funding information.

3.6.4 Publications

Practical Spirit, FbRN’s interactive resource, proved very popular and useful to local groups. FbRN will continue to pro-actively seek opportunities to produce publications that are in keeping with its vision and further its aims. These may be funded by an upfront grant, as in the case of Practical Spirit, or by commissioning or sales, as in the case of the second edition of Tools for Regeneration.

3.7 Conferences/seminars/workshops/training

FbRN will continue to run conferences, seminars, workshops and training either as specific FbRN events, or in partnership with other organisations. It has been particularly effective in furthering its aims, with minimum resource implication, through conducting workshops at events run by other organisations. This will continue to be an important part of the strategy.

3.8 Working with Government

For faith based social action to flourish and be effective at local level, public policy that affects it should be designed with an understanding of how FBOs work. FbRN carries the voice of grass roots FBOs engaged in social action to policy arenas. Up to May 2010 this included the Government’s Faith Communities Consultative Council, the Executive Director being a member of the panel of advisers on faith to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, working with CLG and LGA to refresh the guidance for local authorities engaging with faith communities, and assisting DCLG in producing a conference on faith based social action in March 2010. Since May 2010, FbRN has worked cooperatively with DCLG to produce a resource for faith based social action, Practical Spirit, which was launched by the Communities Minister in Inter Faith Week 2010.

It is not yet clear what, if any, more structured ways of engaging with the Coalition Government will emerge. FbRN will continue to position itself to be well placed and equipped to make an effective contribution as and when such structures emerge. It will also continue to explore and use less formal ways of helping the development of a policy environment conducive to the role of faith based social action. This will include making contacts in the Office for Civil Society and other relevant government departments. 

3.9 English Regions Faiths Forum Network

FbRN has supported the English Regions Forums of Faiths. We produced a report on the role of the RFFs for DCLG in the planning of their framework for partnership in our multi faith society in 2009. FbRN co-facilitates the English Regions Faiths Forum Network, with IFN.

DCLG did fund capacity building and a funding programme for RFFs. In the new political realities of the Coalition Government’s policy of moving away from regional structures of governance, central government funding for RFFs has been cut completely.

While supporting RFFs and arguing for their continued usefulness in relation to Big Society, FbRN needs to be prepared to change its own practices to take account of the scenario from April 2011 onwards. This is in order to ensure that FBOs at the local level do not miss out because their RFF is no longer active.

FbRN will continue to work energetically with RFFs where they continue to offer a node of engagement with local groups. It will also review the situation in April 2011 with a view to identifying means of improving its engagement with local FBOs in those areas no longer served by an effective RFF. 

3.10 Partnership programmes

FbRN will engage in partnerships that assist it in taking forward its vision and mission. These will have their own budgets and will also contribute to the core running costs of FbRN. Partnership programmes for 2011-12 include:

Community Organisers Programme – FbRN is a network partner in the delivery of this Office for Civil Society Programme. It is a four year Programme. Initially, FbRN will be paid a fixed fee for advice, publicity and helping to extend reach. The subsequent role and payment will be negotiated between April and November 2011.

3.11 Evaluation

FbRN will need to evaluate its activity. By the end of March 2012, Trustees will agree an evaluation programme to take effect in 2012-13.