What the Faith-based Regeneration Network Does
The Network
FbRN UK network is 1,300 individuals and organisations that have registered an interest in what we do and regularly receive FbRN communications. There is no cost for this. The Network has members from all faiths and some who do not belong to a faith community, but are interested in the work of FbRN. Most of the FbRN members are in England, and spread over all regions; there are members in other parts of the UK and also in other countries. Many of the FbRN members are key points for other networks, and through them, the FbRN communications reach a further 8,500.
Email bulletins
The main means of communication with the Network is the Email bulletin which goes out every two to three weeks. This enables us to let members have up-to-date information on, public policy that may affect them, new resources and funding streams, job opportunities and forthcoming events.
Newsletters
The newsletter is produced in printed and electronic formats three times a year. It contains reflective pieces, ideas for good practice and news with a longer shelf life that that in the Email bulletin.
Website
The website, which has between 1,000 and 1,500 hits a month. It carries, good practice advice and work sheets, news and public policy information, profiles of examples of faith based community development, regeneration and social action, information on courses and other events, job opportunities.
Publications
‘Tools for Regeneration: Practical Advice for Faith Communities’ has sold 4,000 copies and is available to order from this website and also as a series of worksheets
Faiths and Frontiers on the Starship Social Enterprise; boldly going as faith based entrepreneurs? download pdf
Priceless, Unmeasurable? Faiths and Community Development in 21st century England download pdf
Keeping It Together: a reflective practice tool for faith based community development practitioners download pdf
Research
It is vital that good practice and public policy in relation to faith based community development, regeneration and social action are underpinned by a sound evidence base. FbRN has therefore a keen interest in research.
The FbRN Executive Director was a member of the research team which produced the Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2006 report, Faith as Social Capital: Connecting or Dividing? [INSERT LINK to resources section on the FbRN website]
With the Church Urban Fund, we researched the needs of faith representatives on key local public partnerships and produced a report, Faithful Representation, 2006. [INSERT LINK to the resources section on the FbRN website]
We produced two research reports (one on the scale and scope of faith based social action, the other on the role of regional forums of faiths) to assist the Department for Communities and Local Government in the development of its Framework for Inter Faith Dialogue and Social Action (Face to Face and Side by Side) in early 2008. download pdf
The FbRN Executive Director is a member of a number of research advisory groups including the Faiths and Civil Society Unit of Goldsmiths College Faith, Youth and Civil Society Network and the Third Sector Research Centre work stream on below the radar activity.
Seminars and Conferences
We aim to hold a national conference every two years. The March 2009 conference Joining up the Dots aimed to strengthen links between faith based organisations, Voluntary and Community Sector organisations providing resources and support for regeneration and social action, and government and private sector organisations. conference report
FbRN also organises seminars and workshops around the regions of England.
In 2006/7 we held 6 seminars on community development and 5 on social enterprise. In addition to information on policy, and workshops on skills, the 400 participants engaged in sessions which gained their opinions and comments on the needs of their organisations, and the effect of policy on them.
Work with Central Government
FbRN works with government departments in order to build bridges between policy makers and those working at community level. It has a particularly strong relationship with the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG), and is a member of the CLG Faith Communities Consultative Council. We are working with CLG and the LGA (Local Government Association) and other partners to revise the LGA Guidance on developing good working relationships with faith communities.
Regional Forums of Faiths
With the Inter Faith Network for the UK, we convene the English Regional Faith Forums Network. This brings together representatives of all the Regional Faith Forums to keep in touch with one another, exchange resources, share good practice and work together on issues of common concern. read more http://www.erffn.org.uk/
Partnerships and Coalitions
Much of FbRN’s work is done through partnerships and coalitions. We are members of the Community Sector Coalition, which is made up of national infra-structure organisations in the Community Sector. We also have very good working relationships with the Inter Faith Network for the UK, the Faiths and Civil Society Unit of Goldsmiths College, the National Council of Voluntary Organisations, the Regional Forums of Faiths and a number of local faith based organisations across England. The current FbRN Programme Faith Organisations Becoming Visible, is a partnership with Community Matters and Goldsmiths College.
Specific Programmes
Faith Organisations Becoming Visible is the current FbRN specific Programme. It will develop a quality assurance framework for faith based organisations engaged in community development, community cohesion, social action and community regeneration. It will take a tried and tested community sector tool and pilot it with faith based organisations. Research will be undertaken into the needs of faith based organisations in respect of quality assurance and the requirements of their partners, funders and commissioners. The learning and information from these approaches will be used to develop a new quality assurance framework which faith based organisations find appropriate and in which their potential partners can have confidence. read more
Signposting
FbRN is keen to ensure that faith based organisations use the resources and information available in the wider Voluntary and Community Sector, and signposts to this through its communications and also in response to individual enquiries. We also signpost people to the appropriate faith based organisation if they have a query that we cannot address.
Providing speakers or facilitators to other events
This is an average of 10 events a year. These are chosen strategically from the many requests we receive in order to deepen and broaden our reach most effectively, both in the faith sub-sector and more widely. In this way we are able to gain access to people and networks in other parts of the VCS and other sectors, many of whom would probably not attend a faith specific event. This is useful in informing them about the role of faith and hopefully assisting them in their engagement with faith groups, and also in us being informed by their views. Examples include: a workshop session at a staff ‘away day’ for NCVO; a workshop session at a Faiths Forum for London conference.
