Faith in Partnership Week 2024
9th - 13th September 2024
Here at FaithAction, we believe that strong cross-sector partnerships between faith groups and statutory bodies have immense potential to drive and sustain change for the vulnerable and marginalised. However, work in this space is still in its infancy.
For this reason, we began to host an annual Faith in Partnership week to celebrate cross-sector work taking place in the UK at a local and national level and to encourage its expansion.
For Faith in Partnership Week 2024 we held a series of in-person and online events to bring together faith groups, statutory body representatives, local authority representatives, parliamentarians and others to highlight some of the fantastic work being done as part of this collaboration. You can read more about our events below.
However, this work doesn’t end with #FaithinPartnership Week. Across the year faith groups and statutory bodies will continue to develop relationships and finding and developing ways to work in this collaborative way. And we want to hear about it!
Please continue to let us know what you’re up to via social media using our hashtags! Or get in touch with the team – [email protected]
Events
There is a lot to consider - very thought-provoking points raised. I am excited to see what this important campaign will bring. As Wendy mentioned - “equity is a matter of justice” - and this is well overdue!
"I am determined to maintain an open door policy and listen, I want to engage with as many Faith leaders as possible - faith based organisations play a vital role in communities, providing support to people of all faiths and none."
Monday 9th September 2024
Faith for a Safe Start: How faith communities can partner with health systems to reduce inequalities in pregnancy and maternity
On Monday, we held a panel discussion with a specially selected audience to explore the role of faith communities in working in partnership with the NHS and other stakeholders to address persistent inequalities in maternal health outcomes for women from black and minority ethnic communities.
The event was cchaired by Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally with contributions from a national perspective, including Wendy Olayiwola, National Maternity Lead for Equality at NHS England, as well as insight from people with lived experience and grassroots projects addressing inequalities.
Tuesday 10th September 2024
Faith Covenant Forum
Our termly Faith Covenant Forum returned to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the first Faith Covenant, signed by Birmingham City Council. We were joined by representatives from our 32 Faith Covenant areas, as well as others from areas looking to sign a Covenant.
Our discussions covered the results of FaithAction’s ‘What Matters to Us’ survey, run during the election campaign to gather thoughts from members of the faith community around the priorities for the new government, and the successes of the last 10 years of the Faith Covenant, including asking our attendees to think about what they would like to see for their Covenant going forward.
Wednesday 11th September 2024
Faith for the Future: A Breakfast Reception
On Wednesday we hosted a breakfast reception celebrating Faith in Partnership and 10 years of the Faith Covenant.
Featuring Lord Khan, Minister for Faith, our event looked at the importance of partnership working, looked at how it has been successful in our Covenant areas, and also how collaboration between faith groups and statutory bodies can make use of the trust built up by faith groups within their local communities.
Get involved
Share a story
Know a good story about partnership working between faith and statutory bodies in your area? Want support with kickstarting partnership working in your area? Or just want to talk to us about Faith in Partnership? Drop us a line using this form!
Download our branding kit
Looking to run your own events during Faith in Partnership week? We have some handy templates, including our official logo for this year’s Faith in Partnership week theme, Faith for the Future!
#FaithinPartnership Week 2023
See some of the things we got up to during Faith in Partnership 2023!
Events
The Impact of Partnership Working: Lessons learned from a three-part evaluation of faith-public partnerships
Coventry University recently evaluated three innovative projects delivered by faith groups with national government and local authorities. To explore their findings, we held an online discussion about the impact and lessons learned.
Faith and Society: Opportunities and challenges for cross-sector partnership in Britain
We held an online discussion with expert theorists, policymakers, and practitioners on the opportunities and challenges for faith-public partnerships in the UK. Featuring Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP and Prof Jim McManus and panellists including Prof Jagbir Jhutti-Johal.
West Midlands Combined Authority Faith Covenant Signing
The West Midlands Combined Authority became the first combined authority to sign the Faith Covenant. This signing event and subsequent work aims to both celebrate and catalyse partnership working across the region.
Videos
Making a difference
Collaboration turbo-charged
Faith communities and the climate emergency
In this guest blog, Nadia Khan of Brent Council explains why its vital for local authorities to involve faith groups in their climate change response.
Cafe Connect: Welcoming New Arrivals from Hong Kong
We have been thrilled to see Café Connect groups launch in three regions of the UK to welcome Hong Kongers into the UK, by providing a place to practise conversational English, make friends, meet local people, find out about systems and services and learn about UK history and culture.
Celebrating the Faith Health Action Partnership
Around 50 attendees gathered in Christ Apostolic Church in Tower Hamlets to celebrate the achievements of the Faith Health Action Partnership project (FHAP).
Creative English for Health stories of impact: “I like it because it helps my life”
Creative English for Health has been delivered over the past year in Birmingham, funded by Birmingham City Council. Here are some stories which show some of the elements that make it work and their impacts.
Working in partnership
Tower Hamlets Social Prescribing Champions
Tackling food poverty together in Southampton
Café Connect
Tower Hamlets Faith Health Action Partnership
Creative English for Health
Reports and evaluation
Inclusive social prescribing and system transformation
These reports highlight the challenges and innovations of partnership working between faith groups and the health and care system.
Keeping the Faith
These reports look at collaboration between local authorities and faith groups during COVID-19, the effect that the pandemic has had on partnership working, and recommendations for the future.
Café Connect evaluation
An evaluation of the Café Connect programme carried out by Dr Dan Range.
Tower Hamlets Faith Health Action Partnership evaluation
An evaluation of the Faith Health Action Partnership in Tower Hamlets carried out by Dr Dan Range.
Creative English for Health, Birmingham evaluation
An evaluation of the Creative English for Health programme funded by the Public Health Team of Birmingham Council, carried out by Dr Dan Range and Florence Gildea.
#FaithinPartnership Week 2022
See some of the things we got up to during Faith in Partnership 2022!
Launch of The Faith Covenant: What, Why, How
The Faith Covenant, developed by the APPG for Faith and Society, is designed to facilitate partnership and understanding between faith communities and local authorities. It’s a set of principles for joint working to which both parties can mutually agree.
This document is a primer for anyone (whether in a local authority or a faith organisation) interested in the Faith Covenant. It contains case studies, top tips, core principles, and first steps on the journey to signing.
24 local authorities have now signed up to the Covenant, and we’ve seen some excellent examples of strategic projects and initiatives sitting underneath these agreements – especially during the pandemic. Could the next Covenant signatory area be yours?
Launch of Keeping the Faith 2.0
This research, led by Professor Chris Baker of Goldsmiths, University of London, builds on 2020’s Keeping the Faith, looks at the extent to which COVID-19 has changed the nature of partnership working between faith groups and local authorities and what this means for post-pandemic Britain.
Keeping the Faith 2.0 was launched in Westminster on Wednesday 7th September, with an exciting line-up of speakers including Paul Scully MP, Minister of State for Local Government, Faith and Communities, and a panel discussion chaired by Sir Stephen Timms MP.
Launch of First In, Last Out
This report looks specifically at how faith groups supported and partnered with NHS services during the pandemic, and what this means for the future of health and care partnerships.
Last year, we were asked by NHS England to research and report on the role played by faith-based organisations during the pandemic, and how this might be built upon as Integrated Care Systems develop strategies for engagement.
Our surveys, roundtables, and interviews revealed a huge amount of encouraging partnership work has happened these past two years; we believe this activity can form the foundation for a new way of operating for local health and care systems, where faith groups are valued and trusted and are a strategic part of planning for integrated care.
