Section A: The organisations and groups within the partnership · Section B: Partnerships & Stories...
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c Section A: The organisations and groups within the partnership Lead applicant Name of Organisation: Welwyn Hatfield Interfaith Group (WHIFG) Type of Organisation: Registered Charity Contact details: Contact - Wendy Lidgate Email - [email protected] Phone - 07904 517384 Address - 23, Milton Road, Harpenden, AL5 5LA Summary of organisation: WHIFG was set up with help from the borough council a decade ago to bring people of many faiths together to work for social cohesion. The group is the leading partner supporting the Whisper project for resources for schools. WHIFG includes representatives from the synagogue, catholic and protestant churches, Quakers, local Muslim leader, Hindus, Bahai’s, SGI Buddhist, and local Sathya Sai and Focolare groups. Partner 1 Name of Organisation: Welwyn Garden City United Reformed Church Type of Organisation: Church Contact details: Contact - Joyce Nicolson Email - [email protected] Phone - 01707 8898044 Address - 4 Birchall Wood, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 2HL Summary of organisation: The purpose of this church is to shine with God’s love. Our congregation has been meeting in central WGC since 1921. Formerly the Free Church, our facilities are used by many community groups. Volunteer Joyce is the lay leader and we share our ordained minister, Rev Jane Weedon, with two other churches. They both sit on the project steering group, and employee Wendy Lidgate is seconded half-time to lead Whisper.
Transcript of Section A: The organisations and groups within the partnership · Section B: Partnerships & Stories...
cSectionA:Theorganisationsandgroupswithinthepartnership
Leadapplicant
NameofOrganisation: WelwynHatfieldInterfaithGroup(WHIFG)
TypeofOrganisation: RegisteredCharity
Contactdetails: Contact- WendyLidgate
Email- [email protected]
Phone- 07904517384Address- 23,MiltonRoad,Harpenden,AL55LA
Summaryoforganisation:
WHIFGwassetupwithhelpfromtheboroughcounciladecadeagotobringpeopleofmanyfaithstogethertoworkforsocialcohesion.ThegroupistheleadingpartnersupportingtheWhisperprojectforresourcesforschools.WHIFGincludesrepresentativesfromthesynagogue,catholicandprotestantchurches,Quakers,localMuslimleader,Hindus,Bahai’s,SGIBuddhist,andlocalSathyaSaiandFocolaregroups.
Partner1NameofOrganisation: WelwynGardenCityUnitedReformedChurch
TypeofOrganisation: Church
Contactdetails: Contact- JoyceNicolsonEmail- [email protected]
Phone- 017078898044
Address- 4BirchallWood,WelwynGardenCity,AL72HLSummaryoforganisation:
ThepurposeofthischurchistoshinewithGod’slove.OurcongregationhasbeenmeetingincentralWGCsince1921.FormerlytheFreeChurch,ourfacilitiesareusedbymanycommunitygroups.VolunteerJoyceisthelayleaderandweshareourordainedminister,RevJaneWeedon,withtwootherchurches.Theybothsitontheprojectsteeringgroup,andemployeeWendyLidgateissecondedhalf-timetoleadWhisper.
cSectionB:Partnerships&StoriesWhatthepartnershipisachievingandlearning
1. Yourpartnership’sprojectorinitiative.WelwynHatfieldInterfaithPeaceEducationResources-WHISPERAninterfaithprojectsowingseedsforpeaceandsocialcohesioninWelwynHatfield,encouragingpupilstoappreciatediversityandrespondwithcompassion.Ourfirstgoalistoprovideauthenticfaithvisitorsfromthe6majorreligionsto25primaryschools,supportingRE.Threevolunteersweretrainedinautumn2016andareenthusiasticallyreceivedbyclasses.Dina,aHindu,isaretiredcollegeteacher,CharllyisaChristianstudentfromoverseas,andSukhmanjitisanundergraduatewhousedtohelpatSikhkids’camps.5morevisitorsaretraining,butweneedatleast20.Oursecondgoalistosupportsecondaryschools,anddeveloplessonsandassembliesledbymulti-faithteamsonissuesofpeaceandjustice(includingevenmorediversity–Jains,Bahai’s,humanistsetc.)Ourthirdgoalistoofferopportunitiesforyoungpeopletoparticipateininterfaithdialogue.
2. Howdidyourpartnershipcomeaboutanddevelop?
WGCURC(formerlytheFreeChurch)wasafoundingmemberofourlocalInterfaithGroup(WHIFG).Overtheyears,leadersfromseveralfaithshadmadeschoolvisitsandthevisiongrewtomakethisapriorityand‘doitproperly’,especiallyasschoolREbudgetswerecutandprimaryteachersoftenlackRE-specifictraining.However,no-onehadthebandwidthtoco-ordinate.�WhenWHIFGgainedanAnglicanvolunteerfromtheFocolareCentreforUnity,PaulGateshill,theywerethrilledtodiscoverhewasaretiredREadvisorandhopegrew.In2013,agreeingthattheirministerwouldbesharedwithotherchurches,WGCURCdecidedtorecruitaChildren,YouthandFamiliesworker.Togainfundsforafull-timepost,theyexploredtappingintoURCinterfaithbursariesbesidesURCnationalfundsforChristianmission.MembersofWHIFGinterviewedschoolsin2014toconfirmtheneedfortheschoolswork,thepartnerswroteajointproposalfortheproject,andpartialfundingwassecured.WendyLidgate,aprojectmanagerandlayfamiliesministerwasemployedbyWGCURCin2015throughadditionalcontributionsfromthecongregation.Sheissecondedhalf-timetoleadWhisperandfindssomesynergybetweenthedualroles.
3. Impact.Pleasedescribewhatoutcomesyouareachieving,yourimpactorhowyouaremakingadifference.
Dinaspokeinassemblyaboutrespectforeveryone.ShebelievesweareallequalbeforeoneGodwhoisoverall.Afterwards,wereceived4thankyoulettersfrom10and11yearolds:“wereallyenjoyeditandlearntalot”“Youareafantasticrolemodeltoourschool”“Theaum(meditation)isagiftyoutaughtusforthefuture–whenwearefeelingdown”.Sukhmanjittellschildrennexttimetheyseesomeonedressedlikehim,torememberabouthonesty,sharingandpraying.InCharlly’stribalvillage,reachedbyriverboat,theydon’tbuyChristmaspresents.ChurchmembersshareChristmascarols,dancing,andfood,gatheringinadifferentlonghouseeverynight,andblessingthehostfamilywithprayers.The7yearoldswerefascinated!Charllyjokesthatifhelaydownintheriverhisbigtummywouldmakeanewisland…Wearechallengingstereotypesandhelpingchildrenacceptpeoplewholookandthinkdifferently.WeinvitedlocalteacherstocomewithustoWGCsynagogueafterschoolandsomeofthemhavesincetakenclassestovisitthereforthefirsttime.Oneschoolusedoursuggestion(agreedinadvancewiththesynagogue)ofhiringacoachforthewholedaysotheycouldferry4classesoverseparately,makingitcosteffective.Longerterm,weaimtoseemoreyoungpeoplefiredupwithcompassiontoworkforequality,peaceandjustice.
4. Howpartnershipworkingishelpingyoutoachievemore.Weaimtomobilise20newfaithvisitors,fromallmajorreligions,toaugmenttheexistingschoolsworkdonebyafewfaithleadersinthearea.Thiswillhelpschoolswhichstruggletomaketheirowncontactsacrossallfaiths,soallchildrencanmeetpeoplefromdifferentfaithsasrecommendedinHertsREcurriculum.Childrenwillmeetawiderangeofordinarypeoplepracticingfaith–notjusttheprofessionals(clergyetc.)��
Besidesreachingmorechildrenwithvisitsfrommorefaiths,wehaveworkedwithHertsSACRE(countyREcommittee)tounderstandtheircurriculum,do’sanddon’ts,anddevelopourtrainingprogramme.LongstandingmembersofWHIFGhavesaidthisisraisingthequalityofschoolvisits,andourfeedbackquestionnaireisshowinghighscoresfromteachers.Ourprojectco-ordinatorhastimetonetwork,attendingSACRE,SARRETTteachersREnetwork(inStAlbans),andWelwynHatfieldCouncilyouthmeeting.ShealsomeetsregularlywithotherChristianyouthandchildrenworkers.Throughnetworkingwearetakingupnewopportunities.Forexample,wedesignedastallforHertsUniversityfreshers’fairwhichprovedagreatopportunityforourmulti-faithWHIFGteamtospeakwithstudents.NowthesamestallwillhelpuscontributetoWelwynHatfieldCouncil’scareersandwellbeingfairfor14yearoldsinMarch.TheCouncilalsoagreedforustohostaPeaceRoomattheeventborrowingequipmentfromSTEPChristianyouthprojectinStAlbans.
5. Howyouaremakingsurethatthepartnershipisworkingeffectively.
Oursteeringteammeetstermlytoworktogetheronissuesaffectingtheproject,withsomemeetingsbetweenPaul(chairperson)andWendy(projectco-ordinator)betweentimes.Theteamisbalancedbetweenthepartners,withPaulandtwootherWHIFGmembers,thechurchsecretaryandminister,andtheco-ordinatorwhosewrittenreportiscopiedtothechurchelderswhoshareresponsibilityforheremployment.Bi-monthly,itdetailsallactivityintheproject,plusallthechurchwork.Ifattimesthereismoreworkontheproject,everyonecanseeothertimeswhenthechurchworktakespriority.Networkingclearlyadvancesbothsidesofthepartnership,andeveryonecanseethatsynergy.Attheoutset,teammembersexpressedarangeofdifferentaspirationssoweheldalongworkshoplisteningtoeachother.WethenconsultedwithWHIFGandchurchmemberstobesureofwidesupportwithinbothpartnerorganisationsforourfinalprojectbrief.Withlotsofunknowns,westartedbyresearchinginterfaithyouthworkinotherplacesanddeliberatedtogetherbeforeagreeingourinitialplan.Regularnewstoourstakeholdershasbeenimportant.WHIFGmonthlymeetingswelcomeashortbulletinfromtheproject,asdochurchmeetings.Therearenosecrets!Withteachersandparentsinmind,wehavedevelopedatermlyWhispernewsletterandblog.Inallthis,relationshipsarekey,andwehostedtheannualWHIFGbarbecue,andafund-raisingcoffeemorningatthechurchlastyeartobringmoremembersofourpartnerorganisationstogether.
6. Whatyouarelearningfromeachother.
Whilsttheprojectco-ordinatorwasnetworkingtolayfoundationsforprojectsuccess,thechurchwasgettingimpatientforearlyactioninschools!Buttheysoonrealisedthevalueofnetworking.WhentheyemployedaMissionCo-ordinator6monthslater,theyencouragedhertonetworktoo.ThishasledtoparticipationintheDomesticAbuseforum,andbringingtheirexperiencetobearinourchurchwork.WHIFGhavebeenabletoconsiderwhenaprojectisnotviableafterdiscussingtheirLonelinessProjectformonthsandmonthswithoutmakingmuchprogress.BycomparisonwithWhisper,theyagreedthatthelackofclaritypointedtowardsclosingthetopicandtakingforwardtheirlearningasindividualsinstead.Thetimeandenergysavedisbeingusedtolaunchmoredo-ableinitiativesincludinganinterfaithartfestival.Wehaveallseenthevalueoftalkingthingsoutindetailbeforemovingtoaction,especiallyconsideringtheculturalbarriersweneedtocrossatWHIFG.Ittookmonthstostartthepartnership,andthreemonthstodeveloptheprojectbrief,butwitheveryoneclearabouttheobjectivesandapproachwehaveprogressedsteadilyfromthenon.
