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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.