Muslim Community Reference Group

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Following a series of workshops from July to October 2009, Faith Associates facilitated the creation and development of the Muslim Community Reference Group (MCRG) in partnership with the Peterborough Muslims.

These workshop sessions were attended by a wide cross section of the local community which included: Mosques, women activist groups, senior citizens and other community groups. The formation of the MCRG came about consensually from all those that attended these sessions.

The terms of the reference of the MCRG included:  

• To be a united platform for the Muslim voice in the community.
• To reflect views of the Muslim community at local, regional and national level.
• To foster better community relations and work for the good of Peterborough as a whole.

Three priority themes for action were agreed as the following: 

• Education:  To raise educational achievement aspirations and training opportunities for all.
• Capacity Building:  To develop skills and expertise of community groups for wider empowerment.
• Communications:  To promote a positive message of Islam and the contribution of the local Muslim Community in the wider Peterborough context.

Education  

The Education working group organised and ran a Parenting Conference, the aim of which was to explore parental contribution to their children’s education. This conference was attended by over 120 people, including both parents and young people. Dr Musharraf Hussain of the Karimia institute was one of the keynote speakers, who spoke about the ‘needs of our children in relation to madrassah education’ within a UK context.

Capacity Building

The Capacity Building working group held a series of taster sessions with 3 local mosques on the ‘Essentials for a Mosque Trustee’. The key aim from these sessions was to understand how best to increase management skills within institutions. The topics covered included ‘Mosque’s legal rights and responsibilities’ and ‘protecting yourself and the worshipper’.

Communication

The Communication working group worked on a series of initiatives aimed at promoting positive Islam and promoting the contribution of the Peterborough Muslim community to the wider society. The initiatives included the creation of a Radio Project run by young people and a Media Skills training workshop aimed at running positive media campaigns.

For more information and advice in the area of communication development, contact Faith Associates on info@faithassociates.co.uk or call us on +44 (0) 1494 416202.