With the unfortunate rise in the global COVID-19 pandemic, below are a list of questions and ideas Mosque trustees and management committees should be considering:
1. Do you have an emergency plan which:
- Sets out the potential risks and explores different scenarios (Impact of full closure of Mosque, Ghusal of COVID-19 body & Janazah prayer etc..)
- Response to managing these risks
- Giving authority to staff or individual trustees to make key tactical decisions quickly
- Setting out a clear line of authority and decision making in the case of certain Mosque trustee absence
2. Look at the age profile of your Mosque trustees, If over 65’s are isolated do you have contingency in your leadership or operations team to make and execute decisions. How might this impact on, liaising with council/Police/Hospitals, coordinating Funeral prayers, liasing with staff, audits and filing deadlines as well as meetings such as board meetings and scheduled AGM’s
3. If the Mosque is closed can you refocus efforts and activities, in line with your charitable purposes, to respond to coronavirus? E.g. – Getting Madrassah, Dars, counselling services online. Making foodbanks mobile, collecting Zakat and managing distribution locally
4. Which other Mosques can you partner with locally to build teams to help with E.g. Ghusal and Burial services (accommodate multiple Janaza in one place), liasion with Council Officals/MP’s/Police with a united voice (work through council for Mosques if you have them), Share decreased storage facilities (You may need to pool resources to hire storage facilities for C-19 fatalities, especially if burial grounds cannot be prepared in time), Share food bank resources?
5. What extra flexibility or support might employees (Imams & Madrassah teachers), volunteers and beneficiaries need at this time and how can you communicate with them remotely? Again, look at online options
6. What immediate actions do you need to take to manage your Mosque finances, look at your restricted and unrestricted funds – considering cash flow and increased contingency costs, such as Deep cleaning, increased Insurance cost etc?
7. Can we speak to funders about the impact of cancelling contracts, delaying project activities (Mosque rebuilds or refurbishments, Block booking on community halls and sport facilities, or even in re-purposing funds)?
8. As movement and gathering restrictions become tighter holding meetings will be difficult. The charity commission’s charities and meetings CC48 guidance sets out the rules for remote meetings. The guidance says that trustees may choose to conduct meetings by electronic means.(consider tools such Google Hangout, Zoom or Skype). Many sure all meeting and actiones are minuted
9. How will you manage Janazah in light of gathering restrictions, with emotions running high? Consider out door arrangements such as car parks or in burial grounds themselves (work with local authorities and funeral services) to conduct funerals, burial grounds may also restrict access to people, does your Imam have (Legal/Management/Sharia/Insurence) cover to conduct services in such places inorder to speed up the process.
10. Are the actions you (trustees and the management team) are taking in the care of the country, the community, the Mosque (within the Islamic Principles) and within the constitutional and legal framework set out by the founding fathers and the prevailing legal statute. Have the clarity inmind so you action in confidence and show leadership inshallah.
Original Advice: 21-03-20 – 13.00 hr (Measure being updated frequently)
Updated:
Further guidance and reading for mosque trustees
- Faith Associate COVID-19 UPDATES AND SUPPORT
- Sample Mosque Risk Assessment Form – DOWNLOAD
- Checklist on organisational resilience from Trusted Supplier Zurich Insurance(PDF, 290KB) helps you think through some of the issues and plan for them.
- Guidance from The Charities Facilities Management Group on producing a business continuity plan.
- Charity Commission guidance on meetingswhich includes details on meeting remotely.
Faith Associates advise has been developed based on years of working with mosque leadership teams, volunteers and worshipper, information based on the Charity Commission & NVCO materials and directives.
For Further Advice and Support, call 01494 416202 or email info@faithassociates.co.uk