The English Regional Faith Forums

Within the UK, work is going on at many different levels to promote greater inter faith understanding and cooperation; increase faith based social action; and develop good engagement between faith communities and government and between faith communities and wider civil society.

An increasingly important contribution is being made at the regional level in England by the English Regional Faith Forums. These work in ways complementary to local initiatives and to national structures such as the Inter Faith Network for the UK and the Faith Based Regeneration Network UK.

The Forums are recognised by regional governance bodies as their primary contact point and consultative body in terms of faith relationships. In most cases they nominate to the ‘faith seat’ in the Regional Assembly as well as to other bodies such as the Housing Panel and the Regional Resilience Forum.

The forums work to enable faith and inter faith groups in their regions to engage with instruments of regional governance such as Regional Development Agencies and Government Offices. A number are also supporting, through research and capacity building, the development of faith based social action to increase the well being of their region, in some cases through associated programmes run jointly with a partner body or bodies Some also play a role in linking or supporting local inter faith work.

The Forums vary in their patterns of governance, their names and in the emphases of their work, reflecting the different needs of their regions. Descriptions about their work can be found by clicking on the links to their websites.

A three year programme of capacity building of the Regional Faith Forums began in summer 2008 linked to the Government’s document Face to Face and Side by Side: A Framework for Partnership in our Multi Faith Society which was launched on 21 July. This capacity building is taking place with the assistance of CDF (the Community Development Foundation).

The English Regional Faith Forums Network (ERFFN)

The English Regional Faith Forums Network (ERFFN) helps regional faith forums in England keep in touch with one another, exchange resources, share good practice and work together on issues of common concern. It is facilitated by the Inter Faith Network for the UK (of which existing forums are members) and the Faith Based Regeneration Network UK.
 

East of England Faiths Council
Faiths Forum for the East Midlands
Faiths Forum for London
North East Regional Faiths Network
Northwest Forum of Faiths
South East England Faith Forum
faithnetsouthwest
West Midlands Faiths Forum (WMFF)
Yorkshire and Humber Faiths Forum