Faith Communities
The NWDA is the lead English Regional Development Agency on
faith. The lead role was allocated to us because of our
evidence-based approach to working with faith communities.
In 2003, the NWDA published Faith in
England’s Northwest: The Contribution Made by Faith
Communities to Civil Society in the Region. Its
primary finding was that faith communities are strongest in areas
of highest social need. It also showed that faith groups have a
shared agenda with others working for the good of their communities
and effectively contribute to the same outcomes that national and
local government and others are seeking. The report concluded that
faith communities in the Northwest generate up to an estimated £95
million for the region.
Two years later, these findings were the subject of an economic
impact assessment:
Faith in England’s Northwest: Economic Impact
Assessment. This assessment, published by the NWDA,
quantified the value of their contribution in financial terms -
specifically their buildings and their volunteers. Faith
communities may not have large budgets, but these assets make them
valuable partners with the public sector in delivering a range of
outcomes to the hard to reach as well as contributing to social
cohesion.
The impact assessment found that faith community volunteers
generated £33 million - which is 50% of the overall economic value
generated by all Northwest volunteering. It also found that
premises made available by faith communities in the Northwest
generated around £700,000.
The NWDA has commissioned further research entitled "Faith in England’s Northwest: How Faith
Communities Contribute to Social and Economic
Wellbeing". This research probes more deeply into why
faith groups become involved in social action, what they are trying
to achieve, how their activity fits with wider policy agendas and
whether they are bringing anything distinctive.
The NWDA works with faith communities in a number of projects,
including:, the Northwest Forum of Faiths, the Faith in England’s
Northwest website, Faiths4Change, and the Northwest Multi-Faith
Tourism Association.
North West Forum of Faiths
The North West Forum of Faiths is a body of 24 individuals from
the nine major world faiths across the region. Initiated by faith
communities themselves and supported by the NWDA, the Forum exists
to make consultation with faith groups on strategic issues
possible. With funding both national and local Government, it has
recently extended its support for local interfaith groups as well
as helping to establish such groups in parts of the region where
they do not yet exist.
Faith in England’s Northwest Website
The NWDA supports faith communities through the Faith in
England’s Northwest website. The website provides a point of
contact for those who wish to engage with faith communities. It has
information on all the faith communities and interfaith bodies in
the region. The website includes research and policy documents on
the faith community agenda and news of faith community projects and
events.
Faiths4Change
The NWDA has invested £750,000 over three years in
Faiths4Change. Capitalising on the strength of faith groups in
deprived areas, Faiths4Change works in partnership with them and
other partners to create environmentally sustainable
communities.
Find out more about Faiths4Change
Find out more about sustainable
communities
Northwest Multi-Faith Tourism Association
The NWDA supports the Northwest Multi-Faith Tourism Association,
which promotes places of worship and other sacred places in the
region as tourist attractions. These sacred places share their
cultural heritage and collections as well as showcasing a variety
of stories about their communities.
They award a Marque for Excellence to mosques, churches,
temples, synagogues, gurdwaras and churches in the Northwest that
reach the Association’s standard in welcoming visitors.
The region’s churches and their dedicated volunteers make a
significant contribution to the region’s tourist economy,
attracting more that 1.5 million visitors per year, according to
the Northwest Faith Tourism Scoping Study, which was commissioned
by the Northwest Multi-Faith Tourism Association in 2003.