Engaging Faith Communities in Urban Regeneration

Research Project April 2001-September 2002

We were a team of researchers based at various universities who recently completed working on a new project funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

In many inner city neighbourhood where ethnic minorities live there is a wide range of lively religious organisations who serve their own members and the wider community through various social welfare and community projects.

The Government has recognised the contribution that faith communities can, and already do, make to the life and regeneration of the inner city, and will be very interested in our findings as they develop their policy in this area.

Our aim was to discover how the various faith communities and religious organisations (churches, mosques, gurudwaras, mandirs etc.) in your city (Bradford, Coventry, Sheffield, Newham) have been involved in the urban regeneration partnerships set up by government.

What barriers and difficulties have there been when religious groups have wanted to take part in urban regeneration partnerships and how have these been overcome?

Over a twelve month period beginning in summer 2001 we interviewed 95 people. They were leaders, staff and members of faith based organisations or the staff and board members of regeneration agencies and local authorities about their views and experience of partnership with faith based organisations.

The report has now been published as Farnell, R., R. Furbey, et al. (2003). 'Faith' in urban regeneration? Engaging faith communities in urban regeneration, published for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation by The Policy Press (ISBN 1 86134516 X, price £13.95). 58. Summary findings (no 413 March 2003) available at www.jrf.org.uk

Richard Farnell, Coventry University

Robert Furbey, Sheffield Hallam University

Stephen Shams al-Haqq Hills, Sheffield Hallam University

Marie Macey, University of Bradford

Greg Smith, University of East London, University of East London