Bigger role for faith groups in regeneration ‘can help build trust and understanding’
Engaging faith communities more fully in the regeneration of disadvantaged neighbourhoods has the potential to strengthen communities and build greater understanding between religious and non-religious groups. But a new report for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation identifies barriers that need to be overcome, including a lack of recognition on the part of official agencies and the potential for conflict concerning religious customs and beliefs.
The study, by researchers at the Universities of Bradford, Coventry, East London and Sheffield Hallam finds there are already many examples of collaboration in neighbourhood renewal projects across ethnic and faith boundaries. For example, a new community centre in Coventry has a manager of Sikh origin and is chaired by an Anglican parish priest. The centre not only provides space for a ‘black majority’ church and a Muslim women’s group, but also hosts a refugee support centre and a lettings scheme for affordable homes.
The authors reject assertions that religious communities are only interested in themselves. They argue that local faith groups can make a distinct contribution to regeneration work – they are motivated and committed to listening to local people, have a long-term presence, and can provide buildings and facilities.
National representatives of a range of different faith groups were interviewed for the research – but the study concentrated on neighbourhoods and the views of Christian, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities. In-depth interviews highlighted many examples of effective involvement in public regeneration schemes. But faith groups expressed considerable disillusionment about efforts to co-operate with official regeneration initiatives. Government programmes were criticised for being too bureaucratic and centrally controlled, creating a sense that ‘money is spent, but nothing changes’.
Most of the religious groups interviewed also felt they were discriminated against in the allocation of funding. They raised concerns that agency professionals showed insufficient awareness of the traditions, organisation and beliefs of different faith communities.
However, managers in regeneration agencies, who were also interviewed, highlighted difficulties they sometimes faced when trying to relate secular, social values to a variety of different religious values and traditions. Incompatibilities between a majority view of equal opportunities and the ways some faith groups defined men’s and women’s roles were among the difficulties that had to be faced.
Richard Farnell, Senior Lecturer in Urban Regeneration at Coventry Business School and co-author of the report, said: “The religious leaders we interviewed acknowledged that there can be tensions within and between faiths – and between some faith groups and the wider community. These difficulties are among the barriers to greater involvement of faith communities in regeneration that need to be addressed. Even so, we conclude that faith groups can contribute significantly to the renewal of disadvantaged neighbourhoods and that regeneration work offers real opportunities to improve understanding and trust between diverse communities.”
