Thousands of people empowered to overcome stereotypes and build bridges in their local communities
People from different faiths, cultures, and backgrounds have forged meaningful friendships and overcome stereotypes and stigmas thanks to varied and innovative interfaith work supported by Near Neighbours.
The independent evaluation, Stories of Change from Near Neighbours: Connections, Conversations, Confidence, charts the outcomes of 14 projects that received Near Neighbours grants and/or training.
The evaluation, published at the start of Inter Faith Week (12-19 November), highlights people and organisations who have taken proactive steps to overcome social and cultural barriers in their neighbourhood or school, to tackle isolation and negative stereotyping and improve social cohesion.
Since 2011 Near Neighbours has distributed £8,269,445 in small grants to enable thousands people of different faiths and backgrounds to come together through its four programmes: community projects; ‘Real People, Honest Talk’ (facilitated conversions on sensitive subjects); Catalyst, a leadership programme for 16-26s in a multi-ethnic, multi-faith context; and a programme for faith and community leaders to bring about social change.
All Near Neighbours projects are designed to increase community cohesion by bringing together different communities within a neighbourhood so that they can work together on issues of shared concern and common values.
· Ethnically diverse mums attending cookery classes funded by Near Neighbours and run by St George in the East church, Shadwell, have forged new friendships as well as learning healthy, cost-effective recipes.
· With Near Neighbours funding, Newham Muslim Forum in east London began distributing food and masks to vulnerable people in the pandemic, and begun collaborating with other faith communities on wellbeing initiatives.
· English lessons run by a Christian charity in Leeds are helping more than 70 women of Kurdish and Afghan origin to feel less isolated and enjoy better mental health.
Elizabeth Carnelley, Director, Near Neighbours, says:
“Near Neighbours has been operating since 2011 in areas that have historically experienced challenges around social cohesion, extremism, and tensions between different ethnic, faith and cultural groups.
This publication brings our work to life by celebrating the stories of the individuals and the organisations who are making a difference in their local places, and the resulting impacts on communities.”
Muhammad Uddin, of Newham Muslim Forum, says:
“[The Near Neighbours funding] enabled us really to dedicate some time and energy to try and get different groups of people to talk and interact and to get to know each other, enabling different people from different backgrounds to understand each other better, do things together.”
Near Neighbours projects are funded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. The programme operates through a network of regionally based hubs.
You can read the evaluation here.
The evaluation was written by Common Vision.