Young people's page

Young People's Inter Faith Forum

NIFF would be very keen to see a Young People's Inter Faith Council established; and are willing to support such a forum in its early stages. If you are between 15 and 21 years of age and would like to be involved. Please contact the NIFF Secretary.

(For a good example of this working in practice go to www.community-spirit.org.uk and follow the link to Youth Council)

Schools Inter Faith "Food & Religion" Project

This project, overseen by the NIFF Inter Faith worker, Lewis Houston involves working with Wellingborough Educational Partnership. The aim is to arrange a schools event as an example of good practice in inter-faith work with young people. [The faiths potentially include Baha'i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh].

The theme of the project will be 'Faith and Food', and the displays and presentations produced will be used in various ways.
1. As a backdrop and/or display at Food and Community Events.
2. As a basis for a presentation to be made in each of the participating secondary schools.
3. Short term manned/unmanned displays in schools.

When
A two month period in the Autumn term 2009 will cover both the research and preparation required for presentations at subsequent events.

Who
A team of young people, possibly from Year 9 & 10 in a secondary school. The group should include pupils from as wide a range of faith groups as possible. This might be a joint effort involving more than one school.

What
To research the relationship between faith and food, and the effects on a community; asking such questions as:-
:
1. What food is approved/not approved by a particular faith and what is the reason for this?
2. How do approved foods play a part in religious life?
3. What are the implications for diet, cuisine, food production and husbandry?
4. What difficulties are there when members of a faith find themselves in the minority, as when they might move to another country? Where do they buy what is approved? Is eating out difficult? What tensions may arise?
5. What potential is there that these 'difficulties' might generate new businesses?
6. What is an acceptable common ground?

Outcomes
" A contribution to community cohesion, emphasising shared futures.
" Increased awareness of community needs and avoidance of possible tensions.
" Pupils learning from and about one another.
" Increased confidence in pupils from the experience of meeting and speaking with leaders and other members of faith groups.
" Engagement of pupils.
" A multi-school team could make presentations in each school as a good visual of working together to accomplish outcomes.
" Education of the wider community through the displays / presentations.
" Contributing to the wider schools community cohesion action plan.

This faith project is linked to the Community Cohesion agenda.