Olympic Truce

The Olympic truce was a time when conflicts would cease so that athletes could travel safely to compete in the Olympic games.

I went to the London Borough Faiths Network last week and it was suggested that local boroughs could take the concept of the Olympic truce and use it as a banner for initiatives that bring faiths together, resolve conflicts and achieve peaceful outcomes. Rather in the manner of Inter-faith week - each borough would develop responses that work locally. Possible ideas:

- concerted efforts to tackle hate crime and promotion of third party reporting through faith communities

- multi-faith prayer walks around crime hotspots in the borough

- new community safety initiatives

- gun and knife amnesties

- peace festivals

There are many others - and we don't need to pin down the exact activities at this stage.

The Barnet Multi-Faith Forum are interested in exploring this idea and so I'm going along to speak to the group about how this might work.

I am also keen to see which other faith and multi-faith groups in the borough would be keen to participate - and perhaps arrange a meeting for interested parties to get this off the ground.

Gold Dust Arts Ltd

A new assignment with Gold Dust Arts Ltd - a social enterprise established by Community Focus. The task is to examine processes and procedures and advise on sharpening them up to reduce risks to the organisation.

London Borough Faiths Network

Always challenging and always a pleasure.

The London Borough Faiths Network bring together people working across faiths in different boroughs in London. Each meeting is themed - and this month we looked at co-production of services, through exploration of some exciting developments in Wandsworth.

Some good discussions of the relationship between faith and health - something I am keen to explore in more detail (links to the work with Noah's Ark Children's Hospice). Good contacts made and another stimulating meeting. Watch this space as some of the ideas presented turn into reality.

Olympic truce anyone?

All Party Parliamentary Group on Civil Society

Well this is a new and exciting development.

I am now a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Civil Society. An opportunity to influence government policy in relation to voluntary and community groups, and their contribution to local decision making.

I will report back after the next meeting.

Catching up - We're going to New Wine

The Barnet Community Projects mobile skatepark will be at New Wine LSE in the week of 23rd July 2011.

We are taking a group of young people to Shepton Mallet to run the skatepark. The aim is to draw in young people who might not engage with the youth programme. But also to promote our model of delivery of community led projects.

A group of us will also be delivering a seminar covering the principles and a few "how to" points.

Watch this space for the powerpoint slides nearer the time.

Catching up - Supplementary Schools

Over the last few months we have got to know quite a few of Barnet's Supplementary Schools. These are schools run largely by volunteers, delivering aspects of the national curriculum in mother tongue languages - and also reinforcing the principles and culture of local communities. In Barnet there are about 30 supplementary schools in the Barnet Supplementary Schools Forum. My work has been to promote safeguarding, and the development of local safeguarding leads for each school. The work of these groups is fantastic - and in the main, not well known.

Catching up - ADDISS

It's been about a month, and I am very behind with updating you on Flourishing's recent assignments. Some have now been and gone - and so the next few posts will provide a brief summary.

ADDISS are a national charity supporting families and professionals working with ADHD issues. This assignment was to produce their quarterly newsletter. A very satisfying task, including writing 2 articles on the green paper for SEN and the Autism Bill. ADDISS are known internationally, and have many eminent individuals available to submit articles. The challenge was to draw all these elements together to create a coherent newsletter with something for families and for professionals.

The newsletter is available to members as part of their annual subscription fee.