Good Faith Partnership - Stepping Up and Stepping Out
Summary
The Stepping Up and Stepping Out report, conducted by the Good Faith Partnership, makes recommendations towards an exciting social covenant between faith communities and the government in the Covid-19 recovery phase. The report highlights the social impact of faith communities in their assistance to vulnerable communities during the pandemic, explores the current state of collaboration between faith communities and government, and makes recommendations on how the government can aid and accelerate the positive impact of faith communities on society going forward. The research comprised a quantitative survey of all faith communities, followed by executive interviews with senior leaders from across faith traditions. Our findings highlight the broad and deep social impact of faith communities over the last months, underlining the high levels of collaboration between these communities and other institutions throughout the pandemic.
A series of executive interviews with senior faith leaders, grassroots activists and interfaith professionals further demonstrate both the complex nature of faith communities and the broad range of skills and services that faith groups have deployed through the crisis. Furthermore, it is clear that these same faith communities are gearing themselves up to play a decisive role in a nationwide Covid-19 recovery.
The report sheds light on the powerful religious motivations that drive faith groups to deliver transformative social action and utilise their creativity, connectivity and credibility as a force for social good within their communities. In particular, faith leaders are almost unanimous in their concerns as to diminishing levels of mental health and wellbeing in their communities and equally determined that their organisations provide support for those affected, thus reducing pressure on public services.
As the country emerges from the pandemic, the government will require the active support and investment of our faith communities if it is to accelerate the process of recovery for disadvantaged communities and vulnerable groups. Over the past year, the challenge to respond to unprecedented levels of need within their communities has enabled many faith groups to significantly build their capacity. As a result, our faith communities stand ready to serve our nationwide recovery in the days, months and years ahead.
This report makes a series of recommendations to maximise the role of our faith communities in the Covid-19 recovery stage. The report recommends that the government and faith communities forge a social covenant to better serve the nation through Covid-19 recovery and beyond. Key to this are the creation of more integrated ways of working through the appointment of a Faiths Commissioner and an Expert Panel of Faith Leaders to further strategic collaboration; the development of a culture of co-creation where the government and faith communities combine to address key social issues; an increased commitment to invest in the work of faith groups; harnessing the power of public funding, philanthropy and social entrepreneurship, and the undertaking of further research in the light of the national census, to further map the potential of faith communities beyond Covid-19 recovery. Above all, this report articulates a unified offer of support from faith leaders across the country, who are ready, willing and able to step up and step out at this critical time in our history