As a community leader and partner

Here are a few examples of how we are working to achieve this:

• Encouraging women into construction (PDF) [470KB]
• Hillingdon Voices United (PDF) [466KB]
• Stronger communities (PDF) [134KB]

Hillingdon Youth Inter Faith Project

In partnership with Hillingdon Standing Advisory Council for Religious Education (SACRE) and Swakeley's School a programme of Inter faith activity has been developed with secondary school students.

The first event was held in March 2007 to work with students to develop a Charter of Values for schools around faith issues and to develop an action plan for future inter faith activity, further events have been held covering a variety of topics enabling students to explore their own faith and that of others, creating an environment of respect and understanding and building relationships between schools and students.

These sessions are truly valued by both the staff and the students that take part and have now become a regular part of the school year with students from at least 10 local secondary schools participating at every event.

Faith leader breakfast meetings

The aim of the breakfast meetings is to give faith leaders the opportunity to share their concerns, issues and experiences from within their communities and to look at how services and faith leaders can work more effectively together for the benefit of the whole community.

These sessions have proven highly successful and the relationships and dialogue between different faith communities has been strengthened.

Out of these relationships HIFN has been able to bring faith groups together on common issues such as planning concerns for new places of worship and enabling groups to work together in mitigating community tensions.

Women in the Community Network

This network was established in order to bring together women, particularly those women from communities that are traditionally more isolated with the following aims and objectives:

Aims

• To establish a network of women from different community groups and representatives from the diverse communities in Hillingdon to share and address the key issues facing women in the borough.
• To empower women to make the difference they need within themselves, their families and communities.
• To promote a healthier understanding between women of different communities and backgrounds in Hillingdon.

Objectives

• To increase partnership working amongst the various existing community groups supporting women in the borough.
• To promote women to foster healthier lifestyles.
• To support women to feel safe and secure in the community.
• To equip women with appropriate skills, confidence and self esteem.
• To disseminate and celebrate the achievements of women.
• To facilitate and encourage women from different communities to access and participate in mainstream services.
• To support and empower women with parenting skills.
• To facilitate an arena for women to share and learn about each other and common issues they face including: religion, environment, community, citizenship, children's education, health, employment, etc.

Membership of the network steering group currently includes: Hillingdon Women's centre, Hillingdon Asian Women's Group, SAHAN, Afghan Women's Group, Tamil Mothers Group, Yeading Community House, Ahmadiyyaa Muslim Group, Police SNT, Library Service, Stronger Communities LBH.

Hillingdon Schools Community Cohesion Partnership

The Hillingdon Schools Community Cohesion Partnership aims to bring local Hillingdon Schools together in order to promote and share best practice with regards community cohesion outcomes for children, families, schools and local communities. The partnership currently has active involvement from a mix of 20 primary and secondary schools.

Outcomes of the partnership include: 

• regular partnership meetings held between schools to discuss and share common issues and develop shared solutions.
• collection of best practice case studies collated to support further partnership working.
• funding received from Hillingdon Community Trust for community initiatives.
• improved relationships between schools and joint working on local projects and activities.

London Week of Peace

In partnership with the council and the police, the Hillingdon Inter Faith Network co-ordinate a number of activities for London Week of Peace each September, establishing an annual walk for Peace and civic ceremony in Uxbridge town centre.