The Living Interfaith Project
By Society and Me
Living Interfaith Aims
1. Challenge ‘othering’
and help us understand each other at a deeper level including our similarities and differences.
2. Challenge unconscious bias
in ourselves and others.
3. Challenge ‘othering’
and help us understand each other at a deeper level including our similarities and differences.
All 3 aims are achieved through our specially created Living Interfaith practices:
These are 15 minute activities inspired from different Faiths, Beliefs or non Faiths that can be done by anyone.
People take part on their own as part of a 14 day challenge after which there is time for personal reflection, group reflection and wider sharing.
The challenge
‘Othering’ occurs when we make assumptions and stereotypes of those we don’t understand. The ‘other’ appears different to ‘me’ or ‘us’ and it creates barriers for real relationships to be built.
How this approach seeks to help:
Faith and beliefs are a deeply personal experience and it is very hard to explain in words the value of daily practices that one is inspired to do. This project seeks to make it simple and easy for someone to experience a deeper understanding of another faith in their own lives through a Living Interfaith practice designed to demystify ‘the other’ and show that the particular faith or belief practice has value to all human beings.
The challenge
We all harbour unconscious biases which we are unaware of and these affect our actions and thoughts. Traditional interfaith approaches often based on dialogue (which is still very important) often fail to uncover these and discussions often remain at a surface level.
How this approach seeks to help:
Commiting to do 14 days of a practice which seems unfamiliar takes courage. We may find that unconscious biases become apparent when choosing a practice as well as during it. As the practice is done by an individual on their own, the fears associated with trying something new will be minimised. As it is over a long period of time and consistently done, a real opportunity for deeper inner reflection is made much more likely.
The challenge
With religious faiths and beliefs on the decline, an ageing population and increased loneliness in the UK, it may for many become harder to feel part of community with a shared set of values and care for each other.
How this approach seeks to help:
By focusing on the deeper teachings within Faiths, Beliefs and non Faiths and sharing these through carefully curated daily practices we can become aware of our interconnectedness and differences and can better understand each other. Through this deeper understanding of each other we can hope to foster new friends and relationships with those nearby that have also completed a practice and help create more cohesive and peaceful communities across the UK.
How the training process works
One of our volunteer trainers will help guide groups of up to 10 people through each training so that you are given a grounding in what the practices are, how to select them and practice them and how to reflect and share what you found. Each practical exercise lasts for 14 days although you can also practice these for longer and join reflection and sharing sessions after your initial 14 day challenge is over.
Discover
Participate
Reflect
Share
Apply to join the project
We are currently running the program with smaller groups before opening up to more of the public but welcome those that would like to take part in the early stages.
If you’re interested to find out more please get in touch.
Volunteer with us
We are always on the look out for people that can help us fulfil out charitable objectives. We have a volunteer roles available currently in the following positions:
– Social Media Campaign Manager
– Assistant training facilitator
– Website and digital developer
– Film maker
All volunteer roles are on a fully remote basis. If you’re interested in any of the roles above please get in touch so we can arrange to give you a little more information about what we would need from your and how much time you’re able to dedicate to us.
Donate £25 today
£25 helps us to cover the costs of a volunteer delivering our training to up to 10 people. This Living Interfaith training helps to discover and and transform personal predjudices and create lasting change for individuals and communities across the UK.
Our trainings are largely delivered remotely which allows us to reach people from across the country and minimise costs relating to venue hire. Once thre training is delivered the beneficaries can practice what they have learnt and come back together as a group over the course of a few weeks to share their experiences and insights with others.
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