‘What difference do faith groups make to society?’  

That's the question being asked by the Cinnamon Network in a new, wide-ranging national audit which will be presented to church and community leaders, local authorities and government bodies after the General Election next year.

The Cinnamon Network is a not-for-profit organisation helping local churches across the UK to run projects for those people most at need in their communities.

It has just launched Cinnamon Faith Action Audits, a national initiative to capture the work done by local churches and other faith groups across the UK. Carried out by a network of hand-picked ‘local champions’, Cinnamon Faith Action Audits will record faith-based social action in up to 50 regions, creating an extensive picture of faith in action in 2015.

The audits will collate responses from local churches and other faith groups across villages, towns and cities to present a report of the time invested and impact on communities.

Cinnamon Faith Action Audits from Cinnamon Network on Vimeo.

The results will be presented to church and community leaders, local authorities and government bodies shortly after the General Election in May 2015, and are expected to show 'a compelling case for the continuing role of churches and faith groups in changing society for the better', said the Cinnamon Network founder, Matt Bird.

'Through the Cinnamon Faith Action Audits, the Cinnamon Network wants to help local church networks capture the excellent work already going on in our communities and enable churches to engage even more with local authorities, police and other agencies.

'The audits will also provide an extensive national picture of the benefits that faith groups offer the community, raising the profile of faith based social action and advancing the unique role that faith can have in restoring communities.'

The iniative was launched at Lambeth Palace last week (17 September). Local champions will be identified in the autumn and early winter. The audits will begin in January 2015, when each champion and their local church network will be equipped with an online survey, a template for their audit report, case studies, promotional materials and professional support to resource their audit. Over eight weeks, local champions will speak to all of the faith groups working in their area, gathering everything needed for the audit to be completed.

Each audit is expected to take 15 minutes to complete.

 

The Cinnamon Network’s menu of 24 social action projects are implemented through more than 3,500 local churches and the work of over 50,000 volunteers, benefitting more than 700,000 people. More information can be found here: http://www.cinnamonnetwork.co.uk/