CEL backs College aims for Leadership in a Multi-Faith Society

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The National Ecumenical Agency in Further Education (NEAFE) and Faiths in FE Forum (FIFEF) will be hosting a conference on “Leadership in a Pluralist Society” in London on Monday 9 January 2006.

The one day conference, which will be held at the East London Mosque on Whitechapel Road, is also supported by the Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) that aims to encourage and help colleges to respond to issues of faith in Further Education.

Faith Communities Toolkit

One of the keynote speakers will be the Minister for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, Bill Rammell MP, who will be highlighting the government’s need for closer working relationships with faith communities, reflecting on the importance of this crucial area of activity within the learning and skills sector.

He will also be introducing CEL’s Faith Communities Toolkit, which has been specifically designed to help sector leaders engage in a more coherent and effective way with their diverse learners, staff and communities. Lynne Sedgemore, one of the keynote speakers and the Chief Executive of CEL, said: “I believe that faith issues should have more of a high profile within the 21st century and that is why CEL commissioned Faith Regan UK to develop this toolkit on our behalf.”

Lynne Sedgemore continued: “Recent events across the world linked to religions and faith issues support this view, and we will be offering this toolkit as a free resource to the sector in recognition of, and with respect for, the diverse communities we serve.”

Cooperation

The toolkit also provides useful information and practical guidance to encourage a greater understanding of faith communities that will enable people to incorporate their beliefs into their workplace and learning. Dr Ann Limb from NEAFE said: “We are very pleased to see such strong support for the conference from CEL, the DFES and LSDA, as well as leaders from faith communities.

“The conference will provide a rare opportunity for college governors, leaders and managers to join chaplains, faith leaders and community representatives to explore issues of vital importance, such as how colleges meet the needs of all students and staff and whether they have a faith or not,” Dr. Limb concluded.

The conference will also be offering the chance to reflect on personal experiences in order to establish their reactions of the colleges towards working in a pluralistic society. For more information, please visit the CEL website by clicking here.

Kavita Trivedi

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