A faith audit report has been produced for Somerset. The report, which was launched in Taunton in April, shows the invaluable contribution to community support made by faith groups in Somerset. The report gives an overview of current activity and the challenges being faced by faith groups. For a paper copy of the report, please contact us by This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or the report is available to download from here.

This is a national Government initiative, to highlight the voluntary service that people of faith carry out in their local communities and to forge links between volunteers. Throughout 2012 there will be 12 Days of Volunteering, each coinciding with a religious festival or existing volunteering day, and each focusing on a particular kind of social action (e.g. feeding the hungry).

Each faith community in turn will promote its own day or days in neighbourhoods and businesses, and invite people from other faiths or without religious beliefs to join in. Projects will also give people from different backgrounds a chance to mark the Diamond Jubilee together, and there will be a national celebration in November.

One of the most pressing concerns we constantly hear from faith groups (and many others!), is about how to engage meaningfully with young people. They are the future, after all! We hope our conference gave you some ideas on fresh approaches to stimulate developments for the future. Read our full conference briefing and fill in our feed back form.

Our Targeted Support Project - 'Increasing Participation'

Faithnetsouthwest’s Targeted Support work has been aimed at supporting young people aged 16-25 and people from Black and minority ethnic communities to get more involved with their local community. In just two years, a number of exciting projects have been initiated and supported. Here are some of the highlights and lessons that we have learned from them. You can find out more by downloading the Targeted Support brochure here and by going to the website of the Empowering Communities Partnership.