New fund 'to unlock potential of Muslim women'

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly is announcing a new community leadership fund today to support Muslim communities to unlock the potential of women and young Muslims in making communities resilient and stronger in facing down the voices of violent extremism.

She will launch a new £650,000 Preventing Violent Extremism: Community Leadership Fund which will provide grants to programmes across the country.

Ruth Kelly believes that supporting Muslim communities to play a greater leadership role in civic life and shaping the places they live will help promote greater equality and strengthen resilience to extremism in local communities.  

The fund is expected to support the following types of projects:

New community-led programmes that break down the barriers to the progression and participation of Muslim women in mosques and wider society.  For example, building on the work of organisations such as the British Muslim Forum and the Sufi Muslim Council who are encouraging greater access to mosques and mosque committees for women. A major expansion in community leadership training courses for Muslim women and young Muslims, including work around confidence building, communication skills, negotiation and mediation. Courses run by organisations like Common Purpose could cover the chance to meet and work as apprentices for senior decision-makers and leaders across communities, business and voluntary sectors. Participants can also visit prisons, housing developments, businesses, hospitals and manufacturing plants to help learn the leadership skills necessary in influencing people and confronting difficult issues. New local projects that promote opportunities for Muslim women and young Muslims to play a greater role in civic life such as becoming magistrates, local councillors or school governors. This will help promote equality and the skills that strengthen communities’ resilience to extremism. Roughly only 0.4 per cent of councillors are Asian women. In 2006 there were 75 Asian female councillors and 438 Asian male councillors. In total, only 2.8 per cent of councillors were Asian, compared 4.6 per cent of the adult population.

New mentoring programmes run by the business community for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds with Muslim professionals and local business leaders providing positive role models and promoting leadership skills. This builds on the work of organisations like City Circle.

Ruth Kelly said: "I have no hesitation - and nor do the vast majority of UK Muslims - in condemning violent extremism. But the voice of community leaders, Muslim women and local role models will always carry more weight than mine where it counts.

"This fund will support potential community leaders, women and young people to help shape the places they live and play a fuller part in wider society."

This fund is just one part of work by Ruth Kelly to re-focus Government's engagement strategy, raising to a new level work directly with communities - including Muslim women and young people - as part of efforts to win the 'battle for hearts and minds'.

Guidance about how to apply will be available shortly and the money will start to be distributed later this year.

The new fund builds on the strategy outlined in the Preventing Violent Action Plan published in April.

This fund will complement the Preventing Violent Extremism Pathfinder Fund, which has allocated £6m to over 70 local authorities to support smaller projects to tackle violent extremism at a local level.  

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