Civic Skills Programme

National Women’s Muslim Advisory Group

Civic Skills Programme

‘Play your part - make your mark’

An innovative project organised by the National Muslim Women's Advisory Group (NMWAG), aimed at increasing the levels of Civic awareness and participation amongst Muslim Women.

The National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group (NMWAG) was established in November 2007 and is led by 19 Muslim women representing a wide spectrum of communities, professions and traditions.

What is its brief?

There are at least 800,000 Muslim women living in Britain today. Like women generally, Muslim women are under-represented in positions of influence in British civic society including roles such as school governors, local councillors, on many local partnerships and government. In association with the Leadership Centre for Local Government and the Political Skills Forum the Advisory Group have organised a Civic Skills Programme to increase the participation of Muslim Women in civic society.

What is the Civic Skills Programme?

There will be two specific programmes. One will be aimed at those already involved in civic society as councillors, school governors, other local partnerships and who want to make progress to more senior positions in their organisations. The other will be aimed at those who want to make their first steps into civic society but have yet to put themselves forward for election and appointment.

Each programme, for up to 15 participants, would have two elements;

• A residential weekend at the University of Warwick in April 2009 which would focus on developing their networking and communication skills and giving the participants to meet with a range of existing role models.
• Two one day programmes in Spring 2009 with specialist providers such as Common Purpose, Leadership Centre for Local Government, RADA in Business and the Bar Council to provide further development opportunities for members of both groups.

An additional part of the programme will work to identify appropriate mentors for each of the participants to ensure that they are successful in their chosen path in civic society.

The programme costs will be sponsored by the DCLG.

How will the participants be chosen?

An advertising/search process will be conducted in each English region using organisations such as Government Offices and Women’s Groups. The application form can be downloaded from the link below:

Civic Skills Programme - Download Application Form

The closing date for applications is 23/02/09.

Also visit www.localleadership.gov.uk the Leadership Centre for Local Government for more information.

The selection decision will be made by a panel from the National Advisory Group.

To discuss any concerns please contact any of the regional members of NMWAG;

East Midlands:  Parvin Ali - info@fatima-network.com

London:   Reedah Nijabat El-Saie – reedah@IslamicArtandDesign.com

North West:  Siddika Ahmed - siddika.ahmed@gonw.gsi.gov.uk

Scotland:   Farkhanda Chaudhry - ummhashim04@yahoo.co.uk

Yorkshire &Humber: Naheed Arshad-Mather - naheed.a-m@ntlworld.com

Khawateen