The Organisational, Financial and Human Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Christian Faith-Based Organisation Service Sector in Great Britain

Team

Grant Holder Dr. Paul Weller (Visiting Fellow, Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University)
A number of colleagues in the university's Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations made significant contributions to the project. Among those who did so, are:
Dr. Bianca Slocombe (Assistant Professor Research, Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University)
Zsofia Hacsek (Research Assistant, Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University)

Duration

August 2020 - November 2023

Contact

Email: fbocovidresearch@coventry.ac.uk

Project Overview

Of the c.15,000 Faith-Based Organisations (FBOs) that provide significant scaffolding for contemporary social welfare needs (National Council for Voluntary Organisations UK Civil Society Almanac, 2019) a substantial number are Christian. At the beginning of the pandemic, Britain had one of the highest rates globally of COVID-19 infection and excess mortality.Because of the extra demands made on non-Governmental welfare support services to buttress this distressed landscape, it is critically important better to learn the lessons from this in order better to understand the capacities and contributions, organisational health and durability of FBOs, especially in terms of readiness for any future pandemic or other civil emergency. The study undertakes a review of relevant research focusing particularly on Christian FBOs, but with relevance also to FBOs from within other religion or belief traditions.

Impact Statement

By reviewing relevant research and resources between 2020 and 2023, the project will privide an overview and accessible digest of this extenstive material which can then be drawn upon by Christian FBOs and others to inform historical reflecton and learning and to shape future strategic planning.

Outputs

Within the formal project delivery (up to November 2023) and reporting (up to February 2024) period:

• A seminar presentation on the project results to take place in Coventry University’s Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, but with remote access to participants from FBOs (including other than Christian ones); and wider stakeholders in governmental and other public, private and voluntary sector bodies across Britain and the world. The seminar took place on Thursday 9th November 2023 in person at Coventry University, but also with hybrid remote participation.
  The relevant buttons below give access to a copy of the PowerPoint presentation made at that seminar, and to a recording and associated trascript of the seminar. 
• A free, open access, substantial length article incorporating the key results of the project has been published by the journal Religions and could be downloaded here.