MWN-UK’s Annual General Meeting on Thursday 19th January 2012
12.30pm - 5.00pm
House of Commons
The theme of this year's AGM is broadly 'The Family' and will focus on Muslim Marriages in Britain and the Rights of Children.
Hear from keynote speakers about how local, national and international initiatives are responding to these issues.
A report of the past year of MWNUK's activities, MWNUK's financial accounts, and a 2012 Plan of Action will also be presented.
We welcome your participation and there will be opportunity to contribute to all discussions and network with other members.
*Please note this event is primarily for MWNUK registered members. A small number of tickets will be allocated for non-members- so if you are not a member and would like to attend, please contact MWNUK directly
International Advocacy Training and Capacity Building
10/1/2012
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International Advocacy Training and Capacity Building
Date Posted
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10/1/2012
INTERNATIONAL ADVOCACY TRAININGAND CAPACITY BUILDING for WOMEN FROM MINORITY POPULATIONS IN THE UK
Selection Process There is an opportunity for women from Minority backgrounds (NOT ONLY MUSLIM WOMEN);to take part in the United Nation’s 56th Commission on the Status of Women, which is to take place in New York, United States. This is specifically for women working in related fields, i.e. working in areas of Equal Opportunities for women, improving civic and political participation; to become an integral part of their communities and wider societies they live in, to contribute their existing skills and enhance and gain further skills in order to take their work further afield. This is an opportunity to take part as well as having the chance to highlight your work and good practice and share each other’s experiences and support each other to go forward in this challenging area of work.
At this stage it must stressed that in order for the successful candidates to take part funding has to be secured. Many candidates taking part from across the world are using their own resources to fund themselves. However EIMAN are looking to recruit 12 women from across the UK and offer them the right women opportunity and to this end the EIMAN are working hard to secure funding. It must be realised that a certain amount of work and the selection process will need to take place prior to any decision made on whether the funding is going to be made available or not. Therefore flexibility in the recruitment process is a pre-requisite.
So if you are happy to take this step and accept the goodwill that funding is being sought for you to have this opportunity then the first step is to fill in the application form and the accreditation form in order to start the process. If your application is successful at the first step then you will be called for an interview. If you are successful in gaining a place then so long as the funding has been secured then there will be the opportunity to attend the conference in New York. It also has to be stipulated that if you have gained a place on the programme there is no guarantee that you will be selected for the event at the United Nations.
Ultimately, a number of the successful candidates will make representations at the United Nation’s event and selection will be made for a few to go forward. The accreditation form is filled in specifically for the United Nation’s event but all Empowering Inspiring Motivating Muslim Women thru Advocacy & Nurturing candidates must bear in mind that going through accreditation process does not guarantee you a place. Also, if chosen to go to the United Nations then you must ensure that if you are unable to attend you may be asked to arrange for someone else to take your place. This will be in the event if a suitable candidate cannot be selected from the other existing candidates.
Finally it has to be stressed that though this is a unique opportunity nevertheless due to the restricted funding the means by which the candidates will be travelling and staying in New York will be very basic. The lodgings will be very basic where the candidates will have to be ready to share not only the lodgings but also sleeping spaces and even sharing beds where necessary. This is to further stress that the trip to New York and the ethos that the candidates will have to imbue will be one of hard work and making the most of the opportunity afforded to them.
Should you be willing to accept all of the above kindly proceed to apply.
EIMAN looks forward to receiving a precise of work you are currently involved in and your completed accreditation form. DEADLINE IS 13th JANUARY 2012 EMAIL:- contact@eiman.org.uk
3.
16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
25/11/2011
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16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
Date Posted
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25/11/2011
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991.
Participants chose the dates, November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women, and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a human rights violation. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates, including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1, World AIDS Day, and December 6, the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.
The theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign is:
“From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World” Let\'s Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women!
The 16 Days of Activism focuses on: • raising awareness at the local, national, regional and international levels about gender-based violence • strengthening local work • linking local and global work • providing a forum for dialogue and strategy-sharing • pressuring governments to implement commitments made in national and international legal instruments • demonstrating the solidarity of activists around the world
If you are taking action, organizing events, workshops and more, to mark the 16 Days of Activism, post about them on www.saynotoviolence.org.
Posting actions on this website is easy: 1.Create an account if you do not already have one:. If you already have an account, log in. 2. Post a brief description of your event by filling up the action page form and save it. You can count signatures you collect towards a petition or participants at your events as "actions"; post photos and videos from your events to inform and engage more people. 3.Share your action page with your friends, colleagues and networks, via email and on social media, using the "Share This" feature.
4.
Ambassador Awards 2012
23/11/2011
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Ambassador Awards 2012
Date Posted
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23/11/2011
Ambassador Awards 2012
First Celebration of Muslim Women’s Sport to be held at Home of Football By Allison Cooper
The MWSF will be holding the inaugural Awards in April 2012, which will highlight the contribution of individuals and organisations to the unique area of minority ethnic sports, at the prestigious home of football, Wembley Stadium.
A registered charity established since 2001, the Muslim Women’s Sport Foundation (MWSF) has been leading the way in encouraging, supporting and developing the involvement in physical activity of women from black and minority ethnic (BME) communities, particularly focusing on the cultural and religious sensitivities of Muslim women.
Chair of the Board of Trustees, Rimla Akhtar, said: “For over ten years the MWSF has grown into a body representing the sporting needs and requirements of Muslims in the UK. The MWSF has developed a reputation nationally and internationally for its extensive work in the field of women’s sport and we are proud to be pioneering the establishment of ambassadors from within this unique community.”
Time to celebrate!
The MWSF will be holding the inaugural Awards in April 2012, which will highlight the contribution of individuals and organisations to the unique area of minority ethnic sports, at the prestigious home of football, Wembley Stadium.
FA Equality Manager, Funke Awoderu said: “The FA is delighted to host the MWSF Ambassador Awards at Wembley Stadium next April. Initiatives such as these Awards will encourage a greater involvement in sport of groups and individuals that are often disadvantaged and isolated. We are committed to football and sport for all and look forward to welcoming the BME and Muslim community for an evening of celebration and inspiration that will highlight success and high achievement across all areas of the sporting world.”
Ayesha Abdeen, Chief Executive of the MWSF said, “What an exciting project, I’m so proud of everyone involved who will be providing much needed inspiration to younger generations. We are very honoured to be hosting this event and are sure that Muslim women’s participation in sport will benefit a great deal. Nominees can be involved in any type of physical activity and be of any level”
The Ambassador Awards will recognise and honour outstanding achievements across 7 categories: UK Sportswoman of the Year, International Sportswoman of the Year, UK Coach of the Year, Community Award, Volunteer of the Year, Outstanding Contribution and Lifetime Achievement Award.
Nominations are now open. To nominate a person, group or organisation or enquire about sponsorship and tickets simply visit the official website: www.awards.mwsf.org.uk
Nominations for the vinspired Nationals Awards are now open and we would love you to make sure all of your networks know about it! It would be great if you could include the information about the vinspired National Awards in any of your November communications and newsletters that are yet to go out.
If you or any of your colleagues know an exceptional volunteer that has made a real difference to their community, ensure they get the recognition they deserve and nominate them for a vinspired National Award.
The vinspired National Awards are about recognising the extraordinary work of young volunteers aged 16-25. An awards ceremony will be held at a London location (soon to be announced!) in March next year where we will be celebrating rewarding the fantastic achievements of young volunteers across the country.
To nominate an exceptional volunteer simply go to http://vinspired.com/nationalawards. You can also see highlights from last year’s ceremony here too!
10. Transport Team - WF634 Operations Manager – Transport and Fleet Fleet & Site Vehicles Assistant Manager VIP Transport Assistant Manager Children's Transport Assistant Manager Fleet & Site Vehicles Coordinator VIP Transport Co-ordinator Transport Production Assistants x 6
10. Transport Team - WF634 Operations Manager – Transport and Fleet Fleet & Site Vehicles Assistant Manager VIP Transport Assistant Manager Children's Transport Assistant Manager Fleet & Site Vehicles Coordinator VIP Transport Co-ordinator Transport Production Assistants x 6
Venue: Canary Wharf Prayer Room, Barclays Tower Building 2 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5RB
Toilets and abulution facilities available but you are requested to make wudu beforehand.
Times: 1st Khutbah 12.20pm and Jam'ah 12.45pm 2nd Khutbah 1.15pm and Jam'ah 1.30pm
Directions: On foot, you can get there by walking past Waitrose, so that the Waitrose building is to your left. When you come to a bridge, you will notice a stairway that leads you down to the lower level. Take this stairway and enter the atrium using the doors on the right. You will find a Starbucks serving area in the middle of the atrium as you come in, and the prayer room is to the right at the end of the hall.
Nearby Mosques: Most Jam'ah times are 1pm and around 5-10minutes walking distance of Canary Wharf.
1. Westferry Community Masjid, 2 The Quarterdeck, London, E14 8SJ
2. Poplar Central Mosque, 253 East India Dock Road, London E14 0EG - Tel: 020 7536 0726
3. Limehouse Mosque, 304–306 Stock Place, London E14 8AE
4. Poplar Mosque & Community Centre, 7 Woolmore Street, Poplar, London,E14 3AG
Dates: Every Thursdays Time: 5.30pm - 7.30pm Venue: Idea Store Canary Wharf, Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5RB
Managed by ICSS team, this supplementary school aims to coach children from years 7 to year 11 in mainstream National Curriculum subjects in Maths, English and Science.
We are still looking for volunteers who can share their knowledge, time and expertise with us and the children.
Any contribution and committment on a Thursday evening is valued be it weekly, monthly or else.
Canary Wharf Muslim Association [WharfMA] Presents:
MENTORING IN THE WHARF
Venue: Tower Hamlets College, Poplar High Street London E14 0AF
Mentoring is a proven way to increase the performance and fulfil the potential of mentees and help young people and students in particular to raise and realise their aspirations.
Whether it's talking to someone in their chosen fields, harnessing their resources to pursue their goals, or gain useful insight on career choices, mentees can benefit greatly from the scheme. There is a huge range of benefits for mentors as well: encountering challenges you otherwise wouldn't in the work environment; developing transferable skills that are directly relevant to the workplace; being a role model; increasing awareness, and giving back to the local community.
Mentors can make a huge difference to building a strong and secure future for the local community.
What Mentees at Tower Hamlets College Say:
Zafrin Begum (GNVQ Intermediate Business student) "...the person was a perfect role-model...from his behaviour, status and qualifications, also from his vast knowledge."
Ahmed Ali (A Level Economics, Law and Communication Student) "My mentor helped me to manage my time more effectively and to develop study skills which helped me improve my marks."
Shafiqul Islam (A Level Maths, Computing and Law) "Mentoring has been very useful in helping me decide what I would eventually like to do in the future."
What it involves: *Meeting your mentee for one hour every month, where they will be able to discuss academic work, career aspirations etc.
*Full training and on-going support from the Mentoring Coordinator. *At least 6 months commitment to the scheme.
Who can be a Mentor? Mentors can come from a wide variety of backgrounds; they need to be focused and have a positive attitude towards raising aspirations and achievements.
A coalition of national and international organisations including Oxfam, Women for Women International, WISE, Channel 16 and MWNUK, and celebrities such as Actress Dame Helen Mirren, singer Annie Lennox, comedian Shazia Mirza, and others, are backing the new Green Scarves for Solidarity campaign, which calls on world leaders to keep their promises to Afghan women 10 years since the start of military intervention in Afghanistan.
The campaign calls on people around the world to wear a green scarf to show their support for Afghan women. Green scarves are the symbol of the Afghan Women’s Network, a leading women’s organisation in Afghanistan, whose members wear green scarves as a show of strength and unity.
The 10-year anniversary of Western intervention in Afghanistan is on 7th October 2011. This is a key date where people will be taking stock and looking at the impact of intervention over the last decade. As “women’s rights” were central to the rhetoric used at the time of the invasion, it is important that we use this date to talk about the rights of women in Afghanistan - past, present and future.
In December the international community will meet at Bonn in Germany for a Peace Conference where governments will make statements about their expected levels of aid for the next 10 years. We must make sure that women’s rights are not neglected in the exit strategy; there is a danger their rights could get sacrificed in a political deal. If Afghan women are not on the agenda, then there is a real danger that women’s rights will regress, undermining all the progress that has been made.
How You Can Get Involved:
1) Take photos wearing green scarves or hats and send them in so they can be uploaded on to a central website www.ch16.org from October 7th.
The photos will also be used to form a photo petition that we will deliver to William Hague before he attends the Bonn conference. In addition, the images will also be made into a solidarity photo wall, which will be taken to the Bonn Conference and erected outside the event as a visual reminder of the rhetoric of intervention and a global display of solidarity with Afghan women.
2) Hold solidarity tea parties.
On the week of the 7th October why not host a get together with local women, wear green scarves and discuss women’s rights. To ensure that media are talking about the issue, you could then send a press release with your photos to your local media outlets.
3) Get tweeting. In any tweets that you send out, make use of common hashtags: #afghanistan #afghanwomen #Afg10yrs #fem2
Here are samples of tweets you can use:
Only 9 women on Afghan High Peace Council.For 10th anniversary of invasion,stand in solidarity wth #afghanwomen @ch16org http://ch16.org
87% of #afghanwomen suffer domestic abuse. 10 yrs after invasion, wear a green scarf in solidarity with them #Afg10yrs http://ch16.org
Major gains for #afghanwomen #Afg10yrs on 2.7mil more girls in school – we must protect these gains ACT NOW @ch16org http://ch16.org
4) Petition the UK government. Ensure that the voices of Afghan women are heard at the Bonn Conference, including the recommendations of the Afghanistan Women’s Network, and that any agreements made at Bonn explicitly call for women’s rights in Afghanistan to be protected not undermined.
Join MWNUK Board Members!
11.
Appointment of New MWNUK Director
27/9/2011
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Appointment of New MWNUK Director
Date Posted
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27/9/2011
26th September 2011
RE: Appointment of New MWNUK Director
The Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK) is pleased to announce the appointment of
Faeeza Vaid as Executive Director of MWNUK effective September 23, 2011.
As Executive Director, Faeeza Vaid will be responsible for continuing to make MWNUK a leading force in defending and promoting the rights of Muslim women across the UK. Faeeza will be focused on advancing MWNUK’s goals, including increasing membership, encouraging collective action, overseeing financial and strategic development, and acting as a public advocate and spokesperson for MWNUK.
In the coming months, Faeeza will be leading our efforts to further increase our interaction with all members and allies. We therefore look forward to your ongoing support and commitment.
Yours sincerely,
Cassandra Balchin.
(Chair of MWNUK)
12.
London 2012 Ceremonies Jobs
27/9/2011
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London 2012 Ceremonies Jobs
Date Posted
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27/9/2011
London 2012 Ceremonies Jobs
In order to achieve its vision of delivering four extraordinary Ceremonies, London 2012 Ceremonies Ltd is looking to recruit a brilliant, committed and diverse team of people to fulfil a wide range of roles.
How to Apply: To apply for the roles, applicants should email their CV and covering letter to recruitment@london2012ceremonies.com, ensuring that the job title and reference number for the vacancy they are applying for is clearly displayed in the subject header. The covering letter should include details on why the applicant feels they are suitable for the role as well as current salary and benefits, contractual notice period and the name and contact details of two people who may be approached to provide references. All non-UK applications please also state their eligibility to work in the UK.
13.
AVAAZ Notice on Palestine
26/9/2011
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AVAAZ Notice on Palestine
Date Posted
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26/9/2011
Dear Amazing Avaaz community,
Emergency -- within hours, President Abbas will decide whether to stand up to US pressure and let the world vote on Palestinian statehood, or leave New York with nothing achieved. Let's flood our governments with phone calls and messages telling them to stand behind Abbas, and send a massive wave of support to him to stand strong -- it will be delivered by an Avaaz flotilla of ships that will sail past the UN tomorrow morning:
Today, Palestine's bid for statehood could be dead for months, unless we save it. On Wednesday night, US President Obama met with Palestinian President Abbas, and likely heavily pressured him to avoid a full vote of the United Nations assembly, a vote that Palestine would certainly win. Yesterday, the pressure seemed to be working, with the Palestinians backing off a vote.
It will be a tremendous disappointment to the world and Palestinians for this moment to pass with nothing accomplished. It will undermine peace and feed hopelessness, extremism and violence. But we can still turn it around. In hours, Avaaz will bring a 'flotilla' of ships up the river next to the UN, covered in massive banners. Another boat of journalists from the world's major media will film the flotilla and interview our spokespeople. If we can say that in just 12 hours, 250,000 people have called on Abbas to stand strong and let the world vote, it will help define this moment in the media -- influencing Abbas' decision about whether he can answer the call of history.
This week, Avaaz met with several foreign ministers and our rally in New York to deliver our 1 million-strong petition made news everywhere. But the US lobbying is furious - we urgently need to call on Abbas to stand strong and each of our countries to stand with him. Click below to sign the petition and urgently message/telephone/facebook/twitter key governments and leaders, or leave comments on key press articles to shape the media narrative of this moment. We have just hours before President Abbas addresses the UN with his decision, let's do all we can:
The bid for statehood is a peaceful, moderate, diplomatic attempt to move towards peace and give Palestinians hope after 40 years of occupation, oppression and colonization by Israeli 'settlements'. It would provide for a more balanced and fair peace process between two equal and legitimate states. Avaaz-sponsored polls and others show that large majorities of people across the world support this move. But Israel's extremist government, with its powerful US political lobby, is determined to kill this sensible proposal and keep Palestine weak, offering instead more years of fake peace talks while they colonize more Palestinian land. Ironically, these extremists threaten Israel even more than they do Palestine, since growing numbers of Palestinians are giving up on two states and deciding to embrace a long term struggle -- one they liken to South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle -- for a single secular democratic state with equal rights for all ethnicities and faiths -- effectively the end of Israel as a Jewish state.
Something big is going on here. President Obama says a Palestinian state can only be granted out of negotiations with Israelis. But when Israel applied to the UN for statehood, the US didn't require that Palestinians agree to it. The US rhetorically backs pro-democracy demonstrations in Libya and Syria and elsewhere, but when Palestinians seek freedom, Washington does everything they can to block it. That kind of bias, where a staunch, even blind Israeli ally is the only 'peacemaker' we have is partly why this conflict has persisted for decades. But finally the world has had enough -- 127 nations, including Brazil, India, China and, now, France have stood up to call for a new direction. If others join them, the era of US/Israeli hegemony over this conflict may be coming to an end, with a much wider and wiser set of global and regional voices, especially the voices of the people themselves, to replace it. It all comes down to the next few hours -- let's get the world to stand up, and make it happen:
Abbas is likely to present his bid for statehood and UN membership to the UN Security Council tomorrow, but that small body is controlled by a US veto, and the US can refer his request to a technical committee that will bury it for months. But in the UN General Assembly of all nations, the US has just one vote like any other country. The General Assembly can't fully admit Palestine to the UN, but it can declare Palestine a state, with access to a range of international organizations, like the International Criminal Court, that will improve the rights of Palestinians. UN recognition of statehood will also give greater international legitimacy to non-violent Palestinian efforts to disrupt the Israeli military occupation and illegal colonisation of Palestinian land.
President Abbas is right now preparing to deliver his speech.. At a reception on Wednesday he was reported by the New York Times as saying "I am fed up with all these people, and I don't know what to do". The hopes of the Palestinian people are riding on a man who, after being repeatedly betrayed and undermined by the US, is losing hope himself. But a large majority of the world, and 80% of his own people, support his goal. Let's ask him to put his hope in the world and the call of his people, let the world vote to recognize Palestine, and then trust the world and his people to help that new state flourish.
With hope, Ricken, Emma, Wissam, Nicola, David and the whole Avaaz team
Muslim Women’s Network UK Reaffirm Human Rights despite Hostility After 9/11
9/9/2011
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Muslim Women’s Network UK Reaffirm Human Rights despite Hostility After 9/11
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9/9/2011
Muslim Women’s Network UK Reaffirm Human Rights Despite Hostility After 9/11
On the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the Muslim Women’s Network UK would like to commemorate the memory of the victims and their families, and reaffirm our commitment to respecting the human rights of all citizens.
The tensions in the aftermath of the tragedy have really tested our communities in Britain and often it has been Muslim women who have been the target of negative sentiments. Despite this hostility, Muslim women have been at the forefront of bridge building and challenging extremist narratives.
Individually, more Muslim women are speaking out, breaking barriers, and claiming their equal rights as British Muslim citizens. In these ways, the events of September 11th were transformative, acting as a trigger for many to more fervently embrace values of justice and equality.
Faeeza vaid, Executive Director of MWNUK said: "Due to the disproportionate level of attention that has been given to issues like the face veil, there is a perception that Muslim women are not integrated into British society. However, there are many Muslim women who are very active and productive members of society participating in all areas of public life. MWNUK have highlighted many of these inspirational women who have included politicians, scientists, teachers, school governors, artists, sportswomen, businesswomen etc."
As Muslim women living in the UK, our safety and the safety of our families are paramount. We recognize the critical importance of combating terrorism. Therefore, MWNUK supports measures which ensure our domestic security, provided these do not undermine human rights and civil liberties, which are a crucial part of British society.
Additional Information
The Muslim Women’s Network UK’s vision is of a society where Muslim women can have an effective voice and the opportunity to contribute equally to wider society. Our Mission is a UK network of women to share knowledge, connect the voices, and promote the needs of diverse Muslim women.
ENGAGE Local Unit Co-ordinator (Full Time, Greater London)
Salary: £20,000 - £22,000 per annum (dependent upon experience) Hours: Forty hours per week flexi time Holidays: 25 days paid holiday (pa) + Bank holidays + Eid days
THE ORGANISATION ENGAGE is a not-for-profit company that was founded in 2008 to help empower and encourage British Muslims within local communities to be more actively involved in British media and politics. We seek to achieve this objective through: >Strengthening British democracy to create a more inclusive and tolerant society >Promoting active Muslim citizenship through political participation and civic engagement in voluntary bodies and institutions such as parent-governor associations, friendship societies, NGOs and youth groups >Addressing under-representation of vulnerable and excluded communities from public and political discourses through skills training, awareness raising and pro-active engagement >Working with Muslim and non-Muslim organisations to ensure that Islamophobia is regarded as just as socially unacceptable as anti-Semitism and other forms of racism and xenophobia >Provide critical commentary and analysis on the high volumes of news content and media coverage that maligns Islam and Muslims and foments anti-Muslim prejudice in the UK and across Europe
THE ROLE Key elements of the role will encompass: >Setting up local community groups of volunteers across the London region to carry out key seasonal campaigns and to form the bedrock of ENGAGE’s national presence >Managing ENGAGE national campaigns at a local level and maximising participation >Working with Muslims locally to ENGAGE effectively with the media and partake positively in the political process >Developing new and existing strategic relationships/partnering with leading Muslim organisations/mosques/schools and individuals within the Greater London area >Managing ENGAGE’s local media/political education outreach programmes within the local community
THE CANDIDATE The successful candidate will possess: >Three Grade B’s or above at A level + a 2:1 degree (or equivalent) >A minimum of 3 years graduate level work experience >Exceptional interpersonal and written skills >Excellent organisational and time-management skills >Dynamism and ability to motivate people >Ability to work hard, unsupervised and with minimal support >Experience of working with Islamic organisations in the UK >Share a deep passion for the objectives of ENGAGE >A willingness to occasionally travel throughout Britain
To apply, (or for more information) please email your CV and a covering letter stating why you are suited to the post to: info@iengage.org.uk
Closing date for applications: Friday 9th September 2011
Interviews will commence from Monday 19th September 2011
About Us
