ChurchWorks: Faith and Local Services in Partnership – Faith in Partnership Week 2025
8th – 12th September 2025
On day four of Faith in Partnership Week, we are excited to hear from the ChurchWorks Commission, who are running an online webinar this afternoon, about the fantastic work faith groups could play partnering with statutory bodies in the Family Hubs programme and through social prescribing.
We’re at a pivotal moment for local faith groups, community centres, and grassroots organisations. With the new Labour government promising to devolve power from Westminster and invest in preventative services, the spotlight is firmly on “community power.” But these structural shifts will only succeed if government partners effectively with the organisations already rooted in local communities – the ones who have built trust and delivered change on the ground. Encouragingly, this is being recognised through the adoption of the civil society covenant, which commits both national and local government to listening to the voices of frontline organisations.
Faith groups are a vital part of this landscape. They deliver enormous social good while also offering something unique: deep, long-standing relationships of trust. As consistent pillars in their neighbourhoods, they are natural partners for government in this new era of localism – capable of hosting and delivering key community services.
Of course, we also recognise the challenges. Faith groups and the wider VCFSE sector have too often been expected to plug gaps in state provision without adequate financial support. What ChurchWorks are keen to identify are opportunities to build partnerships that strengthen the existing provision of faith communities, rather than demanding entirely new initiatives.
Take the government’s 10-year plan to create a “neighbourhood health service,” embedding preventative health provision into local settings. Faith groups already offer community assets like coffee mornings, art classes, choirs or exercise groups, which social prescribers are keen to connect people with. Similarly, the rollout of Family Hubs in every local authority by April 2026 offers a chance to co-locate toddler groups, youth clubs, and parenting classes that faith groups already provide. These partnerships don’t require new volunteers, funding, or capacity – but they can bring real mutual benefit: enabling faith groups to serve more people and amplify their mission.
At ChurchWorks, we’re determined to see faith groups seize this moment. It’s not just about supporting government ambitions – it’s also about clearly articulating the unique value of faith communities and ensuring they are placed at the heart of local strategies. To help, we’ve developed two practical resources to guide you in building partnerships with your local prescriber or family hub. You don’t need to figure it out alone.
Social Prescribing How-To-Guide for Faith Leaders
This how-to guide accompanies a report produced by ChurchWorks and Theos exploring the role and challenges of churches and faith groups in social prescribing.
Family Hubs toolkit
A practical, inspiring guide to help churches and local authorities collaborate and create life-changing support for families.
Faith and Local Services in Partnership
During Faith in Partnership Week 2025, ChurchWorks will be hosting a webinar on Faith and Local Services in Partnership.
Join us on Thursday, 11th September, 2-3pm to explore the implications of the Government’s new plans for expanding Family Hubs and neighbourhood health as opportunities for collaboration with faith groups.
Our webinar will support local faith groups in engaging with local public services, in particular Family Hubs and neighbourhood health. Join us to hear case studies from churches already partnering in this way, learn from their experiences, and connect with others who share this vision. We will also be walking you through our Social Prescribing research and how-to-guides, and Family Hubs toolkit to familiarise you with the guidance available to support you in brokering partnerships in your community.
8th – 12th September 2025
Faith in Partnership Week celebrates cross-sector work taking place in the UK at a local and national level and encourages its expansion.
