Mosque toolkit aims to improve accountability (From Asian Image)

Mosque toolkit aims to improve accountability

9:29am Wednesday 8th August 2007

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Mosque committees are being given advice on how to improve their management and accountibility thanks to a new toolkit.

And the authors of the Management guide for Mosques and Islamic centres' say the publication is invaluable for mosque leaders in the present social environment.

The set of guidleines and advice covers many things including how mosques can open up to the wider community and how leadership can be improved.

The toolkit also explores issues of women and young people getting involved in managing and running of the organisations and the safety of children.

Co-author and a Director of the Right Start Foundation Shaukat Warraich said, "Despite many changes in recent years the management of mosques has not moved on.

"The greatest and most crucial issue the toolkit tackles is that of accountability.

"The amount of money that passes through some mosques is astounding. Yet sometimes there are no records of what is happening.

"If these changes are not made the reality is Mosques will become outdated and irrelevant in the future.

"They will also become more out of touch to the needs of the community they represent."

The toolkit has already been welcomed by many mosques across the UK . "The initial response has been very good and mosques are keen to take up the toolkit." Added Mr Warraich.

"The book is accompanied by workshops and seminars to help implement some of the recommendations. And these training days can be carried out at the mosques themselves."

Mr G Mahmood President of the Madina Masjid in Keighley said, "We have been waiting for such a book for many years especially after 7/7 and now it's a relief to have something like this to refer to, written by people who understand the culture of the Mosque.

"We have been asked by various quarters Muslim and non-Muslim to develop our facilities further, but there has never been the support or the capacity to deliver on these requests but now with this toolkit we can make a start."

The Toolkit has been developed by Oldham-based Oak community Development a not-for-profit organisation.

Established in 1998 the assocaition has developed into a specialist agency working on initiatives that impact particularly on the Muslim, BME and faith sector.

The publication follows an earlier item entitled Information Guide for Muslim communites in dealing with a anti-terrorism arrests.'

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