Keeping the Faith through videoconferencing

Photo: BURNLEY and PENDLE FAITH CENTRE, Lancashire

1/9/09: From September 2009 Burnley and Pendle Faith Centre will be the first of its kind to offer videoconferencing sessions to UK schools on the theme of faith and culture , using JANET Videoconferencing Service (JVCS). As part of the CLEO* videoconferencing Project, the centre aims to use the videoconferences to increase understanding and diversity of faith in all its forms. Initial sessions will focus on diversity within the Islamic faith.

The Burnley & Pendle Faith Centre is located within the new Burnley Campus on Barden Lane, Burnley, built as part of Lancashire County Council’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme. The Centre provides a focus for the educational, personal and spiritual development of all young people and reaches out to all the communities of Burnley, Pendle and beyond. It is rooted in its commitment to be totally inclusive, welcoming all people who come in respect of themselves and others, and who desire to learn and grow. The Centre is a safe space where people of all faiths and none come together to tell their stories and share their values, beliefs and hopes.

Tim Boundy, NEN Content Coordinator at JANET(UK) commented, "Videoconferencing is the perfect tool to enable the Faith Centre to reach out to schools and communities across the UK. The Centre will promote understanding about different faiths to parts of the UK which lack a rich cultural mix. This message is especially important in schools and I’m really glad that JVCS can provide a simple and effective mechanism to help the Faith Centre deliver their videoconferences".

For further information, please go to:

JANET Videoconferencing Service (JVCS): http://www.ja.net/services/video/jvcs/

*(Cumbria and Lancashire Education Online) CLEO: http://www.cleo.net.uk/