OUR APPROACH
WHAT CHANGE IN SOCIETY DO WE WANT TO SEE?
The most marginalised in society are understood in all of their complexities and have a greater voice in society. This leads to more successful support being offered to these communities, and inequalities being more effectively tackled.
Our strategic objectives represent the core of what Maslaha do:
1. Educating and empowering Muslim communities
2. Educating public service providers and wider society to better understand Muslim and other marginalised communities
3. Influencing systemic change and replicating local success at a national level
Practice
Working practically with communities at a grassroots local level. This involves working collaboratively to create resources addressing systemic inequalities that can be picked up and used by local statutory services, for example a GP or a community organization. The diverse nature of a community or city, and complexity of social issues demands input from the whole community if deep change is to take place.
Creativity
We combine creativity with everyday action and engagement
Policy
Changing practice at a local level can only be sustained by sharing our learning at a strategic level and ensuring that expertise from practical delivery is shared in a way that will inform future policy decisions. We aim to influence and change practice in statutory bodies and national institutions by disseminating resources and approaches that address systemic inequalities in Muslim communities. We have worked with the Ministry of Justice, the NHS and universities and schools to deliver our accessible and inclusive approaches to the widest possible audiences.
Relationships
The unusual mix of people we work with leads to dynamic networks of collaboration and innovative perspectives on how social issues can be tackled
Public Imagination
We have always used creative tools such as film, photography or music, to inform and develop our practical work. Wherever possible we aim to influence and shape the public debate and media narrative around Muslim identity. In recent years, this area of our work has become increasingly important in countering the negative discourse which many Muslim communities feel has been forced upon them.
Local Knowledge
We recognise and rely on the knowledge and expertise that exists in the communities that we work with and the power this has to create change across society.