The Faith and Communities Tactical Co-ordination Group (TCG), a sub-group of the Essex Strategic Coordination Group, was set up in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The remit of the group is to provide information and advice to faith & community groups and also to inform development of future resilience/recovery/pandemic response work. The scope of the TCG covers all those characteristics protected by the Equality Act.

Key focus areas for the TCG includes providing guidance and communications on areas such as reopening of places of worship, restarting of ceremonies and marking key religious, cultural and community events as easement continues. Working groups have also been set up focusing on Faith and Dementia and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of the LGBTQ+ community.

The TCG has brought together faith and community leaders to work with public services in a way that hadn’t been seen before.  The rapid response, deployment and delivery of the work was underpinned by a collaborative mindset and a desire to want to have collective impact. 

Key activity to date includes:

• Advice and guidance for communities on practicing faith and on current guidelines/restrictions.
• A three-tier Bereavement Support Package, available on the ECC website.
• Advice and guidance to employment sectors where there is a high risk from COVID-19 e.g. taxi drivers, security personnel.
• Advice and guidance for places of worship in relation to reopening.
• Coronavirus advice for Black, Asian and minority ethnic people

 

For further information on the work of the TCG, email faith.communities@essex.gov.uk