Volunteer Education and Training: Politics Masterclass

From Friday 26^th to Sunday 28^th 2020, we presented our three Politics Masterclass to our volunteers. This made up part of our ongoing efforts to provide training and education opportunities for MEND Working Groups.

The first session on Friday was titled ‘The British Political and Electoral System’ and covered the different branches of government, their responsibilities and the importance of independence between them. The session also covered how laws are passed in the UK and how they can be challenged. In the last section of the presentation, we covered the different types of electoral systems and whether individual votes really matter. This workshop was presented by Waheed, a lead volunteer from the Manchester Working Group.

The second session on Saturday was titled ‘The History of Political Parties and Elected Representatives’ and covered the background of key political parties in the UK and how they have changed and adapted throughout history. The presentation also spoke about the different types of political representations, as well as the key legislation that had been passed over time that had particular impacts on the Muslim Community. This workshop was presented by Amjid, a volunteer from the Glasgow Working Group.

Our third and final session in this masterclass series took place on Sunday and was titled ‘Lobbying and Strategic Participation’. During this presentation, we looked at lobbying and its importance. We covered a number of successful lobby groups and the controversies that have been associated with them during their time. The presentation then touched on regulations and the extent to which lobbying is regulated in Britain. This workshop was presented by Zahid, a volunteer from the Edinburgh Working Group.

The discussions during sessions showed how communities can work together to educate and empower one another, so they can effectively engage with the political institutions that uphold Islamophobia, and control the way that Muslims are portrayed. By engaging positively and proactively with these institutions, positive change can begin to occur.

To become a volunteer for MEND so you can attend our training and education opportunities click here: https://www.mend.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/