Security

Security of places of worship/religious sites and faith communities is one of the main focus areas of EFI’s work.

We carry out a range of activities in this regard:

Risk assessment of places of worship
Promoting the concept of ‘Security by Design’ (SBD)
Developing resources and delivering trainings on protective security
Conducting research on security threats facing places of worship and religious sites
Raising awareness of security challenges and contributing to policy debates

Risk Assessment of Places of Worship

Places of worship are by design open to all, but this can also make them vulnerable to attacks. EFI carries out risk assessments of places of worship to identify threats and areas that need to be strengthened from a security perspective, and makes recommendations on how to do so.

SECURITY BY DESIGN

‘Security by Design’ (SBD) is a concept in the protection of public spaces (including places of worship) based on the idea that security is best achieved if addressed from the very beginning of the planning and design of public space.

Protective Security Training

EFI’s Protective Security training for places of worship explains the risks faith-based institutions and congregations may face, how to protect themselves and how to mitigate harm in the event of an attack.

Research

Research is vital to provide a thorough understanding of the issues and challenges facing faith communities, and to identify appropriate solutions. EFI uses its expert team and on-ground reach to conduct research on the situation of faith communities in Europe.

Governance support for faith-based institutions

EFI provide significant support to improve the governance and management of faith institutions. This includes aspects of security such as child protection and online safety.

EFI’s activities in relation to the way faith institutions are run include:

Faith institution management training
E-safety training and guidance for faith leaders and institutions
Child protection and safeguarding training for anyone in faith institutions working with children

Faith Institution Management Training

Enhancing Faith Institutions provides a bespoke Faith Institution Management training programme applicable for management of all places of worship in Europe. It covers the essential elements of management and leadership required to run a 21st century faith institution.

E-SAFETY TRAINING FOR FAITH LEADERS & INSTITUTIONS

As Faith Institutions and out-of-school settings across Europe increasingly work online, it is essential that children, staff and volunteers are safeguarded from potentially harmful and inappropriate online materials. EFI’s E-Safety training addresses this topic, and is adaptable to all faiths and denominations.

Child protection and safeguarding training

EFI’s training on Child Protection and Safeguarding is designed for faith leaders, teachers and anyone in a leadership position working with children in a place of worship. It helps them recognise warning signs of abuse and guides them on what action they should take – both to prevent abuse and to protect their institution and staff from legal scrutiny.

Training

Training is the main type of activity undertaken by EFI. Our training activities extend not just to faith-based institutions but also wider agencies/stakeholders.

The main types of training EFI carries out are:

Protective Security
- Protective Security Awareness Training for Places of Worship
- Faith Leader Personal Security Training
- Women and Youth Safety and Security Training
Faith Institution Management Training
E-safety Training for Faith Institutions and Leaders
Child Protection and Safeguarding Training

Protective Security Training

EFI’s Protective Security training for places of worship explains the risks faith-based institutions and congregations may face, how to protect themselves and how to mitigate harm in the event of an attack.

Faith Institution Management Training

Enhancing Faith Institutions provides a bespoke Faith Institution Management training programme applicable for management of all places of worship in Europe. It covers the essential elements of management and leadership required to run a 21st century faith institution.

E-SAFETY TRAINING FOR FAITH LEADERS & INSTITUTIONS

As Faith Institutions and out-of-school settings across Europe increasingly work online, it is essential that children, staff and volunteers are safeguarded from potentially harmful and inappropriate online materials. EFI’s E-Safety training addresses this topic, and is adaptable to all faiths and denominations.

Child protection and safeguarding training

EFI’s training on Child Protection and Safeguarding is designed for faith leaders, teachers and anyone in a leadership position working with children in a place of worship. It helps them recognise warning signs of abuse and guides them on what action they should take – both to prevent abuse and to protect their institution and staff from legal scrutiny.

Research and Communications

EFI is committed to research to support its goal of protecting faith-based communities and enabling them to make positive contributions to their societies. Research provides understanding of the challenges and issues facing faith communities, and thereby helps to identify appropriate solutions.

At the same time, EFI recognises the importance of communication – raising awareness of issues and of the various measures that faith institutions, faith leaders and other stakeholders can take to improve security and enable safe worship.

Finally, EFI’s experience with communication activities means it can offer strategic communication services to others as well.

Research

Research is vital to provide a thorough understanding of the issues and challenges facing faith communities, and to identify appropriate solutions. EFI uses its expert team and on-ground reach to conduct research on the situation of faith communities in Europe.

Communication

Communication is at the core of all EFI activities: trainings, strategic guidance, risk assessments, etc. all entail engaging with others and conveying information. EFI uses a range of communication tools – vital given the diverse nature of the stakeholders it is targeting.

Strategic communication planning and execution

Through its work with faith institutions and ethnic minorities, EFI has become experienced in carrying out communication strategies and digital campaigns. We now have our own specialist team to oversee planning and execution of campaigns.