Faith groups inclusion scenario

A group of women, several wearing headscarves and shawls, talk while sat in a group in a room.

The following scenario has been developed to help your organisation become more inclusive to people from different faith groups. 'Faith groups' refers to a community of individuals who share the same religious beliefs, values and practices.

By working through the scenario below, you can gain a better understanding of how to respond to, and meet the needs of, people of different faiths.

The scenario has been constructed to reflect situations that you might encounter; any names or organisations used are fictional, designed only to aid your understanding.

The sport or activities referenced throughout this scenario are also provided for context and aren’t intended to reflect the approach taken or promoted by any national governing bodies of sport.

We recognise that individuals have different needs, requirements and challenges when getting active. Individuals can also have additional needs or experience further challenges or barriers if they’ve one or more protected characteristic (a term often referred to as intersectionality).

While these scenarios focus on the Muslim faith, the key takeaways and considerations have been designed to be transferrable and applicable to other contexts.

Remember not all people and not all faith groups will require the same support or encounter the same challenges when participating in sport or being physically active.

This three-part scenario features Amina. Amina is 34 years old and is of Muslim faith.

She has always enjoyed being physically active, regularly attends activity sessions delivered at her local mosque and is a member of a local multi-sports club.

The club is made up of women of mixed ages, ethnicities and abilities and they currently play socially on weekly basis.

A woman wearing a headscarf jogs through a park.

As you work through this scenario, consider how you would respond, then click on the dropdown to understand the impact of your response. Responses are not monitored; be honest in your approach to get the most out of this learning experience.

One of the social teams that Amina plays with are planning to enter a new league.

After looking at the league rules, Amina’s concerned that the clothing she has previously worn (hijab, loose-fitting trousers and a long-sleeved shirt) for training and practice matches will not be allowed in the league, as the rules state that set clothing must be worn. Amina raises these concerns with the club’s coach.

Response 1

The coach asks Amina if she would consider wearing the suggested clothing when playing in the new league. The coach tells Amina that she’s really keen for her to play, but suggests she might not be able to if she doesn’t stick to the rules.
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Outcome

This response is dismissive of Amina’s faith and may make her feel as though her beliefs and culture aren’t respected by the club or the league.

It’s important that participation opportunities accommodate different faiths and cultural attire, rather than stating specific kit must be worn, a common barrier for people of particular faith groups.

If the decision is taken to stop Amina from playing in the league because of the clothing she chooses to wear, this could be seen as discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
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Response 2

The coach assures Amina that it shouldn’t be a problem for her to wear what she normally wears in the new league, as she has seen other participants playing with similar clothes to what Amina wears. However, the coach states that this won’t be confirmed until they turn up for the first fixture.
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Outcome

While this response acknowledges Amina’s faith and requirements to wear different clothing, it doesn’t fully provide her with the confidence that she’ll be able to play.

Amina would feel excluded, singled out and likely embarrassed if she turned up to the first fixture but was unable to play because of her clothing.
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Response 3

The coach respects and understands Amina’s faith and cultural requirements. She agrees to contact the league to confirm the rules and to ask for these to be updated to meet the requirements of different faith groups.

The coach states to Amina that the club will find another league to play in if the rules aren’t changed.
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Outcome

Response 3 is the most inclusive response. Through this approach, the coach is demonstrating to Amina that they value her as part of the club and fully respect her faith and its clothing requirements.

By asking the league to update their rules, the club is helping to ensure others don’t have the same concerns. The suggestion of joining another league shows that the club won’t tolerate discrimination of any kind.
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Amina’s team has training and matches during Ramadan. Amina lets the coach know that she’ll be fasting from dawn until sunset but is still keen to participate in all activities.

Amina mentions to her coach that, depending on the timing of training and matches, she may wish to stop for something to eat and drink or might need additional breaks during sessions.

Response 1

The coach tells Amina that she’s concerned about her wellbeing and safety while fasting, because she might have less energy and be dehydrated, so would prefer her not to attend any training sessions or matches during this time.
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Outcome

This response doesn’t align with Amina’s requests or how she feels. While the coach may be acting with good intentions, the decision on whether or not to participate should be Amina’s.

She’s expressed her desire to continue training and playing and has simply asked for small adjustments, which will enable her to eat or drink something, depending on the time of the sessions, or for additional breaks if needed.
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Response 2

The coach tells Amina that she can continue to participate in both training and matches, but no adjustments will be made.

The coach explains that there will be no additional breaks in training, and any breaks will fit around existing session plans. She also suggests that Amina can be a substitute in matches if she thinks she will struggle.
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Outcome

While this response doesn’t stop Amina participating because of her faith, it fails to acknowledge the challenges she may face during Ramadan.

Amina wants to continue to participate and her coach could support her by allowing flexibility in training as well as having discussion with her during matches, rather than making decisions on her behalf.

By failing to make these small adjustments and consulting with her, the coach risks leaving Amina feeling unsupported and that her faith isn’t respected by the club.
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Response 3

The coach welcomes discussions with Amina about Ramadan, asking if and how this will affect her ability to participate and what can be done to support her.

Amina and her coach agree on some adjustments, such as building additional breaks into training sessions.

Amina and her coach also discuss how best to accommodate her needs during matches to ensure her wellbeing is prioritised and faith practices are respected.
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Outcome

Response 3 shows a strong commitment to inclusivity and demonstrates the club’s inclusive practices by respecting Amina’s needs.

By engaging in an open dialogue, the coach acknowledges Amina’s faith and encourages Amina to work with them to find reasonable adjustments to support her continued participation.

This approach not only supports Amina but also sets a positive example for the club, reinforcing the value of respecting diversity and individual needs.
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At the end of the year, the club are looking to arrange a social activity with awards to celebrate. In previous years, this has been held at a nearby pub, as a convenient local venue for many of the team's players.

However, due to her religious beliefs, Amina has not previously attended as she feels uncomfortable going to a location that’s serving alcohol, where other team members are drinking.

Amina would like to attend this year's event, so speaks to the club’s secretary to suggest changing venues.

Response 1

The secretary explains to Amina that the pub has been used for the end-of-season celebrations for many years and has always provided a popular and successful location.

The secretary states that they’ve already booked the pub, so it can’t be changed, but it would be a shame for Amina to miss out.
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Outcome

This response isn’t inclusive of all members of the team, as it may not just be Amina that feels uncomfortable with the venue.

By hosting their end-of-season celebrations at the pub, the club doesn’t consider Amina’s needs or respect her culture.

Encouraging Amina to attend without making any changes risks leaving her out and making her feel as though her values and faith aren’t important.
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Response 2

The secretary acknowledges Amina’s concerns but explains that it’s unlikely they’ll be able to change the venue. However, to help accommodate Amina, the club will request that no alcohol will be available until after all awards have been handed out.
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Outcome

While this response demonstrates an effort to accommodate Amina, it doesn't fully address the issue.

Refraining from alcohol until after all awards are distributed is a step in the right direction, but it doesn't consider the broader inclusivity of the venue itself.

By keeping the event at a pub, the club still risks creating an uncomfortable environment for Amina and others.
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Response 3

The secretary starts to look for alternative venues and asks all members of the team to suggest different venues or activities for the celebrations.

The secretary explains that it’s important for everyone to be able to attend and feel comfortable: no one should be excluded.
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Outcome

Response 3 is an inclusive and thoughtful approach. Changing the venue will respond to Amina’s needs and sets a positive example for the rest of the club, showing that inclusivity is at the heart of the club’s values.

Listening to the concerns of Amina and involving others in the decision-making process helps create a welcoming and respectful environment for everyone.

This is likely to lead to a more positive and inclusive experience for all participants and member comfort at the end-of-season awards.
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Different faith groups have distinct cultural practices, values and beliefs. When looking to include more people from a variety of backgrounds and faith groups, remember to:

be sensitive in your use of language and open to understanding different people’s beliefs and requirements
ask questions to understand what your different people need, try not to make assumptions about different faiths
do your research to improve your awareness of various faith groups
treat everyone with respect and dignity.

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Faith groups inclusion scenario

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Faith groups inclusion scenario

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