Listening-Observing-Acting

Through a process called “Mothers’ Union Listening, Observing, Acting” (MULOA) the MU has been exploring, with its 4 million grassroots membership in 84 countries, the essence of what it is to be Mothers’ Union.

The aim is to make it much easier to answer the question “Why Mothers’ Union?” in our local communities and wider society, including politicians and potential donors, and to identify channels for reaching out to new members and supporters.

In Britain and Ireland, each diocese has been encouraged, using a worldwide toolkit, to reach out to a minimum of 10% of groups in its diocese and to compile the data, making an initial analysis of what is key for its diocese.

Sandra Gamble, a Trustee of the Mothers’ Union Diocese of Salisbury said:

"The overall global changes that Mothers’ Union aspires to make are in the areas of gender justice, peace and safety, self-reliance and restored relationships with God, each other, the environment and the stigmatised.

"When working in our communities, the approach is first to listen and observe, then to mobilise our own and surrounding resources.

"In the Diocese of Salisbury this is the direction that the MU is already pursuing, with its themed community social projects focused on social justice, education and families. Individually, or together in partnership, MU in Salisbury Diocese works in the Salisbury Law Courts, both prisons in the Diocese and seeks to raise awareness and report incidences witnessed in the community of modern day slavery and human trafficking.

"It supports work in children’s centres and hospitals; provides life skills sessions for pupils in schools and holidays for families living in adversity; and raises awareness of gender based violence while also giving support to the Salisbury Women’s Refuge."

The information, with the support of Mary Sumner House staff, has then been further analysed and summarised to draw out key themes. This has resulted in a Britain and Ireland Framework which together with other frameworks relating to other groupings of the MU worldwide were presented and discussed at the Mothers’ Union Triennial Worldwide Council in June of this year.

Based on the worldwide MULOA discussions, a draft strategic plan is being prepared by the staff of Mary Sumner House for review and finalisation by the Worldwide Board in November 2019.

The Worldwide Board will then put a strategy in place up to 2026 (when the MU will be celebrating its 150th anniversary) which is rooted in the priorities of the membership worldwide.