Tips for Supporting People During Ramadan

Many digital inclusion hubs in our network support people who might be fasting during Ramadan, and we know there are lots of great ways that staff and volunteers can keep learning accessible and respectful to Muslim learners during this time. If you’re helping people in Muslim communities to get online, here are some tips from our network ambassadors that you might consider:

1. Keep activities light and simple

Try to avoid intensive learning during Ramadan as (a) people who are fasting might not have the energy to focus, and (b) some learners might miss a session as these are busy times for many families, and we don’t want them to miss out on important content. 

2. Helping learners to stay motivated

Emily from Job4Me says that she includes games and even chair exercises to keep energy levels up, which is probably good practice whether it’s Ramadan or not!

3. Mornings can be better for some

Some people who are fasting will find it easier to attend sessions in the morning. For parents, it’s best to leave some time after the standard school drop-off time too.  However, some learners might prefer to sleep in during the mornings and appear later in the day. Flexibility really helps!

4. Don’t assume all of your muslim learners are fasting

Not everyone fasts for a number of reasons, and some people will need to have access to food and drink, e.g. pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with diabetes, etc. So, if you normally provide refreshments, you should continue to do so. Yasmin from Go-Woman Alliance reminded us that many hubs will be warm spaces and so providing free tea and coffee is a minimum requirement.

5. Thinking about food and drink

There were different opinions on whether hubs should change their standard approach to refreshments. Some said that they avoided eating in front of learners during Ramadan and offered fresh air breaks rather than a coffee break. From one of our ambassadors who does fast, we heard that it can feel uncomfortable if people change their normal habits around you because you are fasting. Some hubs also offer pre-packaged refreshments that people can take home for when they break fast.

6. Communication is key

Talk to your learners about what works best for them and ask people if there’s anything you can do to support them during Ramadan.