Commission on Integration and Cohesion

Local bodies (Councils, health, police, fire, housing associations etc)

Emerging themes

'Everyone has a role to play… we are not frightened by diversity… we celebrate it'

'We can feel comfortable in the realisation that we all have common ground'

 

We need:

• Broader debate than narrow focus on faith and race
• Discuss it in plain English - jargon turns people off
• Strong visible, personal leadership in local bodies
• Focus on civic values: rights, roles and responsibilities
• More emphasis on commonalities, not just difference
• Greater opportunities for active engagement
• Strong, clear consistent communication of changes
• To tackle inequality, discrimination and exclusion across all communities
• To invest in English language provision
• Mixed communities with mixed housing
• To address complex inter relations of factors
• To recognise that global events can have an impact on local relations

Your key messages

'There is a crucial role for frontline councillors'

'Everyone in the community making the effort to play a part in the community, be neighbourly…'

'Just wanted to comment the role of youth work across all sectors'

 

We need:

• Recognise uniqueness of cohesion in localities (rural, urban, coastal) and the complexity of challenges
• Local bodies can provide community leadership, compelling vision and help to shape places
• Local bodies have to be proactive - dispersal and the nature of migration mean issues sometimes hidden
• Must create safe, supportive, shared spaces
• English language is crucial to integration but translation support needed to aid initial stages of settlement
• Must mainstream cohesion into the ‘day job’ through the fire service remit on community safety and neighbourhood policing
• There is a key role for frontline councillors
• Be bold in challenging misinformation and myths
• Ensure balance - demonstrate impact of regeneration and programmes to host and new residents
• Key role for voluntary, community and faith sectors in welcoming new settlers, and in providing reassurance at times of conflict or crisis

Some important challenges

'Statutory organisations play a vital leadership role in setting out common values of inclusion and fairness'

'All organisations have a role to play … schools, art, sport'

 

We need:

• Leading by example with strategic, co-ordinated approach and representative workforces
• Capacity building in areas with weak local leadership
• Facilitating and resource international partnerships
• More responsible communication by media and others
• Pooling accurate information and data on changes
• English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Access for All - needs sustainable funding
• Tackling unscrupulous landlord practices