Active Communities
Joining Community Cohesion and Regeneration
Joint Home Office / Office Of The Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) community cohesion advice has been published, incorporating Government-funded regeneration projects that will serve to bring communities together. The advice is provided for local authorities, Government Departments and Government Offices, Regional Development Agencies, and other agencies. It outlines how to build community cohesion principles into Area Based Initiatives (ABIs). ABIs are central government initiatives that are targeted at specific geographical areas.
Title: 'Community Cohesion Advice for those designing, developing and delivering Area Based Initiatives (ABIs) Building cohesion into regeneration and renewal'
Author: Home Office / ODPM
Date Published: December 2003
Number of pages: 25
The guidance highlights 3 key principles:
good communication - telling people the scheme's objectives and how they will be implemented.
regular consultation - talking to local people regularly leading to greater local ownership of regeneration schemes.
flexibility - defining geographical boundaries for a scheme, and looking at how benefits can be provided to direct and indirect participants, avoiding discrimination perceptions.
Using this local knowledge, and involving local people from different communities is the best way to ensure regeneration schemes create more cohesive communities. Wider issues of poverty, exclusion and discrimination can also contribute to a breakdown in tolerance and understanding between communities. Recognition of the factors that build or undermine cohesion in a particular area is therefore vital.
ABIs
Area based initiatives (ABIs) can be highly effective in transforming areas of high deprivation, and improving communities not able to access sufficient mainstream funding and services. But there are risks that the concentration of resources on particular areas may result in resentment and frustration among some communities because of perceptions of favoured treatment.
The document provides advice on how best to address cohesion within both new and existing ABIs, ensuring that relations between recipient communities and their neighbours are not damaged.
Key issues
Full and meaningful involvement of neighbouring communities in the development of ABIs is needed to ensure tensions arising between disadvantaged areas receiving differential funding are addressed.
Use of a good communications/marketing strategy to explain objectives and the rationale for funding decisions will have the effect of positively influencing local perceptions.
Meaningful consultation and communication with recipient communities needs to take place,
Flexibility in the application of scheme boundaries, and careful consideration of the best means of providing benefits to both direct and indirect participants will lead to more cohesive communities.
Greater contact between communities to maximise cross-cultural contact should be considered.
Defining Local Need
Recognising that a community's needs differ from that of its neighbours can provide a valuable opportunity to building community cohesion that get communities working and living together coherently.
Conclusion
Community cohesion will be affected unless ABIs are reflecting the needs of all communities fairly. The measures suggested are a start to addressing cohesion negatively. Positive outcomes will be achieved if those involved at a local level work with others from the outset.
Last update: Tuesday, July 22, 2008