A long-term strategic programme, to create a solid foundation upon which communities can work together in a spirit of neighbourliness, compassion and unity, is needed to recover and rebuild from the pandemic.
This is according to recommendations from Belong – The Cohesion and Integration Network and the University of Kent.
Beyond Us and Them: Policy and Practice for Strengthening Social Cohesion in Local Areas, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, calls on government to embed principles of social cohesion into relevant national policy agendas. It recommends they work with local government to support a locally tailored approach.
The paper, released today is a companion piece to the report, Community, Connection and Cohesion during COVID-19: Beyond Us and Them Report released in February this year.
The report found that, compared to people living in other parts of the UK, residents of local authorities investing in social cohesion schemes – such as running social mixing and community engagement events, youth programmes and ESOL classes – were:
- Twice as likely to volunteer compared to people living elsewhere.
- Had a higher sense of neighbourliness (9.9% higher).
- Had a higher level of trust in local government’s response to COVID-19 (8.2% higher).
This paper offers recommendations to ensure all areas can benefit from investing in social cohesion. It details how local and national government can increase social cohesion at a local level as communities emerge and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The paper suggests different strategies in different places will be required to address social cohesion. Central government will need to work in partnership with local government and institutions to support this tailored locally based approach.
Recommendations from the report include:
Promote active social engagement and volunteering
A strong, connected and diverse local voluntary and community sector provides routes for engagement, voice and empowerment particularly for less engaged groups and communities.
Support local leaders to actively promote social cohesion in language accessible to all
From elected leaders to local MPs, to community leaders, promoting and embedding principles of inclusion, diversity and cohesion in strategy and programmes further builds a story of a local area as a welcoming open place where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.
Strengthen the role of local government acting as a co-producer, convener and enabler
This means working alongside communities, groups, business, education, housing, health and civil society sectors to develop and implement a shared vision of place.
The paper also includes best practice examples from local authorities, charities and community groups from across the country including Blackburn with Darwen, Bradford, Calderdale and Walsall.
Beyond us and them
‘Community, Connection and Cohesion during COVID-19: Beyond Us and Them Report’ examined the experiences of people living in six local authority areas investing in social cohesion*, and the experiences of people across the UK who have been volunteering during the pandemic. Overall the research makes a strong case for investment in social cohesion as a way to help people feel happier in themselves, more connected to people and place, reduce community tension and build resilience.
Started in March 2020 and running until Summer 2021, Beyond Us and Them will provide one of the richest sources of academic data on people’s experiences in the UK during the pandemic. Researchers are using online surveys, one-to-one interviews and focus groups to track peoples’ experiences and views on how the pandemic is affecting their relationships, neighbourhoods and everyday lives with a final report due later this year. The research is also being used to develop recommendations on how other areas in the UK can boost social cohesion and build resilient communities.
Beyond Us and Them: Policy and Practice for Strengthening Social Cohesion in Local Areas calls for the following key conditions that, in combination, are a basis for building and sustaining local social cohesion.
- Strengthen the role of local government as a co-producer, convener and enabler. This means working alongside communities, groups, business, education, housing, health and civil society sectors to develop and implement a shared vision of place.
- Develop local infrastructure for a strong, thriving and diverse voluntary and community sector.
- Build and strengthen collaboration and partnership across all sectors.
- Utilise arts, sports and cultural activities to reach a common goal putting communities in charge.
- Support local leaders to actively promote social cohesion in language accessible to all.
- Tackle the barriers to inclusion of minority communities and under-represented groups including hate crime and prejudice.
- Promote active social engagement and volunteering.
- Invest in social mixing of people from different backgrounds.
- Establish a shared national framework of local social cohesion measures to help local areas target resources appropriately and effectively for rebuild and recovery efforts.
- Understand the equalities and cohesion impact of strategy and programmes.
- Build competence, capacity, skills and knowledge in the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS and across local partnerships).
- Draw on and support the specialist knowledge and skills of national and local civil society organisations.
Our recent findings demonstrated that a strong, connected and diverse local voluntary and community sector provides routes for engagement, voice and empowerment. Implementing these recommendations will help diverse areas reap the benefits from investment on social cohesion.”Professor Dominic Abrams, director of the Centre for the Study of Group Processes at the University of Kent
Jo Broadwood, CEO of Belong – The Cohesion and Integration Network, said: “Our recent report highlighted how investing in social cohesion brings considerable returns for individuals and their communities. As we tentatively look forward to emerging from the pandemic, central and local government must start planning strategically to ensure neighbourliness, compassion and unity are at the heart of how we move forward.”
Alex Beer, Welfare Programme Head at the Nuffield Foundation, said: “Evidence from this project shows that the local authorities which have invested in social cohesion programmes have been able to bring people and their communities together. This report highlights some best practice examples and recommendations on ways to foster wellbeing and build resilience as communities begin to emerge from the pandemic.
