Community cohesion is about making
all sections of the community feel that that they belong.
The Commission for Integration and Cohesion defines an
integrated and cohesive community as one where:
1. There is a clearly
defined and widely shared sense of the contribution of different
individuals and different communities to a future vision for a
neighbourhood, city, region or country
2. There is a strong sense of an individual’s rights and
responsibilities when living in a particular place – people know
what everyone expects of them, and what they can expect in
turn
3. Those from different backgrounds have similar life
opportunities, access to services and treatment
4. There is a strong sense of trust in institutions locally to
act fairly in arbitrating between different interests and for their
role and justifications to be subject to public scrutiny
5. There is a strong recognition of the contribution of both
those who have newly arrived and those who already have deep
attachments to a particular place, with a focus on what they have
in common
6. There are strong and positive relationships between people
from different backgrounds in the workplace, in schools and other
institutions within neighbourhoods.
Further information is also available on the following web
sites:
The Commission on Integration and Community Cohesion have
published ‘Our Shared Future’. The Commission was a fixed
term advisory body that was set up by Ruth Kelly, on the 28 June
2006. The Commission considered how local areas could
make the most of the benefits delivered by increasing
diversity.
Some of the key areas covered by the report include how we
promote and support English language speaking, developing a new
role for local authorities with strengthened support from national
government and how we put a renewed focus on citizenship.
The report contains detailed research into how cohesion issues
are affecting areas in different ways and how the nature of the
cohesion challenge has changed.
The full report can be
viewed here: (PDF
1.1Mb)