Community Cohesion

By Dr Karen Griffiths
Stronger Communities Officer, HCC

Cohesion describes the ability of communities to live and grow in harmony together. It lies at the heart of safe, strong and prosperous places to live. The Local Government Association has defined a cohesive community as a place where:

1. There is a common vision and a sense of belonging to the local community;
2. The diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances are appreciated;
3. Those from different backgrounds have equal opportunities; and
4. Strong and positive relationships have been developed between people from different backgrounds in the workplace, in schools and in neighbourhoods.

The Hertfordshire picture of cohesion is a positive one with perception about the extent to which people from different backgrounds get on well together generally high across the county. However, we need to build upon this to ensure we can develop a county where all are valued and included and feel part of a vibrant and healthy community. In the current economic climate local authorities and other partners agencies need to work together with communities to prevent the emergence of any tensions that might be created as a result of competition for shared resources and ensure equality for all citizens.

Community Cohesion has emerged as an important agenda both nationally and locally within recent years. The 2007 White Paper ‘Strong and Prosperous Communities’ reinforces the importance of the Place-shaping and Community Leadership role and encourages authorities to work with partner agencies to help people live together within strengthened and developed communities.. This can only be achieved by valuing and supporting community focussed work in our local areas that support different groups coming together to address local issues and deliver tangible outcomes in a practical way. The New Performance Framework for Local Government includes 198 new National Indicators two of which are directly cohesion related measures. These are:

· NI1 – the percentage of people who think their local areas is one in which people from different backgrounds get on well with one another
· NI2 - the percentage of people who feel that they belong to their local area

Hertfordshire Forward therefore recognises the importance of both maintaining and developing Community Cohesion within Hertfordshire’s communities to ensure delivery against NI1 within the Local Area Agreement (LAA). A Community Cohesion strategy group has been established and is tasked with developing a county-wide approach. The strategy group consists of representatives from a wide range of partners including: Hertfordshire County Council, Police, the Primary Care Trust, Districts, a Housing association, an Ethnic minority groups’ representative, a faith groups’ representative and a representative from Hertfordshire Infrastructure Consortium to give voice to Third sector views. The group has been making good progress in developing a shared understanding of issues and is currently engaged in preparing the draft strategy and actions. The strategy will go out for consultation in September, with final sign-off by December. Some of the key areas that the strategy will address include: Social Inclusion and equalities, Participation and citizenship, promoting good community relations and celebrating diversity.


Inclusion
Being part of a cohesive community means feeling that your contribution is recognised and valued and that you have equal opportunities as those around you, irrespective of your background or beliefs. In the current economic climate, many people may be struggling to access employment and may be disadvantaged by a lack of relevant educational opportunities and skills training. Tackling issues related to social exclusion and deprivation is the key to building and sustaining stronger and inclusive communities. We aim to see a Hertfordshire where all people have similar life opportunities and access to services irrespective of their background and beliefs. Voluntary sector organisations and community groups have a key role to play in this to ensure all in our communities are signposted effectively and have access to locally tailored good quality services.

Participation: The role of volunteering
Promoting a sense of belonging and community awareness is at the heart of developing stronger and more cohesive neighbourhoods. Individuals have a vital role to play in helping to develop this sense of place and community spirit as active participants within their area. Actively participating within the community, for example through volunteering, is an important element of strong communities. Many Hertfordshire residents are already playing their part by giving their time and skills and working to make a real difference in their local area with voluntary and community groups. However there is still scope for more of Hertfordshire’s residents to contribute through participating formally in volunteering schemes and informally through community groups, events and good neighbour schemes. Local authorities working together with the Third sector can help provide encouragement and support for people to engage in this way; they can make opportunities available for residents to have a positive influence within their community and ensure that their contribution is recognised and valued.

Good community relations
In Hertfordshire we aspire to be a place where diversity is viewed positively and all people are respected regardless of their personal background or cultural heritage. A strong and cohesive community is one in which we can appreciate and value others. Our understanding of the views of others can often be based on selective or misinformed reports and experiences. In the worst cases, it can lead to prejudice, discrimination or extremist views. Developing an understanding of people who are different to us can help to breakdown stereotypes, reduce fear of the unknown and can prevent tension from occurring in our communities. Dialogue that is built on shared understanding is often the best tool for addressing issues and resolving conflict. There is a role for individuals and community groups in challenging negative perceptions, correcting misinformation and standing up to discrimination and prejudice.

Diversity & culture
Hertfordshire hosts a variety of arts, sports and cultural events throughout the year that celebrate both diversity of culture and pride of place. Residents from many different backgrounds have the opportunity to, and do participate in these various events that bring communities together to highlight a shared sense of respect and belonging. The Third sector plays a key role in this to ensure that people have the opportunity to come together and learn from one another, to make best use of community facilities and develop deeper understanding and sense of togetherness.