EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - Promoting Sustainable Communities and Community Cohesion

Promoting Sustainable Communities and Community Cohesion

Introduction

The sustainable communities agenda is becoming increasingly popular among urban professionals and organisations. However, the agenda could still feature more in policy development. The purpose of this research conducted by the Institute of Community Cohesion was to explore how the sustainable communities and community cohesion agendas may be promoted, developed and embedded within and across different professional disciplines and sectors in the United Kingdom. In particular, the work aimed to discover how routes to learning, programmes of professional development and the dissemination of information could contribute.

Description

The Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC) commissioned the Institute for Community Cohesion to research how the sustainable communities and community cohesion agendas may be promoted, developed and embedded in different professional sectors. The research focuses on how routes to learning, programmes of professional development and the dissemination of information can contribute to a common understanding of both agendas.

The research especially looked at the contribution of learning and professional development to:

A common language and understanding of both agendas
A more joined up approach
New ways of building social capital, citizenship, civic renewal and common sense of belonging
Promoting cross-cultural contact between communities increasingly differentiated by ethnicity, faith and location.

Background information

A Sustainable Community is one in which a the community is active, inclusive and safe, well run, environmentally sensitive, well designed and built, well connected, thriving, well served and fair for everyone. The definition of a cohesive community promoted by the Faith and Social Cohesion Unit of the Liverpool based Charity Commission, is one in which:

there is a common vision and sense of belonging for all
the diversity of people’s backgrounds and circumstances is appreciated and positively valued
those from different backgrounds have similar life opportunities
strong and positive relationships are being developed between people from different backgrounds in the workplace, in schools and within neighbourhoods.

It can therefore be said that there is a strong link between sustainable communities and community cohesion.

Methodology

A. Constructing a Mapping Matrix of Organisations
Identifying key professional and semi-professional organisations, representative bodies and statutory agencies concerned with building sustainable communities and promoting community cohesion. A matrix or map was then constructed, based on core occupational clusters or sectors allowing connections to be made between different types of organisations. The matrix was also used as the ‘pool’ from which organisations were selected for further research.

B. Data Collection
To ensure consistency in gathering and recording information from widely differing organisations, a data collection pro forma was devised. Data collection involved gathering information from websites, supplemented – where necessary – by telephone interview.

C. Data Analysis
We have provided a thumbnail description of the role and purpose of each organisation selected for further research, identifying routes to learning, professional development, sources of information and regulation. However, our primary objective was to determine the extent to which sustainable communities and community cohesion featured in the internal agenda of each organisation and within each sector. This forms the basis of our proposals on future strategy and development programmes.

D. Practitioners Network
We have also begun the process of building a Practitioners Network based around those directly involved in building cohesive and sustainable communities, with the objective of bringing different professions and sectors together, providing information, guidance and support and promoting best practice. This work commenced with the establishment of a reference group of practitioners drawn from a representative group of local authorities

Conclusions

Many professional and key organisations in the UK have begun to engage with the cohesive and sustainable communities agendas
The sustainable communities and cohesive communities agendas need to feature more in the internal policy themes and guidance, routes to learning and dissemination of information of professional and key organisations
A number of professional and other bodies have risen to the challenge of promoting sustainable and cohesive communities and their experiences should be made exemplars of best practice
Through developing the capacity of organisations to ‘champion’ best practice in building sustainable and cohesive communities there is the chance to promote joint learning. This will enable professionals in a sector to work with those in related occupations in an atmosphere of mutual trust.
There is an opportunity to tackle the ‘gap’ sectors by working with the IDeA, LGA and the emerging Practitioners Network to develop a ‘general resource pack’ on community cohesion within the context of sustainable communities.

Contact info

Academy for Sustainable Communities
enquiries@ascskills.org.uk
Dr Jemma Basham (Research and Best Practice Manager), tel. +44 113 394 4582

Publication date

//2007

Project finished

//2007

Researcher

Institute of Community Cohesion

Links

Click here for more information about the Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC)Click here for more information about the Institute of Community Cohesion

Click here to read the official summary of the research findings (PDF, Eng, 1 MB)

Document type

research

Themes

Urban Policy > Social inclusion & integration

Keywords

Community development