Building Community Cohesion into Practice: strategies for frontline professionals

Overview

Community Cohesion has been adopted as the government’s official policy of harmonisation amongst British communities since the 2001 riots in Northern Towns namely Oldham, Burnley and Rochdale. The strategy was further being weighted by successive government initiatives such as The Integrated Communities Strategy- green paper (March 2018). Many front-line professionals are under-skilled in both the details of community cohesion policy and practice. This essential course charts the gradual demise of Multiculturalism as both policy and practice in the United Kingdom in the late 1990s and navigates the contested terrain that led to the adoption of community cohesion. Through the use of innovative case studies, frank media viewing, group work, practical examples of community cohesion initiatives and professional reflection participants will explore the range of socio-economic, political and integration dimensions that led to severe riots and acts of violence in Burnley, Oldham and Rochdale in 2001. The four core strands of community cohesion will be thoroughly analysed and delegates will get a chance to apply their skills, knowledge and competencies gained to real-life case studies that will give them a good understanding of applying the cohesion agenda in practice. We will be reflecting on why over 20 years of community cohesion policy and initiatives has again led to riots in 2024 as well as what ideologies, theories that drive the British far-right and anti-migration movement. Delegates will be aided after the course with a number of official toolkits and research reports into best practice in this arena if they wish to further develop their theory and practice.

Who is Building Community Cohesion into Practice: strategies for frontline professionals aimed at?

Front line professionals who are working with communities Managers that oversee teams that work with communities Housing, Welfare staff that work with communities Staff working on Policy and guidance in Local Government that affect local communities

Course Length

1 day

Learning Outcomes

On conclusion of the course, participants will have:

-An appreciation of the different socio-political dimensions that led to the demise of multiculturalism policy in the late 1990s.

-A clear understanding of how social, political and economic dynamics contributed to the formation of community cohesion policy.

-Access to a free dedicated online resource  that practitioners can browse to develop their reading around the subject area.

-Abllity to map the social components that contribute to civil unrest.

-Ability to confidently discuss the four key strands of the community cohesion agenda. 

- Ability to Recognise the importance of building community cohesion into practice.

- Understanding of key ideologies/theories that drive the British far-right and anti-immigration movement.

- Reflection on 2024 riots, is policy really working? Are we going round in circles?

-Ability to learn from the course facilitator about successful community cohesion initiatives, projects and ideas and share best practice with fellow professionals.

-Ability to apply theory to practice in order to build community cohesion into their practice.

-Ability to reflect professionally on several key skills, qualities and competencies that would need to be developed in order to effectively apply the community cohesion agenda to our practice.