Birmingham Community Cohesion Statement
Community cohesion is about how we can all live, work, learn, and socialise together.
Community cohesion, is about how all people of different social backgrounds, ethnicities, faiths, and generations can interact with and relate to each other in a positive way.
While there is no universally agreed definition of community cohesion, it is usually understood to describe what is needed to foster trust and good relationships between and within diverse communities. We want to build a fair and inclusive city for everyone who lives in, works in, and visits Birmingham and to create an open and ongoing dialogue across the city in which we all continuously consider how our decisions, our resources, and our relationships across communities can be used to promote community cohesion.
Our Community Cohesion strategy is our understanding of what community cohesion means in Birmingham. It sets out a collaborative approach; one in which communities, faith organisations, public sector agencies, businesses, and individuals work alongside one another to marshal scarce resources and make more creative use of the assets and skills we have in our city and neighbourhoods
We have identified eight guiding principles to support our vision and underpin this strategy:
- Mainstream cohesion: making cohesion everyday business - a shared understanding of building community cohesion will be part of everyday policy and practice for all partners.
- Connect and exchange ideas that promote cohesion and mobilise social action - we will connect people, places and communities to share knowledge, exchange ideas and drive local innovation.
- Nurture and support aspiration of young people - every child should have the best start in life no matter what their background, with a fair chance to realise their aspirations.
- Promote rights and responsibilities - everyone should have a strong sense and understanding of their rights and responsibilities: what is expected of them, and what they can expect of others.
- Progress equality in all spheres of social and economic life - we will work together to eliminate all forms of inequality and gender-based violence, and challenge the cultural norms that prevent people from living their lives fully.
- Promote inclusive economic growth that benefits everyone across Birmingham - we will work with partners at all levels to ensure that the benefits of economic growth are shared and accessible to all.
- Empowered and engaged neighbourhoods - we will empower communities to be active participants in local solutions, harnessing the skills and expertise of local people and organisations.
- Uniting people and communities through cultural and sporting engagement, expression and celebration - we will use sports, arts and cultural events to drive cohesion, celebrating the voices, talents and energies of our communities.
Our community cohesion strategy was approved by the whole council in December 2018.
