Bridgend County Borough’s Community Cohesion Strategy for 2011 - 2014
This is Bridgend County Borough’s Community Cohesion Strategy for 2011 - 2014. It sets out our long-term strategic vision for integrated, inclusive and cohesive communities and includes an Action Plan that provides the framework for future activities in this area. The Strategy has been developed by Safer Bridgend in partnership with other public, private and voluntary sector bodies represented on the Local Service Board and with involvement of the wider community. We want everyone who lives or works in the County Borough to play their part in achieving our vision.
What is Community Cohesion?
Community cohesion is important to promote citizenship, equalities and integration between different communities. The Welsh Government uses the UK Department for communities and Local Government’s definition of community cohesion:
What must happen in all communities to enable different groups of people to get on well together. A key contributor to community cohesion is integration which is what must happen to enable new residents and existing residents to adjust to one another.
This vision of an integrated and cohesive community has three foundations:
- People from different backgrounds having similar life opportunities;
- People knowing their rights and responsibilities; and
- People trusting one another and trusting local institutions to act fairly.
It is also based on three key ways of living together:
- A shared future vision and sense of belonging;
- A focus on what new and existing communities have in common, alongside recognition of the value of diversity; and
- Strong and positive relationships between people from different backgrounds.
The community cohesion strategy identifies 4 priorities across the borough:
- Respecting Differences;
- Improving Access;
- Raising Awareness; and
- Understanding Neighbourhoods.
The Strategy provides a focus for agencies, partnerships, community groups and others to build on the good work already being done to further develop and strengthen our communities to the benefit of all residents and their quality of life in Bridgend County Borough.
Download the document here: