About the iCoCo good practice database

 

What is the good practice database?

The iCoCo good practice database is a resource for shared learning. It is a repository for hosting case studies of projects and schemes that demonstrate community cohesion and good relations in practice. Its purpose is to provide a searchable 'hub' of useful experiential information, where practitioners can document their work and access the relevant work of others. The good practice database is a tool to help practitioners promote their successes and share the lessons they have learnt, with a view to encouraging more good practice in the field. It also serves as a reference library for practitioners developing new schemes, who seek to benefit from the learning of others before them. The good practice database does not claim to have all the answers, nor does it imply that what works for one sector, in one region, for one group of participants will work for another. The case studies are examples of work in the field and are not show-cased as exemplars; as such they are open to subjective criticism and constructive comment.

The vision

Unlike other best practice resources, the overarching aim of the good practice database is not to tell practitioners how best to deliver to their stated objectives around community cohesion and good relations, but rather to encourage the sharing of experiential learning. The infrastructure is owned by iCoCo and supported by EHRC and CLG, but the content should, ideally, be owned by contributing practitioners and be open to evaluation by visiting practitioners.

The database is an evolving resource and has been designed with sustainability as a key objective. In order to achieve long term sustainability, existing case studies should be owned/adopted by project sponsors who are best placed to ensure their work is accurately represented and up to date. We recognise, however, that this is not always achievable and so wider considerations of ongoing review and quality assurance have been accommodated.