'A sense of belonging' - the Cohesion Communications Toolkit

Government and councils talk about community cohesion but what does this mean?

At its simplest, it is about making an area a good place to live, in which people share a common vision and everyone feels welcome. In these areas, community tensions are reduced because different groups interact and trust each other and inequalities are being tackled.

Any communications need to be based on the vision for the area as a whole. They need to recognise that diversity creates dynamic, creative economies and that 'disturbances' are a real threat to investment and business opportunities.

This toolkit is based on our experience of working with local authorities. It draws on the experience of a number of councils who took part in a workshop in March 2006. It is part of a project funded by the Home Office and run by the Institute of Community Cohesion.

In the following sections, you can find useful tips, examples of what works well and relevant websites and information.

This is a 'live' document and we welcome your contributions - if you have a good idea or case study to share please contact us.