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Guides and toolkits

In developing your approach to Community Cohesion there are several guides and toolkits that may be helpful. We would recommend that you look at the following:   
 

  • 'Community cohesion – an action guide'(LGA, 2004). This was aimed primarily at Local Authorities but it contains a lot of helpful guidance and numerous examples of good practice that may be helpful to health service professionals.
  • 'Community cohesion: seven steps: a practitioner’s toolkit' (Home Office/ODPM, 2005). This toolkit was designed with practitioners from all agencies that are concerned with community cohesion in mind. It sets out seven steps to developing community cohesion with numerous examples of good practice from the Community Cohesion Pathfinders programme (an 18 month programme involving 14 Pathfinder areas and 13 Shadow Pathfinders).
  • 'Understanding and monitoring tension and conflict in local communities: a practical guide for Local Authorities, Police service and partner agencies' (iCoCo and the Metropolitan Police, 2008). This report focuses specifically on how to understand and monitor tensions in your community. It contains advice on how to set up a tension monitoring system, tools for understanding local community dynamics and advice on interventions from experience around the country. See also the section on 'Tension monitoring and resolving conflict below'.
  • 'What works in community cohesion' (DCLG, June 2007).This is a long report packed with learning points about the types of project and approach that have been seen to 'work' in six case study areas that were visited by the study team. The areas studied were Blackburn, Birmingham, Bradford, Hull, Peterborough and Tower Hamlets.
  • 'Understanding and appreciating Muslim diversity: towards better engagement and participation' (iCoCo, April 2008). This report, which is based on research in many local communities, describes the principal components of British Muslim communities. It highlights religious and ethnic diversity and illustrates where these intersect to influence the establishment of leadership structures and networks primarily at local level.