CohesionStrategy20102013

Building BristolTogether ACitywideCommunity

Foreword Building Bristol Together Working towards a vibrant and prosperous international community, based on shared values, civic pride, respect, equality and compassion
Bristol is a great city and a place where I am proud to live and work. With its history as an international port, Bristol has for generations welcomed people from other cultures and countries. There is a strong tradition of diverse communities working together. It is fair to say however, that our changing population in recent years brings new challenges and demands on our public services. Therefore our community cohesion strategy will help us build on previous experience to develop a coordinated approach, which addresses the challenges and creates common understanding between all our residents. We aim to have our city benefit from the diversity of communities without the dangers of separation. Led by Bristol City Council and supporting our Bristol 20:20 plan for stronger and safer communities, our strategy will focus on a number of emerging priorities identified through recent research and consultation with stakeholders from local communities, voluntary sector organisations, statutory partners, schools and council officers. It will build on current good practice but more importantly compliment existing work and identify the gaps where services can be strengthened and improved. It will identify the importance of improving attainment in our local schools, developing clear lines of communication around housing policy, addressing community tensions, helping new communities feel welcomed, ensuring long-standing communities get a fair deal and enabling the new Neighbourhood Partnership process to bring people from different backgrounds together around local decision making. It is clear that issues of community cohesion and integration will continue to shift and change. It will therefore be important to ensure that this strategy is a living document and subject to constant review to meet the challenges ahead. The future of our city will be shaped by all of us working together, with a collective vision and ambition to make Bristol an even better place to live. Clr. Barbara Janke Leader of Bristol City Council

Contents
Page . 1. 2. 15. SECTION 1 - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY SECTION 2 - STRATEGY SECTION 3 - ACTION PLAN

SECTION 1
BUILDING BRISTOL TOGETHER A City-wide Community Cohesion Strategy EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Our vision: Building Bristol Together Working towards a vibrant and prosperous international community, based on shared values, civic pride, respect, equality and compassion
This document sets out the City-wide Community Cohesion Strategy and Action Plan. It includes three sections. Executive Summary City-Wide Community Cohesion Strategy Community Cohesion Action Plan.

Based on what we already know, what we have learned through consultation and detailed discussion, and the issues highlighted in recent local and national reports, we are now clear about the priorities we need to address in Bristol for the next three years. Promoting a shared vision for Bristol Making community cohesion our day to day business Promoting democracy and citizenship through local involvement in neighbourhoods, communities and through the voluntary sector Supporting our schools in meeting their responsibilities for delivering community cohesion Reducing tension, addressing grievances and making the city safer Preventing the problems of tomorrow

The community cohesion action plan, developed by a wide range of stakeholders (set out in Section three), incorporates over twenty broad actions from across the service delivery sectors. These initial actions will be central to delivering the six priorities and will help to embed community cohesion into service areas and build on existing work with partners to tackle inequality. It will be important to review the plan on a regular basis, to evaluate progress and to look at fresh actions to meet new issues and priorities as they emerge. As we move forward there will be a need to widen the scope of the strategy to include a stronger role for the private sector and to look at how we build further links with our educational establishments and health services around key priorities. Identifying priorities and setting a clear direction for delivery must also be seen in the context of future financial constraint across the Council and within partner agencies. 1.

SECTION 2
BUILDING BRISTOL TOGETHER CITY-WIDE COMMUNITY COHESION STRATEGY 2010/11
This strategy has been developed after nine months of talking to people across the city. The strategys aim is to improve the way we work and deliver services to reflect the needs of our changing communities. To be successful it will need ownership throughout Bristol City Council (BCC) and its partners and demonstrate clear links to over-arching strategies such as the Bristol 20:20 plan for the city. It will require both leadership and vision from senior council officers, elected members (Councillors) and key people from the statutory bodies, voluntary sector and local communities. The strategic approach to community cohesion can only be successful through practical support and joined up working across service delivery areas. It will need to focus on solving practical cohesion challenges as they arise and effectively managing and reducing future problems. As new priorities and national policies emerge, the strategy will create an opportunity to take a fresh look at the challenges of Bristols changing population and the every-day issues that affect our communities. Moreover the Councils strong commitment to devolving services down to local level, coupled with the governments emerging Big Society agenda, may provide further opportunities to build cohesion through community activism and local participation. Finally, future development will need to consider how the duty on schools to deliver community cohesion can be supported, as well meeting the demands of housing, health, community tension, separation within our communities and the realities of the economic recession. New approaches are needed to meet the changing needs of all Bristols communities, whether they are new and emerging, settled and longstanding, or communities of interest.

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WHY DO WE NEED THIS STRATEGY? The following community cohesion challenges provide us with a current context. Summarised as follows: Promoting a community cohesion vision of Bristol as an international community Managing population change and its impact on services like education and housing Addressing all forms of hate crime and community tensions Building civic participation and engagement Tackling the potential for separation of our communities Understanding our many different communities and effectively pre-empting and planning for better services to meet their needs Addressing the impact of recession on identified communities WHAT DIFFERENCE WILL IT MAKE? Outcomes These are aligned to the vision for Bristols 20:20 plan Stronger, resilient and more cohesive communities across Bristol Safer communities for all residents of Bristol Raising the aspiration and achievement of children and young people Reducing inequality narrowing the gap of disadvantage HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? Identifying priorities and setting a clear direction for delivery must be seen in the context of future financial constraint across the Council and within partner agencies. Embedding community cohesion across service delivery can be cost effective, particularly in early intervention to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour in local communities. We do not have new resources to implement this strategy and will use existing responsibilities and partnerships to implement the action plan. We will also build community cohesion targets into commissioning and grant investment to meet our commitments. WHAT IS COMMUNITY COHESION? There is no single shared definition of community cohesion. The term community is also used in different ways. For this strategy community means both residents living alongside each other in the local neighbourhood and also those people who may come together because of discrimination or a shared experience, for example, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) and disabled communities. Although it is important to remember that such communities do not simply fall into one category and can for example, be part of a particular neighbourhood, age group or race with a wide range of differing experiences and world-views. At its simplest level however, community cohesion is about everyone having an equal opportunity to participate in civic life and equal access to services. It is also concerned with building shared values between people, promoting integration (not assimilation), valuing difference and diversity and breaking down the barriers that create tension between people.

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For the purpose of this strategy it is also important to consider six elements of a community cohesion process: Interaction: between individual, communities and wider society to promote trust and common understanding Active citizenship: participation in civil society, in public institutions, the work place and political life Equality of access to the labour market, housing, education, healthcare and social welfare A society at ease with itself, with a real sense of security, welcome and belonging Respect for the rule of law and the liberal values that underpin society The possession of civil, political and social rights and responsibilities. (Source: ICoCo website)

Communities are 'cohesive' when they are resilient and educated about one another, enriched by each others cultures. They can have some shared values, but mainly are willing to live side by side in peace. Bristol Resident

Cohesion implies responsibilities towards the well-being of everyone in the society, in terms of the values that are passed from parents to children and from teachers to pupils in terms of how to live with others. Bristol Resident

A SUMMARY OF BRISTOLS CHANGING POPULATION Bristol is diverse. The Somali and East European communities are establishing themselves. Weve got strong Afrikan Caribbean, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi and Chinese communities who have long been settled. Also, smaller communities like the Sudanese, Kurdish, Iraqi and Afghan are also making a life here. People from all over the country come here and settle alongside born and bred Bristolians. People are also moving into new areas, just check out the food available in local supermarkets! I think community cohesion is about recognising the dynamics of population and making sure that people understand and feel at ease with each other. (Voluntary sector worker) Bristol is a successful vibrant international city. We have a large student population, exciting, creative industries and a strong business sector. So people want to come here! 4.

Population Shifts The Office of National Statistics (ONS) estimates that Bristols population grew from 390,000 in 2001 to 433,100 in 2009. This rate of increase (11%) is two and a half times the percentage change experienced in Great Britain as a whole of 4.5%. The ONS estimates that Bristols population will have risen to 548,100 by 2026. In Bristol between January 2002 and April 2009, a total of 35,770 National Insurance (NI) numbers were issued to non-UK nationals. By far the largest proportion of these 22% - was issued to Polish nationals (8,020). India was the next with 2,410 (7%) and Somalia with 1,860 (5%). People registering for an NI number came from nearly 100 different countries. The increase in net migration since 2001 represents a key change in population trends in Bristol with more people moving into Bristol than leaving. The large increase in the population of Bristol between 2001 and 2009 can be mainly attributed to the significant increase in net international migration, particularly in 2004/05 when the A8 Accession countries (new Economic Union (EU) members) joined the EU. The trend has however lessened since 2006/7 with fewer international migrants coming into Bristol and more international migrants leaving Bristol.

In Our Schools At school my daughters best friends are from the Polish, Afrikan Caribbean, Pakistani and English communities, she doesnt think anything of it, theyre all mates together I think the parents could learn a lot from the kids (Bristol Parent) Schools are becoming increasingly diverse at a much faster rate than the population of Bristol. The 2010 Schools Census showed that 30% of pupils belong to an ethnic background that is not White British - this compares with 17.5% of the population as a whole. The distribution of children by age points to a contributing rise in overall numbers of non White British pupils: 42.7% of children in the citys Local Authority maintained nursery schools are from non- White British backgrounds. Black Somali children are the largest non-White group with 2,237 pupils or 4.5% of the total population. This is a significant increase since the population counted by the 2001 Census. White Eastern European children numbered 825 or 1.7%. Somali is the most widely spoken first language, other than English, by children in the years from nursery to Year 11 at 21.4% - with Punjabi, Polish and Urdu all around 6%. Only 4.4% of teachers were from BME backgrounds in March 2008, up slightly from 3.7% in the previous year. Just 1.79% of teachers were Black or Black British with just one Somali. The number of BME governors in Local Authority maintained schools is improving, up from 94 in 2006/7, 147 in 2007/8, and 158 in 2008/9 to 169 in September 2010, which represents 13.9% of all school governors. Currently there are 54 disabled governors (extrapolates to 4.6% of all governors) and 30 LGBT governors (3.6% of all governors).

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C.V ame

This map indicates the percentage of White British school pupils in Bristol by ward.

Population Distribution BME communities are located primarily around the centre of the city. Three central wards, Ashley, Easton and Lawrence Hill had BME populations of 25.6%, 24.9% and 31.7% respectively. In contrast three wards in the south west of Bristol, Bishopsworth, Hartcliffe and Hengrove, all had White populations in excess of 90%. Recent demographic evidence however, highlights a significant population shift, with BME communities settling in areas beyond the inner city, including Lockleaze, Windmill Hill, St George, Frome Vale and Hillfields (Source: Bristols Population report 2009, Neighbourhood Partnership Profiles 2010)

Young Population Since 2000, the number of births to Somalia-born mothers has increased. In 2008, out of a total off 6,318 live births in Bristol, 341 (5.4%) were to a Somlia-born mother. The increase in the number of births to Polish mothers is a relatively new phenomenon (since the expansion of the EU in 2004) and accounted for 166 births in Bristol in 2008. The next highest numbers of births were to Pakistani-born mothers (134) and India-born mothers (99). All other births to mothers from other countries were less than 50 in 2008. Population Census Much work is being undertaken in Bristol as part of the preparation for the 2011 Census. Community engagement will be a key element of the work, with the aim of counting the population as accurately as possible and with a focus on areas of the city which are more diverse and which traditionally have had lower response rates.

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WHAT HAS HAPPENED NATIONALLY IN COMMUNITY COHESION? The concept of community cohesion emerged in the UK in 2001 following the disturbances in Bradford, Burnley and Oldham. The independent Community Cohesion Review Team, chaired by Ted Cantle, reported at the end of 2001, some six months after the riots. The 'Cantle Report' as it became known, provided a national overview of the state of race and community relations. Cantle drew attention to polarised and segregated communities in which people led 'parallel lives' and made 67 recommendations. While still highlighting the need to tackle inequalities the recommendations were much more wide ranging and amounted to a new approach to race and diversity. National policy around community cohesion gained momentum. The Commission on Integration and Cohesion recommended that more needed to be done to build shared values, mutual respect and civic responsibilities. The Governments response to this was the 'Our Shared Future' report of June 2007 which attempted to see the cohesion debate as part of wider social changes includiing migration patterns and population dynamics. Other developments included the 'duty to promote community cohesion' in schools. This was introduced at the end of 2007 and rolled out in 2008 with new guidance issued, the start of a new inspection regime, a new Community Cohesion and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) policy; and the new Local Area Agreement (LAA) framework for local authorities and their partners (with nearly one hundred making cohesion their first priority). New national challenges continue to emerge. With migration from an increasing number of countries and the rise of super diversity within our communities, the old assumptions about integration based upon several well defined ethnic minority communities may no longer hold. The question has also been raised regarding segregation in education leading to wider patterns of segregation in communities. Citizenship and social capital needs to focus on creating greater levels of civic responsibility. The relationship between economic activity, the recession and community cohesion needs to be further explored, particularly the links with the private sector. The rise of religious extremism and organised racist activity, particularly in deprived areas needs to be further addressed. And the need for common language to promote social integration and participation in the labour market should be prioritised. (Source: ICo Co website). WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN BRISTOL? In response to the 2003 summer disturbances in the Barton Hill area of Bristol a partnership between Bristol City Council and Community-@-Heart (the New Deal for Communities Programme) emerged and was tasked with developing a Race Equality and Community Cohesion Plan (RECCAP) to tackle neighbourhood tensions partly caused by the rapid population change in the area. In a period of two to three years the predominately white working class neighbourhood had seen a growing Somali community settle in the area. By 2006 Bristol City Council had developed a Community Cohesion Plan (2006/9) to address some of the implications of the population change on key services. A number of actions were delivered to help build bridges between different communities and to promote equality, tackle race hate and local tension. With the diversity of Bristols population changing rapidly, the need to address cohesion issues has gained fresh impetus as demonstrated by new pressures on local services as well as a significant increase in tension and racial harassment in some areas of the city. Some of our geographic communities are now feeling the effects of the recession coupled 7.

with an anxiety about the changing population. The significant rise in the number of farright candidates who stood in the recent elections across the city can be seen as one reaction to these new dynamics. We have also experienced ongoing racial harassment and race hate crime as well as issues of radicalisation associated with religious extremism. There is also evidence of tension within some Bristols schools around the intolerance of diverse family life, perceived unfairness of housing allocation, inter-racial tension, a rise in gang activity, `Islamophobia and anti-Somali feelings, and an increase in homophobic and disablist hate crime. 2008 saw the commissioning of research delivered by the Institute of Community Cohesion (ICo Co) team focusing on the implications of population change on Bristols schools. The report findings were published in 2009 with a key recommendation highlighting the need for Bristol to develop a systematic, high profile, council wide commitment to addressing community cohesion. In response to these findings and the wider issues identified across the city the development of this City-wide Community Cohesion Strategy was launched in November 2009.

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HOW DOES THE CC STRATEGY FIT WITH OTHER KEY PLANS? Local level
Bristol 20:20 Plan The Bristol Partnerships 20 20 plan sets out to tackle the major citywide challenges. Activities include delivering neighbourhood governance and promoting community cohesion. The Corporate Plan 2008-11 recognises that the diversity of our people and communities is a strength but also highlights the challenges of cohesion and integration. The plan commits to building cohesion within our communities and tackling inequality. This reports highlights pupil population change and community cohesion, with a focus on the policy implications for the education service in Bristol. This plan sets out key actions to raise attainment and reduce inequalities in educational achievement of Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) learners. Identifies key areas for improvement raising standards in early years, attainment levels for under-achieving and vulnerable groups, minimising bullying, supporting social cohesion and improving the economic well-being of children and young people. Sets out its strategy for crime reduction and offending, and increasing community confidence. It has a key focus on addressing anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and hate crime. Through the Safer Bristol Partnership this strategy demonstrates its commitment to tackling all forms of hate crime and building a safer and stronger city for all residents. Sustainable and cohesive communities are a key outcome of the new housing strategy with a focus on dealing with problems before they reach a crisis and encouraging resident involvement. The Council is undergoing a transformational change programme. The Community Cohesion strategy along with the Single Equality Scheme recognises this is an opportunity to promote equal opportunities, eliminate discrimination and improve relations between diverse communities. Brings together and updates current Race, Disability and Gender Equality schemes as well as issues from faith/non faith communities, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and older and younger communities. It makes the link between the equalities legislative framework and wider community cohesion priorities. Strategy for integrated young peoples provision in Bristol - involving young people in the development of services, safety of young people in schools and promoting a positive contribution of young people. Sets out a developing vision of improving the quality of life and well being for people over the age of fifty in Bristol. It aligns with the CC strategy on a number of issues including older peoples involvement in decision making, tackling age discrimination, and encouraging cohesion across the generations. From 2008 schools have a duty to promote community cohesion, Ofsted currently inspects this. There is a focus on understanding school and local community issues, promotion of meaningful interaction between groups, sharing common values and implementing community cohesion across the curriculum. Sets out the practical proposals for building integration and cohesion at local level.

BCC Corporate Plan

ICoCo Report on Schools

BCC BME Attainment Plan Bristol Children and Young Peoples Plan Safer Bristol Partnership Plan 2009-12 Safer Bristol Hate Crime Strategy Bristols Housing Strategy 2010-2015 Business Transformation Programme

BCC Single Equalities Scheme

Bristol Youth Links

BCC Bristols Older Peoples Strategy 2007-10

National Level
Duty on schools to deliver community cohesion

Commission on Integration and Cohesion, Our Shared Future Report Bristols Migrant Impact Fund

A New approach to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Equality Act 2010

Offers resources to support targeted schools and early years settings in addressing the immediate pressures of migration. It is also prioritising work to improve migrants English language and understanding of the UK system, particularly in the public service sector. This is an important element of improving community cohesion. This new approach aims to prioritise ESOL funding to those who form part of the many settled communities and migrants committed to staying in the UK. The Government aims to localise the way ESOL budgets and support services are allocated in order to build local solutions to identified local need. Sets out criteria to reduce socio-economic inequalities. Extends the public equalities duty to include age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender reassignment, also includes pregnancy and maternity and banning age discrimination for those over 18 in the provision of services.

HOW WHAT DOES ARE THETHE CC STRATEGY COMMUNITY FIT COHESION WITH OTHER PRIORITIES? KEY PLANS?

Based on what we already know, what we have learned through consultation and detailed discussion, and the issues highlighted in recent local and national reports, we are now clear about the priorities we need to address in Bristol. We have identified six priorities. Promoting a shared vision for Bristol Making community cohesion our day to day business Promoting democracy and citizenship through local involvement in neighbourhoods, communities and through the voluntary sector Supporting our schools in meeting their responsibilities for delivering community cohesion Reducing tension, addressing grievances and making the city safer Preventing the problems of tomorrow HOW WILL WE DELIVER THE PRIORITIES? Bristol City Council will act as the lead body and work closely with partners across the public services, the voluntary sector and local residents. The Bristol Partnership will support this work through its Thriving Neighbourhoods sub-board. There is an expectation that individual partners will develop and amend their existing resources to deliver both their specific priorities and those shared across the partnership. From October 2010 a Task and Finish group has informed the development of an initial Community Cohesion Strategy Action Plan (Section 3 of this document) based around its own set of identified actions and time lines. It will align with the priorities, reflect the values set out in this strategy and identify who is responsible for ensuring the actions are delivered. A Task Force group will be responsible for future delivery of the strategy and action plan.

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Governance and Accountability

Bristol City Council Acts as the governing body. Leader of the City Council The political lead for the strategy. Community Cohesion and Safety Scrutiny Commission. Will take reports on progress and comment on the development of the strategy and action plan Bristol City Council Communities and Neighbourhoods Division Oversees the progress and impact of the strategy and action plan

Delivery
Community Cohesion Task Force Group supported by Equalities and Community Cohesion Team responsible for the delivery of the community cohesion action plan.

Bristol Partnership Thriving Neighbourhoods Board (sub-board of the Bristol Partnership) Will ensure full partner involvement in the delivery of the strategy and action plan.

HOW DO WE KNOW ITS WORKING? There is no single measure of community cohesion. There are also challenges to identifying indicators that adequately address the range and complexity of community cohesion issues. For this strategy a number of key indicators will be used to monitor and evaluate as broad a range of the work as possible. It will focus on both short term and longer-term impacts. Evaluation of the strategy as a whole and the initial headline tasks will be the responsibility of the Task Force Group. There will be an emphasis on individual project and service level monitoring and evaluation using local residents and grass roots organisations as part of the ongoing feedback. A review and refresh of the strategy will take place annually. In 2010/11 the initial focus will be on the agreed first year tasks set out in Section three of this document. Indicators will include peoples perceptions as well as harder quantitative data.

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Recent changes by the government have resulted in the scrapping of the Local Area Agreement and the statutory measurement of the National Indicators. This means that some performance data relevant to the measurement of community cohesion will no longer be collected. At present we will focus on the key annual Quality of Life Indicators and other locally produced indicators such as the Single Equalities Scheme, The Black & Minority Ethnic (BME) Action Plan and the Hate Crime Strategy. Levels of attainment in schools will continue to be reported and analysed through the Children and Young Peoples (CYPS) Research team Examples of indicators are set out below: Outcome 1. Stronger, resilient and more cohesive communities across Bristol Respondents who feel that their local area is a place where people from different backgrounds can get on well together (Quality of Life Indicator, QOL) Respondents who feel they belong to their neighbourhood (QOL) Respondents satisfied with their local neighbourhood (QOL) Attendance at Neighbourhood Forum meetings (local Neighbourhood Partnership (NP) indicator) Respondents who feel they can influence decisions in the locality (QOL) Respondents who agree they can influence decisions about the public services they use (QOL) Respondents who agree that people treat each other with respect in their neighbourhood (QOL) Respondents who agree ethnic differences are respected in their neighbourhood (QOL) Voting patterns for far-right parties in local election ward-by-ward analysis Migrant English Language Skills (Single Equalities Scheme) Respondents who say they are happy (QOL) Outcome 2. Safer Communities for all residents of Bristol. Respondents who feel locally that anti-social behavior is a problem (QOL) Respondents who think the police and the council successfully respond to anti-social behavior (QOL) Respondents who have been discriminated against or harassed because of their age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity/race in the last twelve months (QOL) Levels of hate crime per ward (Hate Crime Strategy HCS) `Hot Spot information on community tension from the Tension Monitoring Group (TMG) Respondents who feel safe when outside in their neighbourhood after dark (QOL) Respondents who have been victims of crime in the last 12 months (QOL) Hate crime data and information from specialist organisations, Tension Monitoring Group and the Police Referred victims of race, homophobic and disablist hate crime incidents receiving an appropriate service from specialist agencies (HCS) Quarterly reports by Safer Bristol hate crime database (HCS)

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Outcome 3. Reducing inequality (narrowing the gap of disadvantage) To significantly increase the satisfaction of BME tenants and reduce the disparity with non-BME tenants (Single Equalities Scheme) To reduce school exclusions for BME pupils (Single Equalities Scheme) To improve the councils relative position in the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index (Single Equalities Scheme) Respondents People with a limiting long-term illness, health problem or disability (QOL) Respondents satisfied with leisure facilities/services for older people over 65 years (QOL) Respondents satisfied with leisure facilities/services for disabled people (QOL) Respondents satisfied with the cost and availability of housing (QOL) Respondents with easy access to local employment (QOL) Respondents satisfied with jobs in the neighbourhood (QOL) Numbers of people with no educational or technical qualifications (QOL) Overall unemployment rates

Outcome 4. Raising the aspiration and achievement of children and young people (BP Children and Young Peoples Board) Effectiveness with which the school promotes equality of opportunity and tackles discrimination (BME Attainment Action Plan) Reduction in BME school exclusions (BME AAP) Increasing % of BME staff in school workforce (BME AAP) Reduction in the number of racist incidents in schools (BME AAP) Attainment of BME and non BME pupil groups in Key Stage(KS) 2 and KS4 (BME AAP) Attainment of pupils with English as an Additional Language (EAL) (BME AAP) Ofsted inspection judgement on quality of teaching, learning and curriculum (BME AAP) Ofsted inspection judgements on promotion of community cohesion (BME AAP) Reports on racist, homophobic and disabilist harassment in schools (CYPS report) Increasing the number of BME, disabled, and LGBT school governors (Governor Team)

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WHAT ARE WE DOING AT THE MOMENT? As outlined we are not starting from scratch. There has been a range of high quality community cohesion activity in recent years from across all sectors. Some recent community cohesion achievements include: BCC as Lead The development of web-based Somali and Polish Welcome resources to help new and significant communities settle and integrate into the life of the city Oldbury Court School bringing parents together from different backgrounds to help build better cohesion within the school The development of the Muslim Womens Network to bring more Muslim women into the civic life of the city Launch of the Neighbourhood Partnerships to devolve local decision making, and Neighbourhood Forums to strengthen local participation and build safer and more cohesive communities Building the Bridge Schools Tour working at primary and secondary school level to promote dialogue and discussion about identity and community cohesion Southmead Graffiti Project Muslim graffiti artist working with local young people to develop a message of anti-racism using street art and discussion Delivering the Schools Twinning Programme across Bristol Development of a Myth Busting Fact Sheet on housing allocation in Barton Hill Children & Young Peoples Services (CYPS) Signing up to Stonewall Education Champions Programme Working in Partnership Roma Gypsy Community Drop In, set up to support a new and vulnerable community settling in Bristol The development of the Somali Forum set up to build better civic participation for Somali community organisations Working closely with Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Bristols Muslim communities to deliver the Building the Bridge Programme to address potential radicalisation Gangs Research Project to define, identify and develop policy around young people and gangs in Bristol. The Building the Bridge Exhibition and Booklet celebrating the lives of ordinary Muslims in Bristol Building the Bridge - Police Community Engagement team working to bring local mosques together and linking with the wider community Support and development of the Asylum Seeker and Refugee Welcome Centre Voluntary Sector Barton Hill Settlement Peoples Hive (community work team) working on a range of grass roots projects that bring new and settled communities together and recently winners of a prestigious award by the Institute of Community Cohesion (ICoCo Awards for Bridging Cultures) Barton Hill, neighbourhood management multi-agency approach to community cohesion and dealing with local tension Bristol Community Housing Association planned approach to cohesion work in Upper Horfield to address the changing population on the new estate Imago Football Tournament - annual football tournament that works with young people from different backgrounds teaming them together and breaking down barriers between them The City Academy taking leadership around supplementary school provision, sharing best practice in support to newly communities with a focus on raising attainment in a number of schools in Bristol

SECTION 3
BUILDING BRISTOL TOGETHER CITYWIDE COMMUNITY COHESION STRATEGY ACTION PLAN

Building Bristol Together Working towards a vibrant and prosperous international community, based on shared values, civic pride, respect, equality and compassion.
This action plan is based on six key priorities set out in the City Wide Community Cohesion strategy. The lead officer for the Strategy is the Service Director, Neighbourhoods and Communities. Actions are comprehensive and cross cutting, with responsibility for delivery sitting across departments and sectors. The initial task will be to embed a community cohesion approach into service delivery and identify actions that can make a difference in the first year of operation.

Six Key Priorities

Promoting a shared vision for Bristol Making community cohesion our day to day business Promoting democracy and citizenship through local involvement in neighbourhoods, communities and through the voluntary sector Supporting our schools in meeting their responsibilities for delivering community cohesion Reducing tension, addressing grievances and making the city safer Preventing the problems of tomorrow

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KEY PRIORITY
Promoting a shared vision for Bristol Building Cohesion into our day to day business

Actions
Promote the community cohesion vision for Bristol. Promote community cohesion success stories Conduct a Mainstreaming Review of community cohesion work across Bristol City Council followed by partner agencies

Lead & Support

Communication and Marketing Team Equalities and Community Cohesion Team

Timescale
March 2011 September 2011

Output
Vision successfully marketed Mainstream review completed and circulated

Outcome
Stronger local narrative and a shared vision for Bristol Up to date analysis of core community cohesion work across the city to help plan better services and engage wider involvement, particularly private, educational and health sectors Increased understanding of community cohesion approaches. More effective intervention in service delivery Effective measurement of community cohesion against specific service delivery areas Improvement in equality practice. Embedding LGB equality in the workplace and in service delivery for LGB employees and customers

Develop and deliver a range of cultural competence training across the City that recognises the Bristol vision and core community cohesion values

Equalities and Community Cohesion Team with voluntary sector partners

September 2011

Embed cohesion element into Equalities Impact Assessments

Equalities and Community Cohesion Team Equalities and Community Cohesion Team

March 2011

Improve Bristol City Council points and relative position in the Stonewall (LGB Organisation) Workplace Equality Index, a competitive index of private and public sector employers, which includes feedback from LGB staff on local performance

January 2011

Cultural competence training programme developed and rolled out Updated Equalities Impact Assessment completed Top 100 ranking and/or increase in points scored on previous year

Promoting democracy and citizenship through local involvement in neighbourhoods, communities and through the voluntary sector

Develop stronger links with faith based community groups delivering community cohesion/community work projects. Further focus and delivery to build stronger links between Bristols faith communities and for faith groups to highlight how their practice crosses cultural boundaries

Multi Faith Forum/ Inter Faith Group, Building the Bridge Board

ongoing

Arrange initial discussion with Multi Faith forum reps. Arrange further meeting with Jewish and Muslim communities

Improvement and better coordination of community based service provision. Stronger links between council and faith based organisations. Stronger relations between faith communities. Awareness and learning about the other faith

Develop and deliver actions to increase diversity of people in public life (for example, school governors, councillors, and management committee members) from under represented communities across the city

Deliver ESOL, citizenship training and supplementary school provision across the city and increase the number of migrants who are accessing training, advice services, employment and volunteering

Equalities and Community Cohesion Team, Governor Development Service, BME Governors Network, Disabled Governors Network, Legacy Commission Communities and Adult Learning Team and voluntary sector commissioned partners

September 2011

Programmes agreed and rolled out.

Increased numbers and quality of under represented communities participating in public life (for example BME, LGBT and Disabled school governors)

December 2011

Commissioned programmes rolled out and delivered within Migration Impact Funding.

Increased numbers of migrants accessing services to meet demand. Improved integration and prospects in the jobs market

Roll out and develop coordinated community engagement activity across all Neighbourhood Partnerships and Neighbourhood Forums. Ensure a) equalities representation and links with key forums and representative groups b) involvement of younger and older people c) support to longstanding communities

Neighbourhoods and Communities, Youth Participation Team, voluntary sector partners, Equalities Forums

ongoing

Engagement plans rolled out with clear programme of community development and engagement. Development of virtual teams a network of officers across council and partners. Equalities reps elected

Increased numbers from across communities participating in Neighbourhood Forums and Partnerships Improved local decisionmaking Improved local service delivery Stronger local community groups delivering services

Develop and deliver programme of arts heritage, and cultural activity across the city to build links between different communities

Neighbourhood Arts team, Bristols Museum, Galleries and Archives/ Arts, festivals and Events voluntary sector partners

ongoing

Programme of cohesion activity planned and agreed and delivered, including some partnership projects

Stronger links with diverse communities. Building links and breaking down barriers between people. Increased cultural competence and positive attitudes towards diversity. Improved social networks Stronger communities able to access key support and local services. New communities able to participate more effectively in day-to-day life of the city Established communities working to improve local services

Development of project work and support to new and vulnerable communities Somali, Polish, Roma, Refugee and Asylum seekers

Neighbourhoods and Communities Community Development Team, Gypsy and Traveller team / City of Sanctuary/ voluntary sector partners

Ongoing

Community development and project work programme agreed and rolled out

Delivery of project work aimed at longstanding established communities

March 2011

Programme funded through Connecting Communities and Engagement funding rolled out

Through commissioning VCS infrastructure services and through grant funding, strengthen the role of the voluntary sector in promoting community cohesion. Develop an Investment Strategy with a focus on strengthening communities and a clear alignment of strategic outcomes with the Cohesion Strategy

Grants and Investment Team, voluntary sector infrastructure providers

Feb 2011

April 2011

Supporting our schools in meeting their responsibilities for delivering community cohesion

Write progress report on Institute of Community Cohesion (ICoCo) 2009 report recommendations. Commission ICoCo to develop follow up research to embed core community cohesion best practice into schools Delivery of a/ key actions in the BME Attainment Action plan b/ development of Community Cohesion Plan for Schools

CYPS Communities & Adult Learning team/Equalities and Community Cohesion (CYPS) Service Director , Learning Achievement and Schools/ Supplementary Schools Alliance/ Legacy Commission Equalities & Community Cohesion (CYPS) Learning Achievement Team , Prevent team

March 2011

Grant funding agreements in place with measurable targets aligned to cohesion-related outcomes. Investment Strategy 2012-15 clearly aligned to CC Strategy completed and implemented. Report completed with clear updates on progress. Follow up project rolled out and completed Action plans delivered and measured against outcomes

Clearer and measurable delivery of community cohesion outcomes around service delivery

ongoing

Ensures that recommendations have been delivered or progressed. Identifies gaps and barriers to progress. Greater support to schools in delivering community cohesion Rise in levels of support achievement and attainment to BME learners. Delivery of key actions to address population changes in schools

Delivery of (a) project work on issues of faith, sexuality, gender, relationships, and family life through the Personal, Social, Health & Education (PSHE) curriculum (b) develop and roll out community cohesion resource boxes for schools Development and delivery of the Stonewall Education Champions Programme with a focus on diversity and anti-bullying work in schools. Development of guidance on antibullying in schools

Date to be confirmed

Roll out of programmes to schools

Increase in age-appropriate knowledge, confidence, selfesteem and well being of pupils around sensitive issues

CYPS Communities and Adult Learning team/ Equalities and Community Cohesion team (CYPS)

Date to be confirmed

Roll out of programme to schools

Effectively addressing issues of homophobia and transphobia in schools. Increased recording and reporting of homophobic incidents in schools and other CYPS settings

Reducing tension, addressing grievances and creating a safer city

Tackling the perception that the allocation/letting of Social Housing is unfair. programme of training and briefing for staff and the public Develop clear local plans to address BME population shifts into new areas of Bristol. Identify support to new and existing tenants to adjust to change (for example Buddying Schemes). Promote and market new areas in positive light Increase prosecution of non-compliant landlords (Houses in Multiple Occupation HMO) with a focus in student areas of the city Address identified localised community tensions and ASB through the My Neighbourhoods process and other multiagency forums

Strategic Housing Team, Housing Association partners

Ongoing

Programme of communication and long term planning agreed and rolled out Clear plans developed based on local circumstances.

Decrease in levels of misunderstanding around housing allocation. Increase in support to residents settling in new build. Decrease in tensions Addressing potential problems of separation in communities

Sept 2011

Strategic Housing Team

ongoing

Work programme delivered.

Community cohesion to be taken into account in planning decisions where relevant

Neighbourhoods and Communities (Area Coordinators) Safer Bristol, ASB Neighbourhood Delivery Team Chairs, Avon and Somerset Police and voluntary sector partners Planning & Sustainable Development Team

ongoing

Local issues identified and successfully addressed

Increased sign up into compliant landlords scheme. Increase in prosecution re noncompliant landlords Reduction in tension within local communities

ongoing

Agreed that community cohesion can be a relevant material planning consideration

Better understanding of community tension implications of planning decisions and identification of measures to reduce it

Strengthen localised tension reporting between Tension Monitoring Group and Neighbourhood Delivery Teams / Area Coordinators Deliver an effective case work service on all hate crime reporting Target Anti-social behaviour (ASB) hot spot areas

Safer Bristol Team, Tension Monitoring Group, Strategic Partnership Against Hate Crime (SPAHC), specialist voluntary sector agencies/ASB Team, Area Coordinators

March 2011

Hate crime reports sent to NDT Chairs and ACs. Feedback from ACs to TMG on current local tensions Casework service measured against agreed outcomes through Hate Crime strategy. Continuation of key ASB actions in hot spot areas

Reductions in hate crime. More effective response to hate crime and ASB in Neighbourhood Partnership and hot spot areas

Mainstream the learning from the Building the Bridge Programme (Preventing Violent Extremism) beyond March 2011

Prevent Building the Bridge Board

December 2011

Working with national, regional, sub-regional and local partners to address worklessness

Skills and Employment Team, Regeneration

ongoing

Building Partnerships to address the recruitment needs of major private and public sector or employers in the city

Positive relationships and good practice sustained beyond current funded programme Joint working with Department of Work and Pensions, Job Centre Plus, Skills Funding Agency, West of England Partnership and, at the local level, the Ways2Work network Ensuring that local employment opportunities are made available to and accessed by those communities closest to the workplace.

Ensure legacy of successful projects beyond the funded programme. Effective response to vulnerable individuals and radicalisation Ensuring that the employment and training needs of disadvantaged groups, communities and areas within the city are recognised and appropriate resources developed to address specific need

Public sector work force profile reflects the make up of the community it serves

Income maximisation for vulnerable and disadvantaged communities

Welfare Rights and Money Advice Service Manager, funded voluntary sector partners Avon and Somerset Police, Equalities & Community Cohesion Team , Tension Monitoring Group Consultation, Research and Intelligence Team

ongoing

Develop a clear plan and protocols to address any extremist activity across the city

March 2011

Ensuring vulnerable and disadvantaged communities claim what they are entitled to Plan developed and risk assessed. Protocols agreed by Bristol City council. Invite community cohesion officer on to the JIG. Identify and share community cohesion intelligence with partners Somali Community Calculator adopted as local estimate of the Somali population in Bristol

Narrowing the gap of disadvantage. Effectively addressing poverty.

Reduction in risk of unrest and community tension. Clearer BCC protocols to address far right activity around local elections

Preventing the problems of tomorrow

Development of the Joint Intelligence Group (JIG)to bring together expertise, evidence and horizon scanning for community cohesion in Bristol Somali Community Calculator developed and results rolled out

March 2011

Improved community cohesion knowledge and analysis for future planning of services

More accurate estimate of Bristols Somali population to help plan services and meet the needs of the community

Support Office of National Statistics (ONS) to achieve full participation in the 2011 Census to fully reflect the citys diversity

Consultation, Research and Intelligence Team

Sept 2010

Accurate Census statistics and population estimates

Increase in participation from diverse communities. Sound evidence base for policy planning, service delivery and resource allocation over the next decade