[cma-l] New one-stop shop for cohesion launched

[CMA-L]

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears today welcomed the launch of a new
dedicated website giving expert help and guidance on creating strong,
cohesive communities.

The new interactive website, developed by the Institute of Community
Cohesion (ICoCo), brings together in one place a range of practical
advice and support on how to promote cohesion and integration drawing
on good practice case studies from across the country.

Aimed at practitioners, policy-makers and other organisations from a
whole range of sectors, the website will provide a continuously
updated bank of cohesion resources, including toolkits, links and
briefings on key issues.

Community Cohesion is what must happen in all communities to enable
different groups of people to get on well together. Latest data from
the national citizenship survey shows that cohesion levels in England
are extremely high with 84 percent of respondents agreeing that their
local area is a place where people from different backgrounds get on
well together.

The website, which is supported by Communities and Local Government,
complements the Government's commitment to provide practical support
to local authorities and their partners in the public and private and
voluntary sector that will enable them to create communities where
people want to live and can play a full part. It builds on a wide
programme of work taken forward by Government following
recommendations made by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion in
their report 'Our Shared Future' and will underpin the Cohesion
Delivery Framework overview document launched by the Government in the
summer.

Hazel Blears said:

"We know that local responses are the key when it comes to maintaining
and building strong, resilient communities. Different areas of the
country are experiencing different challenges and finding the
solutions that work for them.

The result is a wealth of evidence around how best to encourage people
to get involved in their local area, meet and share experiences with
different people, manage migration and overcome challenges and
tensions.

"This website will mean that more people can access and learn from
that experience and knowledge, share ideas and get the resources and
support they need."

iCoCo Executive Chair, Ted Cantle said:

"For the first time ever, we have brought together in one place a
collection of good practice, guidance, toolkits, research and policy
papers. Anyone with an interest in cohesion will be able to find all
the information they need under one virtual roof."

"We also hope to encourage informal practitioner development through
the provision of opportunities for information exchange, problem
solving and discussion through the development and maintenance of
online communities, building on our existing network of over 300
cohesion practitioners from across the public, private and voluntary
sectors."

Today's launch unveils the first stage of the web portal. It is
accompanied by a bank of cohesion materials that are supported by a
sophisticated search facility that will allow users to access the
growing good practice database and resource library. Further stages
will follow including forums for users to have private and shared
discussions and pages to share information.

Notes to editors

1. The new ICoCo portal is a free interactive, searchable resource
guide aimed at practitioners and policy-makers with an interest in
cohesion. The portal will be constantly updated and expanded to offer
improved services in the months to come. It can be accessed at:

http://www.cohesioninstitute.org.uk

2. The portal is being supported by the Department for Communities and
Local Government and builds on the wider package of practical support
that the Government has put in place in response to recommendations
made by the Commission on Integration and Cohesion. This includes £50m
made available to support local authorities in responding to cohesion
challenges, the creation of cohesion support teams to help those areas
experiencing particularly rapid change, a new cohesion delivery
framework and new guidance on translation emphasising the importance
of learning English.

3. The Institute of Community Cohesion was established as an
independent body in 2005 to provide a new approach to race, diversity
and multiculturalism. Its work focuses on building positive and
harmonious community relations, using applied research to constantly
develop practice and to build capacity of all the agencies and
individuals involved.

4. Further information and guidance on community cohesion can be found at:

http://www.communities.gov.uk/communities/racecohesionfaith/communitycohesion/cohesionpublications/

5. For more details on iCoCo, please contact: Nick Johnson, Director
of Policy, iCoCo nick.johnson at btinternet.com

6. For further information on the portal, please contact: Jenny Page,
Information and Communications Manager, iCoCo.
jenny.page at coventry.ac.uk 024 7679 5763