WIREDGOV

The Minister was speaking at the launch of a consultation on the All Wales Community Cohesion Strategy, a key One Wales commitment.  

He said that the impact of global issues such as migration and the economic downturn are being felt across Wales and that there was potential for this to lead to community tensions.

The draft strategy highlights the issues that can cause tensions within communities including intergenerational differences, competition for employment, the increased threat of terrorism, poverty and deprivation.

While being aimed at everyone the strategy will be particularly useful for people working to improve community cohesion, provide services or develop local policies.

It sets out how local agencies can identify the make up of their community and potential tensions to allow the most appropriate services to be provided.

In addition, the draft strategy highlights how three key factors, housing, learning and communication skills, are vital to improving cohesion.  

The relationship between community cohesion and violent extremism and how the Welsh Assembly Government and communities across Wales are responding to the threat is also explained.

Dr Gibbon said:

Wales needs strong, resilient and harmonious communities which can respond effectively to the pace and scale of economic, social and cultural change in the 21st Century.

Whilst promoting community cohesion in the UK initially arose from tensions linked to ethnicity and faith, tensions can, and do, arise for different reasons. Even communities that are seen and stable and well integrated may have cohesion issues because resources are limited or where there is suspicion between groups.

This draft strategy will help local communities, through the local authority or other community groups and organisations, understand who lives in the community, what their needs are, their perceptions of the community and where there is potential for tension and take action.

Housing, Learning and Communication skills are key issues in relation to community cohesion, and while there are others, these have the greatest impact.

The Minister launched the strategy at a FAN (Friends and Neighbours) Group meeting in Cardiff.

The strategy will be out for consultation until 6 April 2009.

Related Links

http://wales.gov.uk/consultations/housingcommunity/cohesion/?lang=en

http://wales.gov.uk/topics/housingandcommunity/communitycohesion/?lang=en