Integrated Communities Action Plan aims to 'heal divides'

The government has published the Integrated Communities Action Plan which aims to to promote better integration amongst communities.

It is backed by £50 million of funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and additional funding from other government departments.

The government will be taking 70 actions, including:

Improving the opportunities for those wishing to learn English by developing a new national strategy for English language.

Helping new migrants integrate into their communities, by trialling a package of practical information to help them meet, mix and build social connections with neighbours and the wider community.

Publishing a new Community Guide to Action ensuring that communities across the country, whatever their local interest, have access to the information and advice to enable them to improve their local area. This could include taking much loved local assets into community ownership.

Working in partnership with 5 Integration Areas to develop bespoke local integration strategies, trying new bold and innovative approaches including helping more marginalised women into work.

Collaborating with civil society to support refugees to rebuild their lives and integrate in the UK, by taking forward actions that focus on English language, employment, mental health and information for refugees.

Reaffirming support for faith communities and empowering faith leaders with the confidence and knowledge to meet the changing needs of their congregations. This would include helping them to identify issues like mental health concerns, as well educating them on UK marriage law.

Communities Secretary, Rt Hon James Brokenshire MP, said:

"We are a successful, diverse democracy – open, tolerant and welcoming. These characteristics are as British as queuing and talking about the weather.

"However, we cannot ignore the fact that too many places across the country have divides, the benefits and opportunities our great country offers are not always felt by everyone equally.

"Our new action plan charts a course for how we will engage and work with communities to bring people together in recognition that there is more that binds than divides us."

The Integrated Communities Strategy Green Paper. was published on 14 March 2018. Over 3,400 responses from individuals and organisations were received to the consultation. These organisations spanned a wide range of sectors including, faith, education, local authority, social and academic.