Communities and neighbourhoods

Creating the conditions for stronger communities

We want people to come together on issues that matter to them and play their full part in local communities.

What we want to achieve

We believe integration comes from five key factors:

common ground - a clear sense of shared aspirations and values, which celebrates what we have in common rather than our differences
responsibility - a strong sense of our mutual commitments and obligations, which brings personal and social responsibility
social mobility - people able to realise their potential to get on in life
participation and empowerment - people of all backgrounds have the opportunities to take part, be heard and take decisions in local and national life
tackling intolerance and extremism - a robust response to threats, whether discrimination, extremism or disorder, that deepen division and increase tensions

What we are doing

The publication Creating the conditions for integration sets out our approach to creating the conditions for integration through mainstream policies, and through direction and targeted action where necessary. We will seek opportunities to support projects which are sustainable through community or business support and which exemplify positive activities or pioneer new approaches.

Integration is a vital local issue and also requires a local response. We strongly encourage local partners such as local authorities, police forces and other statutory bodies to work together to drive action and to learn from each other. To support this we are making changes, including through the Localism Act 2011, which give people the power to come together to take action. We want to see local communities identifying the issues which affect their area, and shaping and delivering their own response.