Agenda item

Councillor Osman submits a report that presents the main findings of a project to assess community cohesion amongst a selected sample of young people in the city. Cabinet is recommended to approve the recommendations as set out in Paragraph 3.1 of the report.

Councillor Osman submitted a report that presented the main findings of a project to assess community cohesion amongst a selected sample of young people in the city.

Cabinet thanked De Montfort University and Council officers for the work they had done in preparing the report.

RESOLVED:

                        that Cabinet:

1)     Notes the overall encouraging findings, certain challenges and implications as detailed in paras.4.7 to para. 4.50 of the report;

2)     Agrees that future research and consultation is embedded into the residents’ survey.

3)     Requests the Children & Young People’s Services to take into account the findings within the Children & Young People’s Plan (2009).

4)     Commissions the Mainstream Moderation Forum to consider the findings within their work programme and the Community Cohesion Executive to consider the findings in their action plan to develop the community cohesion strategy. This will include:

a)     Acknowledging that the socio-economic well-being of young people and their communities is a pre-requisite for cohesion:

·        Recognise that investment in the neighbourhood leads to a stronger sense of pride, belonging and neighbourliness. 

·        Take into account the lack of financial capital many young people have.

·        Note that despite investing into regenerating neighbourhoods, young people might not be able to take full advantage of the services.

·        Acknowledge the perceived competition for resources and educational opportunities especially felt by young white people from deprived areas.

b)     Cohesion work should continue to build on the strong sense of belonging to Leicester. This work should celebrate the positive findings of this research by:

·        Ensuring that the ‘One Leicester’ Strategy builds on young people’s experiences and reflects their needs.

·        Engage young people in shaping the future direction of this strategy.

·        Ensure that the ‘One Leicester’ Strategy whilst nurturing a strong sense of belonging to Leicester also encourages young people to look beyond Leicester.

c)      Strategies must continue to strengthen connection and co-operation between young people and their communities who might otherwise not have the opportunity to interact i.e.

·        Strengthen initiatives for creating bridges between different areas (postcodes), neighbourhoods, schools, colleges and communities of identity and interests thus enhancing bridging social capital.

·        Develop a programme of intergenerational work.

·        Strengthen integrated youth services within the city bringing together the different institutions and organisations, which work with young people, including voluntary sector providers.

·        Develop ways of communication and dissemination of information to and between communities that is relevant and accessible to young people.

·        Explore and implement ways to counter institutionalised and intergenerational stereotypes and distrust of young people especially in the more deprived areas of Leicester.

·        Counteract the dominant view of young people as problems and build on the positive findings of this research.

·        Arrange activities where young people from different communities and neighbourhoods can celebrate their pride in the city.

·        Celebrate with young people the different dimensions of diversity and explore the positive outcomes of it as highlighted by the young people themselves in this research.

d)     Continue to invest in structures and routes to enable young people to influence the decisions that affect them i.e.

·  Build and explore further on the positive findings of this research in how young people feel that they can influence decisions by working together.

·  Develop processes for young people who traditionally do not engage especially young people who identify as NEET.

·  Address the need for young people from all diverse backgrounds have a say in local and citywide decision-making.