What we're trying to achieve
Inclusive Communities FrameworkHow the Inclusive Communities Framework was developed
The Inclusive Communities Framework (ICF) is an approach developed, in partnership between the Council and other organisations, to building communities, where all people have a sense of security, connection and belonging. Where these conditions exist, a place is more likely to have resilient and inclusive communities, as evidenced in the research project why communities matter and what matters to them .
The framework is a tool to enable us, as organisations and services in Kirklees, to work together and be better aligned, with a common approach. It will enable us to review and improve the way we work with communities. It is informed by the 'Working Alongside' shared values, which describe how some Voluntary and Community Sector organisations (VCS), Kirklees Council, the Police and health partners want to work together, to make our local places even better. It also helps the council, and our partners work towards achieving the 'Shaped by People' shared goal.
'Shaped By People' is a new shared, strategic outcome, created by citizens in local places across Kirklees, and it is all about enabling everyone to be an active citizen. The Inclusive Communities Framework brings all of our learning together and creates a wraparound framework providing three guiding principles, five inclusive approaches, a toolkit and methods for assessing our impact, which we can all use, to weave inclusion into our work. It helps organisations to get alongside communities and citizens and supports all services in Kirklees to work inclusively with communities, and enables local place-based planning and action.
Inequality impacts on how people feel about themselves and their local community. Whilst this framework alone will not resolve the causes and impact of inequality, it does contribute to overcoming barriers faced by communities. We have seen, through the localised response to the COVID-19 pandemic, how impactful inclusive, connected and resilient communities can be, when we all work together for a common purpose and how powerful a sense of belonging can be.
People are found to have higher levels of trust, better relations with other people and are more actively engaged in their communities, where investment in cohesion and inclusion takes place.
Discussing cohesion
Before the pandemic, the council began conversations with partners and communities about cohesion and how they experienced our approach. It became clear that this focused cohesion activity through a very narrow lens, presented cohesion as a 'problem to be fixed'.
This allowed for reflection on the role of large organisations like the council and understanding who was best placed to address cohesion in communities. It was made clear to us that if we, as a collective, created the right inclusive conditions, then communities had a much better chance of being cohesive.
The council were given some very clear messages:
- Do not keep asking us the same questions when we have already told you what is important.
- A range of factors influence how people feel about cohesion, being included is one of them.
- Being included meant knowing neighbours and feeling connected; a feeling of being treated fairly; being safe; having access to opportunities through good education and employment; being heard and able to influence.
Place-based engagement
Through our Place-Based Working Programme, we are changing our council's relationship with local people, so that we can enable more people to shape their communities as citizens and not just deliver services to customers. Working with people in local places is a key commitment as part of the Inclusive Communities Framework.
Place-based engagement
