Our second online debate, In the midst of a recession how can we develop cohesive communities, took place in spring 2009

The main findings were

• Public institutions should develop a cohesion strategy that co-ordinates the activities of the public, private and voluntary sectors to ensure that activities are connected, build local capacity and maximise resources – financial or otherwise.
• Individuals should take more responsibility for getting involved in their own communities. Any support from local government and community leaders’ is extremely important.
• Long-term funding must be in place to allow cohesion initiatives to be effective and take root over time, rather than for the duration of a single project.
• Young people have an important role to play so education and increasing awareness about people from diverse backgrounds will enable future generations to live more cohesively.
• Representative and accountable leadership at grass roots levels has a key role to play in breaking down social boundaries to underpin community cohesion.
• The impact of the recession is likely to lead to less availability of funds and resources for community enabling projects. It is essential that vital resources are maintained to keep community cohesion projects stable until the economy recovers.

The comments demonstrated that cohesion is not an isolated concern but instead encompasses many elements that are intrinsically linked to almost all areas of the UK’s educational, physical, social and other environments. The main lesson from the debate is that this is a vital area for continued discussion, funding and long-term development.

During the course of the two-week debate, more than 3000 people visited the site to view the films and the debate pages, with more than 85 comments posted.

Debate Place enables practitioners from across the sector to share their views and promote their ideas about issues affecting their work. It aims to highlight useful insights and inform policy relating to the planning and delivery of sustainable communities.