Mix and match

Promoting cohesive communities is not just about dealing with race relations: many places have little positive interaction between different groups of residents, whether black and white, young and old or established residents and newcomers.

Housing is a key issue because it defines communities and determines whether schools and other services have a mix of people using them. This is why councils and registered social landlords have started to look not only at their lettings policies but at what positive action they need to take in working with existing residents and newcomers to their estates.

There are already good practice examples that others can follow. The following three are taken from a new good practice guide on community cohesion and a research report looking at the extent of housing agencies' efforts so far. The two reports aim to show what is already happening – for example, through the 14 Home Office community cohesion pathfinders – and to give people ideas that might lead to more initiatives across the country.

Promoting community cohesion is increasingly seen as an objective not just for the handful of Northern towns affected by racial disturbances in the past three years but as part of the sustainability agenda facing landlords everywhere.

Refugees integrated in Leicester
In Leicester, Refugee Housing Association has been working with the city council to integrate asylum seekers and refugees into their new estate.

It obtained funding for a part-time community worker who has organised drop-in sessions for new residents, an allotments scheme and training in law and entitlements.

There is a weekly housing surgery and several courses in English as a second language. Childcare and interpretation facilities are made available. Refugees and asylum seekers have been brought together with police and council staff to resolve antisocial behaviour problems they might experience.

The various activities appear to be making a real difference to the successful integration of newcomers and might encourage them to become permanent residents of the area.

Ethnic involvement in Bradford
Manningham Housing Association specialises in housing minority ethnic people but, in Bradford, it is working alongside the William Sutton Trust, a mainstream RSL, to mutual advantage. William Sutton is gaining more interest from minority ethnic applicants in one of its estates, while Manningham is gaining from the trust's experience with resident involvement.

The project is jointly funded and employs a community initiatives worker who has studied the problems of the estate, and worked with other staff to set up joint meetings and other activities between estate residents and Manningham tenants. Special efforts have been made to involve young people, especially through the work of an agency called Integrity Beatz Music, which promotes music and arts events and multicultural dance classes.

Although, as yet, there is no hard evidence of success, residents are supportive of the work and housing staff believe barriers between the communities are starting to be overcome.

Diversity improved in Rochdale
Rochdale's community induction project aims to achieve a more diverse ethnic mix in a particular neighbourhood.

It involves staff from BME specialist Ashiana Housing Association, working from an office of the Guinness Trust, but all of the social landlords in the area collaborate with the scheme.

It helps people from various ethnic groups who are interested in moving into the predominantly white area of Newbold.

The project acts as an intermediary, contacting housing applicants to explore whether they would consider a house outside the areas where people from their ethnic group generally live. If they are willing to consider Newbold, the project explains about local services, alternative properties available and the support the project can offer to new residents.

Already, more than 400 households have been helped in this way and local landlords report rising demand for homes in an area that was starting to lose its popularity and where houses were at risk of becoming difficult to let.

Community Cohesion and Housing: A Good Practice Guide and How Housing can Contribute to Community Cohesion – a Research Report are published this month by the CIH and the Housing Corporation. For more details call 024 7685 1752 or email pubs@cih.org