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Overview
Inclusive Cities supports 12 UK cities and their local partners in achieving a step-change in their approach towards integrating newcomers to the city.
The founding cities (2017-2019) were Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, Peterborough, and London.
Additional cities that joined phase two of the programme (2019-2023) are Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Coventry, Newry, Mourne & Down, Newport and Sheffield.
Drawing on ideas and experience from within Europe and innovative approaches from cities in the United States, it aims to support the development of a method which is:
- Strategic across the city administration
- Consistently uses positive messaging to develop an inclusive narrative for the city, which informs and drives practice
- Local authority-led, working in close partnership with business, public and voluntary sector organisations – including those not usually involved in integration - to achieve shared goals
- Identifies several priority areas which lead to practical initiatives which broaden opportunities for the inclusion of all residents across the economic, social and civic life of the city and
- Recognises, in particular, the needs of children and young people
The project is a knowledge exchange initiative which allows the cities to reflect upon and develop their thinking in several ways:
- Peer learning and support between the participating cities;
- Dedicated support from a project manager at the Global Exchange on Migration and Diversity who will inform the projects with specialist input - data, evidence, and examples of worldwide; good practice and provide ongoing support to each of the cities;
- International learning through founder membership of Welcoming International, which supports and connects institutions advancing inclusion worldwide.
The project is a knowledge exchange initiative that informs its structure and design. The project is facilitated by a dedicated researcher to both support the cities to reflect upon and provide feedback on their practice and to provide the relevant data, theory and practical examples of best practices from elsewhere. In addition, the project includes a partnership and learning visit with Welcoming International to draw inspiration from their experiences in US cities (phase 1) and European Cities (phase 2.)
This is a city-led initiative, and the project facilitates peer learning between the five cities, providing the space for the meaningful sharing of best practices and feedback between the partners. Each city has led the development of a new narrative on inclusion and an action plan to deliver tangible outcomes throughout the project.
Based on learning from previous Global Exchange projects as to the most effective way to ensure traction for the project within a local authority context, each city nominates two people who actively engage in the project on behalf of the city:
- A senior official or elected representative to provide leadership and profile for the city’s initiative. This is either an officer at Chief Executive, Director or equivalent level; or an elected official with an appropriate mandate (Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Leader, Executive Member or equivalent)
- An operational lead official who can develop and drive forward progress day-to-day
Each city has appointed a Taskforce of local stakeholders who can advise and endorse the action plan and act as champions to drive forward delivery in their sectors. Membership is entirely led by the city and tailored to its requirements. Still, it will likely include significant local employers, relevant public sector agencies, voluntary and community sectors, and arts and leisure organisations.
In the first phase, the cities met three times over two years. They attended a five-day learning visit to the United States in May 2018 alongside regular meetings and input from the project manager and specialist workshops where appropriate. The first of the City Working Group meetings took place in Glasgow in October 2017, the second in Liverpool in October 2018 and the final session of phase one of the project took place in Bristol in March 2019.
The second phase of the Inclusive Cities programme began in June 2019. It was formally launched at its first convening in Cardiff in October 2019, including the Inclusive Cities Framework launch. Its second convening took place virtually in March 2020.
City Action Plans (Phase II)
These City Action Plans were prepared during Phase II of the Inclusive Cities programme, bringing together what participating cities and their partners are doing to support the inclusion of migrants and longer-standing residents in one place. The Plans outline the priorities of and practical initiatives undertaken by the city and its partners to broaden opportunities for and better integrate all residents across the city's economic, social, and civic life. Action Plans include a local case study highlighting a good practice or novel approach.
Inclusive Cities COVID-19 Research and Policy Briefings
These Inclusive Cities COVID-19 Research and Policy Briefings were produced under the Inclusive Cities programme as part of its response to COVID-19. This briefing series outlines the research and policy on critical issues related to inclusion and COVID-19, as identified by the 12 participating cities, to inform local-level response and recovery. Briefings build on the Inclusive Cities Framework, which sets out a road map for local authorities in their planning on integration and inclusion and are developed in consultation with the 12 local authorities participating in Inclusive Cities and other experts.
- No Recourse to Public Funds: Issue #1 (2020, revised 2021)
- Access to information: Issue #2 (2020)
- Connecting Communities: Issue #3 (2020)
- Building an Inclusive Green Recovery: Issue #4 (2023)
Integration policy and practice during COVID-19
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, local authorities and their partners have had to adapt their inclusion programmes, often at speed, to support their newcomer and longer-standing communities. These "Integration policy and practice during COVID-19" briefings capture the learnings from these adaptations and ongoing work to promote inclusion and integration between March 2020 and October 2020 (unless otherwise stated) against the five thematic areas set out in the Inclusive Cities Framework.
- Belfast
- Birmingham
- Brighton & Hove
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Glasgow
- Liverpool
- London
- Newport
- Newry, Mourne & Down
- Sheffield
City Action Plans (Phase I)
- Bristol
- Cardiff
- Glasgow
- Liverpool, Our Liverpool Strategy, plus Stories of Resilience: UK case study featuring Liverpool
- Peterborough and Belonging Together a conversation about our communities and future
- London Social Integration Strategy and London Social Integration Strategy February 2020
How universities facilitate city network socialization through knowledge exchange on immigrant integration
Article | Jacqui Broadhead, Will Allen | 2022
How an Interdisciplinary Approach to Narrative Can Support Policymaking on Migration and Integration at the City Level
Article | Jacqui Broadhead | 2021
Reframing Migration and Integration Challenges: How the Inclusive Cities framework is helping to build consensus and capacity on inclusion at the local level
Other Publications | Jacqui Broadhead | 2020
Inclusive Cities: Framework
Reports | Jacqui Broadhead, Denis Kierans | 2019
Learning from the Inclusive Cities programme: Phase 1
Reports | Denis Kierans | 2019
Inclusive Cities: Second Convening
Reports | Jacqui Broadhead | 2018
Inclusive Cities US Knowledge Exchange
Reports | Jacqui Broadhead | 2018
Building an Inclusive City Narrative
Other Publications | Jacqui Broadhead | 2018
Inclusive practices for newcomers at city level and examples of innovation from overseas
Reports | Jacqui Broadhead | 2017