You Said We Did – Community Cohesion Questionnaire

 

The community cohesion questionnaire came from the Inequalities Reference Group, a network that meets on a regular basis providing a forum for the sharing of ideas on making Tameside a more equal and inclusive borough. The group has identified seven areas of focus, one of which is community cohesion.

The initial work programme was influenced by feedback from communities about some of the longer term issues that will need to be addressed as a result of Covid.

As part of this area of focus, a questionnaire was launched to gather more evidence and insight about community cohesion, and people’s own experiences of it, in Tameside.

When asked what they felt was meant by community cohesion, the most popular responses were a sense of belonging, trust and safety. Respondents were asked to indicate how far they agree with some statements about community cohesion in their area. There was a mixed response, only a small percentage strongly agreed that there is a sense of belonging in their community, that people of different backgrounds feel valued, people have similar life opportunities and there are good relationships between people of different backgrounds.

Some respondents felt that there is a fragmented sense of community in Tameside – some areas being more neighbourly than others. There were comments that communities seem separate from one another, and some respondents commented on ethnic diversity in the area.

When asked for suggestions as to how communities could be made stronger and safer, some comments included: community groups, events to bring people together, road safety measures, sporting groups and community policing.

The findings of the questionnaire were collated and presented in a report looking in-depth at the wider determinants of community cohesion, alongside on national and regional research. The report made recommendations on the action required by the local system to address the concerns and challenges raised by local communities.