So much has happened since March 2018 when Blackburn with Darwen was announced as one of five national Integration Areas, to

work

closely with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government on innovative plans to address social integration challenges.

A range of local partners worked with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council to develop Our Community, Our Future, the borough’s social integration strategy.

It sets out how we plan to work together to strengthen relationships between people from different backgrounds, to help the borough become a place where diversity is valued, and where people’s faith and cultures are understood and respected.

Year 2 of the programme is well underway and a number of exciting projects are getting up and running – projects like the Youth Ambassadors programme, delivered by Blackburn with Darwen Strategic Youth Alliance.

This 10 week course will equip young people with the skills they need to become leaders in their local communities and empower them to work with others to set up positive social action projects that make their neighbourhoods better places to live.

A similar course is being offered to adults through the Families Health & Wellbeing Consortium.

Community Voices and Youth Voices events will give people across the borough an opportunity to take part in discussions that help to break down any barriers between people from diverse backgrounds.

With plenty of experience in facilitating such conversations, the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation will run these events in Blackburn with Darwen, ensuring that everyone who takes part gains something from the experience.

Blackburn College is another partner in the programme, delivering two projects that aim to help our employers encourage more diversity in their workplaces.

A group of Workforce Ambassadors are being trained in supporting their employers in this goal, and there’ll be training placements and apprenticeships available too.

There’s so much more planned, including more opportunities for schools to form links with others in different areas, and a study of transport links to help connect people to zones of employment and leisure beyond their immediate neighbourhoods. And the teaching of English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) will become more co-ordinated across the borough through our ESOL Hub, with a number of partners working collaboratively.

Of course, a successful social integration programme requires all partners, stakeholders and residents to work together.

All of us can contribute to developing our communities to make Blackburn with Darwen a fantastic place to live, work, visit and enjoy.

There are so many ways for people in Blackburn with Darwen to get involved in Our Community, Our Future projects. To find out more, email integration@blackburn.gov.uk or call 01254 304597.