BMBC 21: Barnsleys Local Area Agreement 2008-2011

Social InclusionBarnsley’s integrated approach to Social Inclusion brings together thepriorities of this outcome. One Barnsley’s Social Inclusion Framework(2006/09), Improving Services – Improving Lives set out the approachto reducing exclusion, recognising Social Exclusion is about more thanincome poverty. It is ethically, socially and economically unacceptable.It has costs not just for those who are excluded, but also for all thosewho live and work in Barnsley. Social exclusion is a short hand term forwhat can happen when people or areas suffer from a combination oflinked problems such as unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poorhousing, high crime, bad health and family breakdown’ (Breaking theCycle, SEU 2004)These problems are linked and mutually reinforcing so that they cancreate a vicious cycle in people‘s lives. The main causes andconsequences of social exclusion are: poverty and low income;unemployment; poor educational attainment; poor mental or physicalhealth; family breakdown and poor parenting; poor housing andhomelessness; discrimination; crime; and living in a disadvantagedarea. The risk factors of social exclusion tend to cluster in certainneighbourhoods, but not everybody at risk lives in a deprived area.The Social Inclusion Framework was informed by a review of theprevious framework in 2005. The review also resulted in the creation ofa formal delivery partnership as part of the ‘One Barnsley’ LocalStrategic Partnership structure. The Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion62Partnership (EDIP) is responsible for the coordination of social inclusionactivity across the borough, working with voluntary and communitygroups along with other partners to deliver positive outcomes to localpeople.EDIP have recently developed a Community Cohesion and CommunityEngagement strategy to provide some focus on inclusion and,supported by the third sector, the Council and its partners aim to ensurestrong support mechanisms are in place for the communities ofBarnsley.Community CohesionBarnsley’s first cohesion strategy builds on this thinking further, placingit in the context of Barnsley, and achieving a local vision.Firstly, by including the concept of integration, it recognises that itinvolves the relationships between different groups of existingresidents, as well as the relationships between existing residents andnew residents arriving into neighbourhoods. This is important toBarnsley in pursuit of the long term vision as a 21 st century markettown.Secondly, it is acknowledged that a sense of belonging can be rootedat the national, local or neighbourhood level. The factors which affectthe cohesion of Barnsley’s communities will be different to thoseBuilding Cohesive & Enterprising Communities Barnsley’s Local Area Agreement 2008-11