CONNECTIONS BETWEEN COMMUNITIES
These initiatives are focused on developing intercultural connections between individuals and/or groups. They are important in terms of providing opportunities for people of different backgrounds in a neighbourhood to get to know one another.
They are also important in developing inter-ethnic social capital and for tackling prejudices born of ignorance and lack of interaction.
This might include, for example:
- An inter-cultural or inter-faith women’s morning tea
- A soccer program where refugee kids are integrated into the main competition.
- A neighbourhood centre run by a multi-ethnic resident's management committe
- An important aspect to such interventions is that they are mediated. Sometimes tensions can be made worse by just throwing groups together without guidance.
- Reciprocity is also a key to building positive, and equal relationships. Participants shoudl be encouraged to help one another, and different groups can each contribute something (food, volunteer service etc).
| Title | Synopsis | File Link |
|---|---|---|
| Melways Community Building | Melways Community Building Project aims to bring diverse communities together. Building a stronger, more self-reliant community is one of the aims of the Melways Community Building Project, based in Melbourne's inner west. | view PDF |
| Kensington-Chelsea Youth Forum | The aim of the project is to create a forum in which young people can find opportunities for debate, information and participation in the development and improvement of services. | view PDF |
| Kar Kulture | Kar Kulture will encourage contact between young people from migrant communities and from the broader community in Dandenong. This project will help to break down barriers between the different culture groups and promote harmony. | view PDF |
| Helping Residents Feel More at Home | As part of the “Doggies to Highpoint” Community Building Project, Helping Residents Feel More at Home: A Project at Gordon Street in Maribyrnong, aims to build a stronger, more self-reliant community. | view PDF |
| Kingston Carnival | The intention of the carnival is to communicate with all sections of Kingston’s communities through attempting to involve members in merry making, dancing and eating. Food and music which are the mainstay of most communities played a crucial role in bringing people together. | view PDF |
| Breaking Barriers in Burnley | This project, Breaking Barriers in Burnley is a multi-agency youth provision project, which aims to involve young people from different areas, backgrounds and cultures together in order to develop positive relationships between the various communities of Burnley. It works to tackle racism, bring communities together, promote understanding and tolerance and to reduce conflict by providing constructive activities for the young people of Burnley. | view PDF |
| U-Nite in Rochdale | U-Nite is a community cohesion event held by Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council (UK). It aims to build understanding between young people aged 12 to 19 from different socio-economic groups, ethnic backgrounds and areas. It also puts young people in touch with officers from the borough’s voluntary and statutory agencies in a non-confrontational environment. | view PDF |
| Lane Cove Multicultural Mens Shed | The aim of Lane Cove Community Men’s Shed has been to enhance the well-being, health and quality of life of older men by providing a fully equipped workshop and activities/projects to do for themselves and their community. Men from culturally diverse backgrounds share skills and information enhancing each other’s networking opportunities, adult learning opportunities, encourage cross-cultural co-existence and help to combat isolation and depression in older men. | view PDF |
