The concept of 'community cohesion' has gained significant prominence recently in public policy. Now community plans - sometimes called sustainable community plans - are being prepared in many locations throughout the UK.
Community planning is about getting organisations to work together on community projects or community areas to improve things that local communities need, with the aim of improving quality of life. And, in the interests of integration and social cohesion, this means considering the needs of non-English speakers too.
Language difficulty is one of the integration problems faced by immigrant communities (confirmed in a report called Understanding Muslim Ethnic Communities, produced by the Department of Communities and Local Government in April 2009). The report also found that most migrants want to be an accepted and valued part of British society, but that many also wish to retain their language and religious and social values.
That's where Prestige Network comes in: we are already working closely with local authorities throughout the UK, supporting them with their interpreting and translation needs. Our tailored service means that we adapt our provision to the exact language needs of local authority community planning teams.
To find out more about how Prestige Network can help you to ensure that your community plans are socially inclusive, call our local authority specialist Colin Dudley on 01635 866888. Or check out how we work with local authorities.
