Communities
The responsibility to help protect people from the threat of identity-based violence is part of the modern social contract; resilient societies rely upon the actions of citizens, the strength of communities, and the support of the State. Today in the UK, we see signs of worsening social disintegration, political polarisation, and rising prejudice. However, there are realistic and responsible actions that can impede negative trends and begin to bridge Britain’s divides. Building safe, strong, and cohesive societies requires consistent and sustained effort, from grassroots communities, to local government, across industries and from national leaders. Protection Approaches undertakes research including the delivery of pilot community resilience programmes to discover what works in building positive, kind, diverse and caring communities. The findings of this research is then shared with stakeholders at local and national levels through papers, briefings and trainings.
Tackling marginalisation
Over three years Protection Approaches has been running a pilot programme across three London boroughs working with marginalised socio-economic, ethnic, religious and cultural groups to explore their personal experiences or perceptions of prejudice or marginalisation. Working with leading artists and using photography, painting, film, interviews, drama, and other mediums, the participants have shared their experiences of living in London today.
The stories and experiences have formed the basis of physical and digital exhibitions that the project participants presented to local decision makers, in order to start conversations on what can be done to address the root causes of marginalisation locally.
These programmes aim to test what works to help fill the gaps that exist in local-decision making, often disconnecting local council, police, and civil society, and where those from marginalised communities are too commonly absent. We work to broker new and sustainable community relationships that will facilitate community-led change in some of London’s most disadvantaged boroughs.
View the online exhibition
Building community resilience
Funded by the Home Office Community Hate Crime Fund, this programme aims to encouraging community-led responses to hate crime and the prejudice and marginalisation that can lead to such crimes.We are breaking down the barriers that prevent victims from reporting hate crime while also strengthening community relationships throughout the Borough.
Through the programme Protection Approaches has coordinated the opening of 12 community hate crime reporting centres in libraries, community centres, places of worship and even a theatre. We have delivered accredited training to more than 120 community advocates from charities, local authorities, public bodies and the police to support victims of hate crime and to promote prevention in their institutions. We have delivered 'Understanding Hate Crime' workshops to thousands of people from particularly at risk communities.
Research
All our community programmes are evidence based.
We undertake, commission, and coordinate research and evaluations to ensure that the programmes we develop and test are supported by evidence of what works and in line with global best parctice from the fields of peace-building, atrocity prevention, countering extremism and violent extremism, and community cohesion building. We also commission national social attitude and public opinion surveys that inform our work and priorities.
Selected publications:
A gathering storm?
Assessing risks of identity-based violence in Britain
March 6th 2019