The event, held at St Mary’s Guildhall, was for the Inclusive Cities programme, a national scheme run by the University of Oxford Centre on Migration Policy and Society (COMPAS).
Coventry took centre stage for a national event recently to build on the ways cities work together to support migration and diversity.
The event, held at St Mary’s Guildhall, was for the Inclusive Cities programme, a national scheme run by the University of Oxford Centre on Migration Policy and Society (COMPAS).
Cities taking part include Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Coventry, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newry, Mourne and Down, and Sheffield.
In 2022 the partnership of cities drew up shared action plans to support the inclusion of migrants and long standing residents across all aspects of economic and social life in its respective cities.
During the event Coventry delegates highlighted the positive contribution that migrants make in the city.
Cllr David Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, led a panel discussion on the future of the programme.
Councillor Welsh said: “In Coventry we have always been and always will be a welcoming city. And it is important that we are part of the Inclusive Cities network as a way of influencing longer term national policies and improving life for migrants while also managing services for all.
“At the same time Coventry and other partner cities have had to work with limited funding provided by central government that is often for short-term arrival needs.
“It’s not easy to access these finances and it leaves local authorities and health services to manage the economic, social and health needs of new arrivals. More needs to be done.”
Councillor Seyi Agboola, Deputy Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities also spoke at the event.
Councillor Agboola said, “I’m excited about the future and how I can involve newly arrived communities in civic and cultural engagement.
“In Coventry we have a good record of empowering refugees and migrants to meaningfully contribute to the social, civic, and economic wellbeing of the city.
“Newly arrived communities that do come to Coventry to settle always come with skills and experience, that are assets to the city’s growth and prosperity.
“We know people who come on the refugee resettlement programmes have a positive experience and a lot of what we want to do is for all newly arrived communities to get that level of support with understanding life in the UK and particularly employment and language support.”
Inclusive Cities has come to the end of its second phase and both COMPAS and the 12 cities are looking to what is next – for the programme and for integration in the UK more generally.
Denis Kierans, Senior Researcher in Migration and Integration at COMPAS, said: “For too long, local authorities and their partners have been asked to meet the growing social and economic needs of newcomers and other city residents with dwindling resources to do so. Coming together through the Inclusive Cities programme has enabled cities to share good practices from across the UK and internationally, as well as to start acting more proactively.
“However, it’s clear there is much more to do. Communities across the UK deserve an ambitious and properly resourced model for integration, and that’s something we and our partners are looking to for the next phase of Inclusive Cities.”
Caroline Higgins, Coventry Refugee and Migrant Centre said, "We work very closely with the Council and have had great support in the work we do. More could be done in terms of national policies and that is what we want to push for through the Inclusive Cities network."
(I don't make up these stories folks)
