Towards a more inclusive Cornwall

‘Everyone deserves not just to survive but to live’

Steven McQueen 2014

1.0 The challenge

  • What kind of place would Cornwall be if we all accepted, tolerated and valued people
  • What would it take for everyone who wanted it, to be safe, to have shelter, to be economically independent, for children to thrive and achieve their potential?
  • Could everyone who wanted to feel part of and contribute to their community, take responsibility for their actions and understand the impact they have on others and on the environment?
  • What would it mean to be truly connected?
  • To access the unreachable, to achieve the unachievable, to reach out rather than be contained, to speak and not be spoken for.

Inclusion - whether social, environmental or economic - provides us with challenges that mean that we need to transform the way we think, the way we act, and the way we do business.

So how do we get there, what should our plan-to-win, include?

2.0 The intention

Cornwall where everyone has the opportunity, knowledge and support to be the best they can be, to reach their own goals and be economically independent; where everyone feels part of and contributes to their community, takes responsibility for their actions and understands the impact they have on others and on the environment.

We’ll have a Cornwall where people can fulfil their responsibilities and live in dignity.

A place where we all have equal opportunity where everyone has access to services, knowledge, the natural, built and historic environment, education, training and work. Where people, communities, services work together for better outcomes.

A pre-requisite for a more sustainable future is the integration of the social, economic and environmental – and these provide a powerful lense through which to view inclusion:

Social Inclusion:

Whilst social inclusion is often used as a catch-all term, there is something specific about the “social” that is fundamental to all other forms of inclusion. The ability to take part in and contribute to everyday life, to have the basic requirements to support a safe, healthy and happy lifestyle, to have the opportunity to influence and take part in local services and activities are core to social inclusion. Where people are energised to create and develop ideas. Where freedom of expression is encouraged reaching high aspirations, and where those who find it difficult, for whatever reason, to contribute and influence, are actively encouraged and supported to do so.

Environmental Inclusion:

The environment provides both opportunities and challenges for inclusion. There is strong evidence to support the positive impact of the natural environment in engaging people of all ages who are marginalised, isolated, have poor mental and/or physical health and low self- esteem. But are we making the most of all our environmental assets to actively promote inclusion, and how do we know?The ability for everyone to play their part in positive action for environmental sustainability is also an inclusion issue. This might be through: access, the ability to re-use and recycle, access energy-saving and home improvement initiatives, reduce food miles and protect natural habitats.

Economic Inclusion:

Cornwall has a wealth of mainstream resources and provision targeted towards people who need more help to unlock their full potential. We have learned a lot about delivery models and have much evidence to build on. Ease of access, innovative engagement and flexibility in delivery have been the key ingredients of success in supporting people who need most help to achieve their full potential.

Over-arching objectives will be developed to drive each of these, in terms of the what, and promote linkages and cross-sector delivery.

3.0 The approach

By definition the inclusion agenda is wide-reaching and needs the integration of the economic, social and environmental components of a more sustainable future – some parts of inclusion are visible many are not.

Typically inclusion is seen to incorporate: economic disadvantage, race, sexual orientation, disability, religion, age / life stage, gender. But our approach will not be limited.

To ensure success many of the solutions will be linked and collaboration will be vital, there will be specialist sub themes such as financial inclusion, and there will be a number of cross-cutting themes such as independent and professional advice and guidance.

A number of guiding principleswill inform our approach:

  • Collaborative and cross sector delivery solutions
  • Hand-ups rather than hand-outs – helping people help themselves
  • Integrating personal rights and responsibilities
  • Enabling people to contribute
  • Early intervention and prevention
  • Independent and professional advice and guidance

4.0 The route planner

Dialogue -- consultation and review

Dialogue with stakeholders and our communities is a vital part of the inclusion journey. In 2013 insight was gained through a Cornwall-wide consultation exercise in the form of open workshops.

People in Cornwall said that a more inclusive Cornwall would include a Cornwall where:

  • All people feel valued and differences, at both individual and community level, are respected and celebrated
  • People can afford to meet their basic needs, fulfil their responsibilities and live in dignity
  • We all have equal opportunity to join in our social, economic, political, environmental and cultural systems
  • Everyone has access to services, knowledge, the natural, built and historic environment, education, training and work
  • People, communities, services, local and county-wide leaders work together for better outcomes.
  • Inclusion is vital if all of Cornwall is to grow, no one should be left behind where social tensions could increase.

Inclusion is not about organisations or perceived agendas but about need and outcomes and therefore for each theme we will support and encourage partners to answer the questions:

  • What is the evidence telling us we need to do for social, environmental and economic inclusion?
  • What are the gaps that need to be filled?
  • What is the scope of the transformation needed?
  • Where are we now?
  • Where have we come from and how far away from our vision are we?

And encourage an evidence based SWOT analysis, or equivalent, to identify needs and gaps; that alongside an analysis of any mainstream activity and its flexibility, would then justify the investment of any new monies.

And groups / organisations will be identified to take the work forward.

5.0 Next Steps

We must identify the actions that will get us from where we are to where we want to be and then exploit all the opportunities available to deliver those actions – building on and transforming the current, adding value through the new, achieving for today but more importantly for the future.

“It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognise,

Accept and celebrate those differences.”

Inclusion Strategy for Cornwall

  1. Background
  1. The Inclusion Strategy for Cornwallhas been developed fromworkshop events held across Cornwall between May and December 2013. Theseworkshops identified excellent inclusion activities but also highlighted areas of concern and exclusion. As the workshops progressed it became clear that some voices were missing and so targeted sessions took placewith Town and Parish Councils, the homeless, young carers and recovering alcoholics. Inclusion Cornwall held these specific conversations to develop a clear understanding of the issues people and communities face. In addition to the workshops an extensive review of all relevant reports and strategies were studied for common linkages and to avoid duplication in the future. The Management Group of Inclusion Cornwall considered the key issues emerging and drafted the initial strategyfor Cornwall which was widely circulated and was endorsed by over fiftyresponses. The current draft takes forward the determination of those we met to make Cornwallan inclusivecountywhere people can afford to meet their basic needs, fulfil their responsibilities and live with dignity.
  2. Cornwall and Isles of Scilly’s services are changing in the face of declining resources and evolving demands. Effective transformation involves communities and individualslinked into efficient services and active communities working together. Working together in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly is about everyone taking responsibility for ourselves, the communities we live in and challenging organisations and businesses that work against achieving inclusion for everyone inCornwall and Isles of Scilly.
  1. From the participation events a clear view emerged for Cornwall as a place where everyoneshould feel valued and the differences, at both individual and community level, are respected and celebrated. A place where we all have an equal opportunity to join in our social, economic, political, environmental and cultural systems; where everyone has access to services, knowledge, the natural, built and historic environment, education, training and work. A place where people, communities, services, local and county-wide leaders work together to achieve better outcomes.

Introduction

  1. Inclusion Cornwallis a partnership of cross-sector organisations dedicated to eradicating social, economic, political, environmental or cultural exclusion in Cornwall. Since 2004 it hasworkedboth on a strategic level and within the community to challenge and reduce the impact of social, economic and environmental exclusion. Inclusion Cornwall challenges barriers and poor practices, increases understanding of inclusion issues and aims to improve the quality of life within Cornwall.Inclusion Cornwall helps people byjoining up organisationsand to enable individuals to benefit from more comprehensive support in moving forward. In 2006 the Cornwall Works Strategy was established to co-ordinate a wide range of activities to tackle worklessness.This strategy forms the economic arm of Inclusion Cornwall and is led by Jobcentre Plus.
  1. Inclusion Cornwall’s challenge role is critical at a time of economic and social hardship. At this time we need to identify smarter ways of workingand encourage organisations to work together more effectively. Mainstream budgets and employers will remain the key to reducing hardship through training to improve the skills base leading to higher paid employment and therefore lifting people out of poverty.
  1. Cornwall has the added advantage of The European Social Fund programme 2014 -2020 which requires a minimum of 20% of the budget to target poverty and social exclusion. It won’t invest in all of the activity needed to deliver the strategy, but provides tremendous scope to tackle poverty and social exclusion issues in the broad context of economic activity, employment and skills. The Local Enterprise Partnership Strategy and Structural Investment Programmes must ensure their frameworks and activities adopt inclusive approaches that provide tailored solutions to meet the dispersed local need across the rural areas of Cornwall.
  1. The Inclusion Strategy aims to incorporate all aspects of inclusion. To illustrate this an Inclusion Wheel has been developed. The outer wheel of words can rotate around the eight inclusion areas e.g.housing. Whichever inclusion area the words land on normally impacts on a person. If we rotate benefits from housing to employment economy we can see connections in those areas.

The Strategy sets out the key priorities to make Cornwall a place where all have equal opportunities in whatever they seek. Cornwall has a unique community spirit and culture that in turn encourages self development and fulfilment. We will build upon the spirit and culture making Cornwall where all can develop, grow and access opportunities especially those as the economy strengthens.Inclusion means different things to different people and Inclusion Cornwall uses the following definition:-

“Inclusion is about all of us having the opportunity to live full lives”. And we have set four strategic objectives:-

  1. Prevent exclusion from happening
  2. Re-integrate those who have become excluded
  3. Work continuously to deliver equality of opportunity for all
  4. Challenge bad practices to ensure inclusion for all

Stakeholder participation and engagement

Four clear themes emerged which together offer an inclusive approach for public, private, and voluntary and community organisations to the people, families and communities they serve.

Access information and support – to prevent exclusion andto understand when and where most people need to access information. Develop clear systems that are accessible, people driven and not process driven. Transform services by understanding and responding to peoples needs. Research future needs and develop a new approach through training.

Active Communities – What will communities undertake? What interests them? What level of leadership and support will be necessary? Value and support the community’s contribution to developing, commissioning, governing and delivering services.

Leadership and systems – A strong leadership is required but not one that takes over and centralises power, this is not cost effective when communities can do more for themselves. How systems meet the needs of the people is more important than how systems work. Resources will be required to support communities but these resources will be based on what is truly needed and will be different across Cornwall.

Prevention – Requires commitment and a change in mindset for many who have traditionally worked with the symptoms and intergenerational effect of exclusion.

One overwhelming conclusion from the workshops was for a highly localised approach and a widespread desire for all local people to feel part of and to contribute to their community. There were four consistent messages from communities across Cornwall about the approach they wanted:

Tolerance - Walk a mile in my shoes. Awareness of differing communities of interest/need, including restorative justice.

Ensure Fundamentals – A view from the workshops for a Citizens Charter for Cornwall – Ensure people have the basics if they want it i.e. food, a place to live, access to opportunities and access to a bank account. These are the fundamentals. A lack of themcan prevent individuals, households and communities from moving forward.

Resilience – Global changes – communities taking ownership of what matters to them, life has changed, we have to be ready in Cornwall. Restorative practices can also create the tools for resilience and flexibility in communicating within employment, learning and family situations.

People Led – Responsibilities are hard for some, Town and Parish Councils, community groups and individuals are often reluctant to take on responsibilities but some are ready for this.

The diagram below summarises the above findings.

Vision

The emerging vision from our research is where everyone has the skills, knowledge, support and opportunities to meet their fundamental requirements. This includes appropriate housing, health, food, fuel and mobility. The vision:-

  1. A Cornwallwhere we challenge injustice, discrimination and exploitation.
  2. A Cornwall where all individuals and communities feel valued.
  3. A Cornwall where everyone has the opportunity, knowledge and support to secure the fundamentals in life. By this we mean to be safe and secure with adequate food, accommodation, financial resources and opportunities to achieve.
  4. A Cornwallwhere self fulfilment is valued.
  5. A Cornwall where we all have equal opportunity where people, communities, services, local and county-wide leaders work together for better outcomes.

To achieve this vision a series of interlocking priorities have been established covering social, economic and environmental inclusion.

Priority / Evidence of Need
To build individual and community resilience for people to help themselves and to support others who are (or at risk of being) excluded. / Achieving individual resilience will mean tackling a combination of linked issues such as worklessness, low skills, low incomes, unfair discrimination, in-justice, inadequate housing, poor health and family breakdown. These often linked issues can be affected by a person’s life stage i.e. young person, a carer, a lone parent, ex-service personnel or an ex-offender. Our workshops identified the need for tolerance and understanding ensuring all could access the fundamentals in life i.e. food, a place to live, access to opportunities and access to a bank account.
Community Resilience
As global changes take place communities are taking ownership of what matters to them, life has changed and we have to be ready in Cornwall. Our workshops clearly identified the desire for a people led approach. Examples of this community ownership can be seen across Cornwall - Bude Sea Pool, Newquay Pathfinder, Helston’s painted walls. The Localism Act of 2011 has provided future opportunities for communities to lead and manage locally. Communities now have the right to challenge, bid and build. Communities across Cornwallcan set their own priorities and so no one model works. We also heard that communities need to be supported to develop their own priorities.
Taking action to reduce inequalities in health does not require a separate health agenda, but action across the whole of society. The impact of poor health and the risk of an early death are not evenly distributed across Cornwall.
The main causes of inequality are:-
  1. Financial stress
  2. Employment and Work
  3. Education – qualifications & skills
  4. Housing
  5. Health – Mental and Physical
The Inclusion Strategy for Cornwall challenges everyone to work together to:-
  1. Prevent the need for anyone to sleep rough in Cornwall – currently 50 people sleep rough, this is the 3rd highest number in the country. (Homeless Link).
  2. Reduce the number of people accepted as homeless - currently there are 600people accepted as homeless
  3. Afford to turn on the central heating.
  4. EradicateCornwall’s300 “avoidable winter deaths” due to cold homes. Cornwall and Isles of Scilly leads the way with its Winter Wellness campaign but still there is a lot more to be done to prevent these deaths.
  5. Communities are supported where needed to set their own priorities and actions.