Inclusion and cohesion

Building inclusive and connected communities

At Adur & Worthing Councils, we're all about making sure everyone feels they belong. We believe that strong communities happen when every person's voice is heard and when everyone has a chance to shape the place they live in. Our mission is to create fairer, greener, and thriving local spaces where everyone can flourish.

We're working hard to make our communities more connected and inclusive - helping us all grow stronger together. We are committed to doing that both inside and outside our organisation, with our staff, our partners and our communities.

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Embedding inclusion and cohesion into our priorities

We strive to make Adur and Worthing a place where everyone feels valued and included. Our approach to inclusion and cohesion is informed by three key principles:

Adaptive: We ensure our services evolve to meet the needs of all residents, especially those experiencing the most need.
Participative: We actively involve our staff, partners and communities, giving everyone a chance to shape the decisions that affect their lives.
Resilient: We create a sustainable environment within the organisation and locally that strengthens community ties and supports long-term growth and inclusivity.

Our Joint Priorities are supporting inclusion and cohesion:

Councils for the community: Empowering people to have a say and make a difference to their communities, be that our staff, partners or communities.
Regenerating our streets and spaces: We're enabling residents to be part of their local economy and the future of our places.
Fair, green and local: We aim to create healthy environments where everyone can live well and feel supported, including those who suffer most from poverty and inequality.
Homes that people can call their own: By providing housing where people feel they belong, we're building communities that work for everyone.
Joint Priorities for Adur & Worthing Councils, Report by the Assistant Director of People and Change - Joint Strategic Committee, 17th July 2024 (PDF)

Through our Financial Strategy, we're finding sustainable ways to ensure resources are allocated where they're needed most:

New Financial Strategy, Report by the Director for Sustainability & Resources - Joint Strategic Committe, 17th July 2024 (PDF)

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Redesigning services to be more inclusive and support those most in need

Our approach to inclusion and cohesion is embedded into how we are changing our services. Through our Organisational Design, we're redesigning our teams to support staff to make sure services are easy to access for everyone, especially those who may need extra support:

We're redesigning housing teams that are better resourced to further prioritise prevention and early intervention of households facing homelessness or housing difficulties.
We've created a dedicated team to prioritise wellbeing and enable vulnerable people to feel more supported and independent.
We're moving towards a digital-first approach, which means you'll be able to access our services in a quicker way. This includes options for those who might have disabilities or limited access to traditional service channels.
By simplifying routine tasks, our staff will have more time to assist residents with complex needs.
We're using data to identify and proactively reach out to residents who may be struggling, connecting them with the support they need.

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Empowering everyone

We want to enable everyone to contribute to improving their communities. Over the next year, we will:

Develop a neighbourhood model so residents can have more say and make a difference in their streets and spaces.
Bring together communities and partners to develop solutions for a fairer, safer and greener Adur and Worthing.
Develop calls to action and campaigns with our partners to demand a fair deal for Adur and Worthing.

We'll be making it easier for people to get involved and help strengthen their communities:

Funding that supports communities to make a difference

Through our Neighbourhood CIL Fund, we're supporting projects that build community cohesion and enable residents to improve their neighbourhoods.

We'll be developing a programme that will enable residents to have their say and access funding to tackle the cost of living in ways that support marginalised communities. We'll also support better ways where communities can raise money through crowdfunding.

Improving how our services work with our residents to best support them

We're training up staff to work together to grow their skills in working with communities. We're also supporting staff to better provide advice and support in a trauma-informed way to help residents with specific needs best navigate the support available.

Listening to lived experience to shape the future of our services and places

Adur & Worthing Councils are committed to increasing inclusion, providing equality of opportunity in all our activities and ensuring that discrimination does not occur.

We're making sure the voices of those with experience of the issues we're tackling are at the heart of shaping our services:

Lived experience panels: These panels will help improve our housing services and ensure we're supporting the most vulnerable.
Equalities staff networks: We're strengthening networks that focus on inclusion, making it a key part of our new skills framework.

Supporting our civil society (our voluntary, community and social enterprise sector) to build more inclusive and connected communities

Our civil society is at the heart of bringing people together to do good in their local area. Now more than ever, it is key that we work together to tackle all kinds of discrimination and inequalities and enable people to feel welcome in their neighbourhoods.

We'll be shortly reaching out to local organisations to commission infrastructure that supports our voluntary and community sector to work with us to build stronger and more connected communities. Our goal is to create resilient, financially sustainable organisations that can deliver real impact for residents, in particular our most marginalised communities, in creative and digital ways.

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Supporting community safety

At Adur & Worthing Councils, we believe that creating safe, inclusive communities is essential to fostering a sense of belonging and cohesion. As part of our commitment to inclusion, we work closely with a range of partners to ensure that our communities are safe and supported.

We focus on reducing crime, anti-social behaviour, and safeguarding vulnerable residents. While we encourage active participation from our residents in shaping safer neighbourhoods, we also work behind the scenes with local police and other organisations to tackle pressing issues, including:

Preventing anti-social behaviour: We collaborate with partners to address local concerns and support early intervention for individuals or groups at risk.
Promoting inclusivity: Through targeted programmes and campaigns, we aim to reduce hate crimes and discrimination, ensuring all residents feel safe and valued, regardless of their background.
Protecting vulnerable people: Our work includes safeguarding initiatives to support individuals who may be at risk due to mental health issues, domestic abuse, or exploitation.

This approach is fully aligned with our core mission of building fairer, greener and safer communities, where everyone feels secure and has the opportunity to thrive.

We all have a part to play in creating a safer and more connected Adur and Worthing.

See more on how we're making communities safer:

Safer Communities

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Supporting inclusion and cohesion through our partners

We work through great partners to support inclusion and cohesion, including leisure and culture. They help bring people together by offering activities and events for everyone. Here's how we do it:

Inclusive sports: Our leisure centres offer programmes for all ages and abilities, like swimming lessons and fitness classes, so everyone can stay active in a welcoming space.
Cultural events: We partner with places like Worthing Theatres and Museum to offer arts and cultural programs that foster community connections.
Health and wellbeing: Our activities help improve both mental and physical health, especially for those who need extra support.
Community programmes: We host events and initiatives designed to bring together diverse groups and ensure everyone feels included.

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Join us in shaping our future

Inclusion and cohesion aren't just ideas - they're at the heart of what we do. Whether you're a resident or a local organisation, your voice matters. Together, we can build communities where everyone has the chance to thrive.

Contact us at: