Events - British Council

Provisional conference schedule

The conference will take place in Manchester, UK, on 28-29 January 2009. Click on the link below to view the programme for the conference:

Conference programme

CONFERENCE BOOKING & FEES

Please note that fees for the conference are as follows:

Voluntary sector & NGO workers - £160
Public & Private sector workers - £280

In order to book your place at the conference click on the link below. Please note that currently, all customers will be isued with an invoice via post and will be asked to pay in full by either cheque or bank transfer (instructions contained on invoice). Once payment is received the British Council will issue you with joining instructions.

Click here for conference registration

ACCOMMODATION

Please note that conference delegates will need to organise their own accommodation. We recommend using The Corporate Team for Hotel bookings. To view their website, please click on the link below:

The Corporate team website

	Events

British Council and ICoCo international conference 2009
Communities in Action: People and Practice

Manchester, UK 28-29 January 2009

The British Council together with the Institute of Community Cohesion is pleased to announce an international conference on community cohesion.

Globally our communities are changing yet face many similar challenges. Youthful and mobile populations have a greater awareness of international events. Virtual new communities are being created across geographic borders which provide opportunities for broadening cultural awareness and understanding.

People want to make their neighbourhoods better and safer places to live and are adjusting to these challenges. Individuals, community and civil society groups, local authorities and businesses are coming together to find solutions through new dialogues and trying to eliminate the inequalities which still exist. Constructive frameworks and discourses are being established and people are learning to respect each other and their different cultures.

This conference provides a unique opportunity for practitioners to come together to share learning and identify good practice. There will be opportunities to consider some of the underlying issues that create tensions between local communities, and to look at practical and creative ways to resolve these.

The event provides a showcase for the sharing of good practice from around the world and forums for lively, open and constructive sharing of learning. In workshops and panel discussions we will look at how these experiences can be translated into policy recommendations.

Topics will include:

			Young people – citizenship, employment and engagement
			Civil society and how they work in communities
			The role of education, culture and media in promoting community cohesion
			How businesses contribute to the well-being of communities

Featuring internationally renowned speakers, the conference will also bring practitioners together from around the world to:

			Establish new international networks around the community cohesion agenda and support long-term learning in these areas
			Explore some of the issues that communities are facing globally and begin a dialogue on how these issues can be addressed.
			Share experiences, strengthen understanding and build good practice internationally in community relations and cohesion

Who should attend this seminar?

If you are working for the public sector, a business, community or voluntary organisation in a role which helps to provide practical solutions in communities, this conference will prove invaluable. Those working on policy development will also benefit through opportunities during the conference to explore the key themes and consider a policy and governance response to them.