We are going through a period where divisions between communities are repeatedly surfacing. Increasing violent acts, far-right demonstrations and hate crime point to longstanding inequalities and tensions between groups, which raises urgent questions about belonging and inclusion. Some grantholder organisations have been more directly affected by incidences of violence than others. However, these events are not isolated and affect those across the communities that we all look to support.
Instances of protest and violence rooted in hostility towards particular groups stem from complex and interlinked sources, but in part point to a serious breakdown in social cohesion which has built over time. Since the racially-motivated riots in the Summer of 2024, research and information-sharing around cohesion in the UK has been conducted in the VCFSE sector and beyond.
It is clear that this is an issue that requires action from multiple perspectives, and as a funder we have decided to share the research and resources that are shaping our conversations around cohesion. We plan to highlight successful and inspiring local work in the VCFSE sector with a cohesion focus in future newsletters. While it won’t be appropriate for some of the work we support, we hope that by sharing resources there might be opportunities to consider and embed cohesion-thinking into more work and projects.
From the research
Most of the research we refer to has been published in the last 18 months, prompted by the events leading up to and following the Southport riots in the summer of 2024. The following two studies look into young people’s engagement with the far right, through engaging in conversations and conducting studies with young people themselves.
The 2024 Children’s Commissioner report challenges media discourse about the children involved in the Southport riots. This is illuminating; none of the children involved said they were motivated by anti-immigration, racist or far right beliefs, with several expressing their dislike of these types of views.
“Half the young men there don’t even know what far right means. We’re in such a deprived area… they don’t even know what politics means. They were just there to have fun.” – Child, charged in the 2024 riots.
However, ‘Plugged in but Disconnected’ from Hope not Hate found that although only a small fraction of young people actively engage in the far right, the number is rising, as is the number of youth who are convicted of violent crime and terrorism related to their hateful views. Their polling showed that 41% of young people generally think that violence can be necessary to defend something you strongly believe in, with 75% of one of their datasets strongly agreeing.
While research shows a growing issue with division and distance within the UK, we at the Trust believe that there are elements to be positive about. Issues and perceptions around immigration, race and religion can be looked at from the perspective of cause and effect through in-depth research. This challenges polarising political and media discourse that obscures the complexity of people’s perceptions, opening the door to considering ways in which cohesion might be built and re-built both on a national and local scale.
As with solving any deeply embedded and complex issues, the key is knowing where to start. With future newsletters, we hope to put the spotlight on further research, as well as positive and impactful work with a cohesion focus. Our lines are open to hear about any successes and ideas from our grant holder community, so please feel free to get in touch.