Northern Housing Consortium and Belong Network Announce Reciprocal Membership
NHC and the Belong Network to collaborate around the sector’s role supporting resilient communities.
The Northern Housing Consortium is delighted to announce reciprocal membership with Belong – the Cohesion and Integration Network. As part of the arrangement, the NHC will bring members and Belong together to advance the role the sector plays in supporting community cohesion.
The NHC’s recent report Pride in Place: Views from Northern Communities underlines the important work the NHC’s membership of Housing Associations, Local Authorities and ALMO’s undertake in partnership to create stronger, resilient communities.
Through resident workshops undertaken across the North, participants told us that local ties and social connections with friends and neighbours were essential to the pride they felt in their area, and more could be done to promote neighbourliness and strengthen the relationships people have in their neighbourhood. We also know that social cohesion plays a strong role in developing social capital; the ability for people to lead healthy, fulfilling lives engaged in their local community and economy.
Entering into this timely reciprocal membership with Belong will be central to the NHC’s work ensuring our members are acknowledged and valued as vital anchor institutions, not only providing decent affordable homes but supporting the social fabric of the places they serve.
Belong are the UK’s leading membership organisation on social cohesion, with strong ties to the north being based in Manchester and having Manchester City Council as a founding member. Belong’s work includes sharing learning through member-led Communities of Practice, the Shared Ground training offer on managing community relations, and the Power of Connection toolkit which promotes cohesion through volunteering.
We look forward to working with Belong to bring their expertise on community cohesion and integration to the NHC membership; sharing learning and good practice, evidencing the important contribution the housing sector makes to this agenda, and speaking with a united voice.
Belong’s Power of Connection Workshops, book via eventbrite here, more information below:
Volunteering provides a unique and powerful opportunity to bring people together from different backgrounds. The Belong Network is committed to supporting all volunteer-involving organisations and the wider civil society sector to make this happen.
Belong’s Power of Connection Toolkit takes you through everything you need to know to bring people from more diverse backgrounds into your organisation and strengthen the wider community around you. It’s suitable for any size organisation with any cause – and it’s FREE. Sign up for a free workshop to find out more and get started.
Workshop dates for 2024:
Thursday 7 March, 10.30am – 12pm, online
Thursday 13 June, 10.30am – 12pm, online
To join, book via eventbrite here.
For further information on Belong and their work, visit Belong’s website here.
