Community cohesion: policy statement

The Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2025, lists 56 Welsh public bodies, including the Welsh Government. These bodies must help to achieve the 7 well-being goals. These goals include A Wales of Cohesive Communities, and a More Equal Wales. 

This Government will build upon the foundations we already have in Wales such as:

• recommendations from the Senedd Equality and Social Justice Committee (6^th Senedd Term)
• research undertaken by the Wales Centre for Public Policy
• the work of the Expert Group on Cohesion, established by the previous Government

This policy statement has incorporated the findings and recommendations of a number of reports. We will take those recommendations into account as we develop our cohesion policy.

The Wales we want is a nation where communities are attractive, viable, safe and well-connected. 

We want people from all backgrounds to treat each other with respect, get along, and take part. This helps everyone to enjoy their rights and reach their full potential. Strong community cohesion helps people live well together. It also helps communities cope with change.

We do not expect everyone to agree on everything. Differences of opinion will arise in communities. Being able to discuss different views respectfully is an important part of democracy. 

Our approach is not just to respond when division happens. Instead, we want to create the conditions that help strong, connected communities grow. We also aim to help people find common ground where possible.

Our goal is a Wales where people can exercise their freedoms while feeling respected, valued, and part of their community. We will do this through:

• preventative action
• strong partnerships
• evidence-led policy making
• continued investment in community resilience

We want communities where differences can be navigated constructively and confidently

Our approach is guided by the cohesion principles, which recognise the need for anyone working to advance cohesion to:

• foster good relations between and within communities
• champion equitable treatment and opportunities for all
• prevent harmful outcomes within communities
• collaborate for cohesive communities
• make sustainable long-term interventions for positive outcomes
• put directly affected communities at the heart of the process

These principles provide a simple guide for action. They also remind us that everyone has a part to play in building stronger communities. This includes the public, private and voluntary sectors.

The Community Cohesion Programme is the main way we foster community cohesion. The Programme is delivered through local government but funded by Welsh Government. The Programme also works closely with voluntary organisations and other public bodies.

We ask the Programme’s cohesion teams to support equal opportunities for everyone. They also help people from different backgrounds to build social connections with others. The teams should also help prevent discrimination, harassment and victimisation. This includes identifying and responding to community tensions. They should support local groups to strengthen community cohesion through small grants funding.

Programme teams share learning and good practice across Wales.

The internet has changed what community means to many people. Community is no longer just about where you live. Many people now find a sense of belonging through shared interests and groups online. This is not necessarily a bad change. However, it has reduced some of the social connections in Welsh communities. Those connections help people to spot and challenge false information, hate and division.

We aim to help people connect with each other in their local area and build resilience to online harms. This reduces loneliness and tackles hate. It helps people spot false information and build trust in public services.

We aim to work with the Future Generations Commissioner and Public Service Boards. Together, we will support the goal of cohesive communities across Wales. 

Through the Community Cohesion Programme we will help people connect. We will create more opportunities for people from different backgrounds to meet. Through 'safe' and 'brave' spaces, people will be heard and explore differences. 

We will provide more opportunities for young people to build bridges with others.

We will test new ways to bring people together around shared values and common goals. Our approach will help communities discuss differences in a respectful and positive way. We will help communities to find common ground.

We will encourage more people to volunteer and support community spaces.

We want to help people recognise and respond to false online information. We will share guidance and resources that help people to help themselves.

People and organisations working to bring communities together are increasingly facing hate. We will help people and community leaders with the skills and confidence to respond to hate. We will also continue to support partners who are targeted by those who seek to cause harm or division.

In recent years we have seen how online hate can morph into offline harms in the community. We will build our understanding of online hate and false information. This will help us give people the right information and support. We will work with communities and partners to identify and address tensions early. This should help to prevent or reduce harm.

We will continue to provide free advice and support to people affected by hate crime. The Wales Hate Support Centre offers confidential advice to anyone affected. It also independent from the Police. This helps people who do not want to report incidents directly to the police.

Hate crime is traumatising and isolating. We will help witnesses to safely take action wherever they see a hate crime. Hate crime is a societal scourge where solidarity is our most powerful response. Through our Hate Hurts Wales campaign (and other initiatives) we will encourage solidarity.

To support our work, we will improve our measurement of cohesion. This will help us to better understand the impact of our work. We will be able to better target resources and share best practice. This will maximise positive outcomes for communities across Wales.

The impact of the Community Cohesion Programme and hate crime policy will be kept under review.