In March 2018, Walsall was selected as one of five pilot areas in England to trial local approaches to integration. Since then, Walsall has been on a journey towards increasing cohesiveness and integration.

This year, through its integration initiative, Walsall has enabled residents to take part in a variety of projects. These projects have included initiatives in sports, the arts, community & cultural events, film screenings, hate crime awareness events, support for newly arrived communities, events in increasing employment, empowering women and positive youth work, just to name a few!

These projects have increased awareness of the integration area initiative, helped develop hobbies and skills for community members, increased connection throughout the area and helped the community share in commonality.

A resident who recently took part in an Empowering Women’s Workshop project said it has been an “uplifting experience to motivate and empower women from all backgrounds”.

To enhance its work, Walsall has begun to work with several partners to ensure integration continues to be at the heart of their agenda. This has included building partnerships with local businesses, employers, statutory and third sector organisations and community groups.

A good way to keep up to date with what’s going on with Walsall for All is through their bi-monthly newsletter. The latest edition was released in November 2019 and highlighted their current focus on ‘Connecting across Communities’; one of the key priorities in the overall Walsall for All strategy.

You can download the latest Walsall for All newsletter for free by clicking here. Previous issues of the newsletter can be found on their website or via this link.

For more information about Walsall for All, visit www.walsallforall.co.uk or email walsallforall@walsall.gov.uk. You can also follow the programme on social media to keep up to date with their work: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn