Dialogue Society North England Regional Branch was proud to host the Community Safety & Cohesion Roundtable in partnership with the Office of the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), welcoming more than 50 participants from across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
Held at the Dialogue Society’s regional office in Newcastle, the event brought together representatives from four local authorities, more than 30 organisations, faith communities, universities, charities, community groups, policing and public services in an inclusive and collaborative environment to discuss the future of community safety, policing and social cohesion across the region.
The roundtable formed part of the Police and Crime Commissioner’s ongoing engagement programme to help shape the refreshed Northumbria Police and Crime Plan, ensuring that communities from a wide range of backgrounds have the opportunity to directly influence future policing priorities.
Creating Space for Meaningful Dialogue
For more than 27 years, the Dialogue Society has been creating opportunities for people from different faiths, cultures and backgrounds to come together through dialogue, education and community engagement.
This event perfectly reflected the organisation’s mission of acting as a trusted bridge between communities and public institutions. By bringing together community voices with senior decision-makers, the roundtable created a safe and respectful space where participants could openly discuss local challenges, share lived experiences and identify practical solutions for building stronger and safer communities.
The discussions focused on three key themes:
- Community Safety
- Community Trust
- Community Cohesion
Participants explored issues including hate crime, neighbourhood safety, youth engagement, community confidence in policing, social division, and opportunities to strengthen partnership working across the region.
A Truly Diverse and Inclusive Conversation
One of the strengths of the event was the diversity of those around the table.
Representatives attended from four local councils, over 30 organisations, universities, Christian, Muslim, Jewish and other faith communities, refugee and migrant organisations, community safety partnerships, anti-racism organisations, voluntary sector networks and local community groups.
The breadth of representation ensured that the discussion reflected a wide range of lived experiences and community perspectives from across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
Working in Partnership
Speaking following the event, Tugay Yalcin, Regional Director of the Dialogue Society North England Regional Branch, said:
“Dialogue is most powerful when it brings together people who may not otherwise have the opportunity to sit around the same table. We were honoured to host this important roundtable in partnership with the Office of the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner and to welcome such a diverse range of community leaders and organisations.
Dialogue Society is committed to strengthening relationships between communities and public institutions. We believe that trust is built through listening, understanding and collaboration, and this event demonstrated exactly how meaningful conversations can help shape better public services and stronger communities.
We are sincerely grateful to Commissioner Susan Dungworth and her team for choosing to work with Dialogue Society on this important initiative, and we thank every participant for generously sharing their experiences, concerns and ideas. We hope this is the first of many opportunities to continue this important conversation together.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth also highlighted the importance of hearing directly from communities during the event. She said:
“Listening to people from all backgrounds and ensuring that every community has the opportunity to help shape policing priorities is essential to building trust and keeping our communities safe. The discussions at the Community Safety & Cohesion Roundtable will help inform the refreshed Police and Crime Plan and ensure it reflects the experiences and priorities of the diverse communities we serve.”
Source: Office of the Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner website.
Looking Ahead
The success of the Community Safety & Cohesion Roundtable demonstrated the value of genuine partnership between public institutions and local communities.
Dialogue Society looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, local authorities, community organisations and faith communities to create further opportunities for dialogue, strengthen relationships and support safer, more inclusive and more cohesive communities across Tyne and Wear and Northumberland.
