If you are signposting people to other groups delivering services, you will want to know they can be trusted to treat people with respect and support their individual needs. This section contains information about how to build that trust.

Trust in institutions like the council, health services, and police is important for many organisations supporting people to connect with services around them. This section also contains a warning where there is no trust in key institutions.

Select the outcomes that fit with the type of volunteering you are engaged in. Remember that every group/organisation is unique.

Understanding social hubs can give your projects the best chance of reaching across community lines.

Find out more about the importance of understanding historical local context.

Discover a range of places where people can mix and develop sustained contact.

Ever felt too shy or too angry to say something? This section talks about the importance of volunteers getting involved in decision-making and influencing.

If you are actively involved in bonding, bridging and linking, then that sense of connection grows. Read this section to find out more.

Working together with local people can help build a sense of democratic processes working for everyone’s benefit. Find out more about the importance of co-design and co-production

This section describes what is both good and bad for social cohesion when people strongly identify with one group and what you can do about it.