The focus of our DelPHE project is on Education for Community Cohesion. Looking for ways to increase and develop community cohesion is nothing new. However, it is only relatively recently that the crucial role of formal and non-formal education for increasing community cohesion has started to develop away from 'an emphasis on the use of systems and processes to constrain and change behaviour as a means of delivering equality and fairness' (Cantle, 2005: 26). These systems remain important and relevant. At the same time, education for community cohesion has a crucial role to play in order to 'enable people to relate to "others", and, more importantly, to create and build commonalities between groups, rather than to reinforce and emphasise differences.' (Cantle, 2005: 27) This DelPHE project offers the opportunity to explore community cohesion with teacher training students during one year in order to make a contribution to changing underlying attitudes and to develop learners' values of respect, tolerance and acceptance of differences as a strength (as opposed to being a problem).

UK and Rwandan perspectives on community cohesion will of course be different. However, we also believe that the fundamental values of tolerance, respect and acceptance of 'the other' are shared. In this sense, it is envisaged that the project will contribute to the development of community cohesion in all communities participating in the project.

You can find additional links to community cohesion for further reading in the 'Useful Links' section of this website.