Social Inclusion Strategy
Vision: All residents of the borough have an equal chance to succeed in life, feel valued, able to contribute, and have the choice, resources and ability to access and benefit from opportunities.
Many people are excluded from the activities and opportunities open to mainstream society. Those facing the most severe exclusion live in neighbourhoods experiencing deprivation and so suffer geographically based inequalities over issues such as health, housing, employment, education, crime and access to services.
People living in better off areas can still face exclusion for reasons such as race, culture, religion, age, special needs, disability, family circumstances, or even matters which may not appear as immediately obvious. This strategy targets both geographic and individual exclusion.
Gateshead recognises five key principals in the battle against social exclusion:
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achievement of social inclusion should drive all of the Council's policies, strategies and plans
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the value of partnership working and the need for a co-ordinated, joined up approach
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the essential need to engage and empower excluded individuals and groups
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the need to target resources where most needed
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the need to understand the nature of social exclusion