Trust for London and Unbound Philanthropy are hoping to raise and distributing £1m from independent funders by 2020 to support a new integration programme, with support from charities working in the area.
The programme was launched today by mayor of London Sadiq Khan and sees charitable funders Trust for London and Unbound Philanthropy set up the Citizenship and Integration Initiative, in partnership with City Hall pledging to match their investment.
Money raised will be used to fund a programme aiming to tackle social integration, including helping new migrants find a path to citizenship and getting existing London citizens more involved in democracy and the decisions that affect them.
Improve access to rights
It will help people to access their citizenship and residency rights, increase civic engagement and celebrate diversity and shared identities across the capital.
Experts from Migrants Organise, Citizens UK, Coram Children’s Legal Centre and Just for Kids Law will be seconded to City Hall to help shape the Mayor’s plans, and work towards the shared goal of making London a truly socially integrated city.
This model is inspired by similar initiatives in the USA, but it is the first time this has been applied to a project in the UK.
Whilst 640,000 Londoners became British citizens in the past 11 years, 54 per cent of Londoners born abroad don’t hold a British passport.
Khan said an integral part of the programme will be to support the take up of British citizenship by Londoners from the EU and abroad.
There are also thousands young Londoners who have grown up in the capital but cannot access higher education or work because they have irregular migration status. The programme will seek to tackle this by supporting young Londoners to secure their legal rights to residence.
'Collaboration is key'
Bharat Mehta, Trust for London chief executive, said: “Our capital is a place where millions of people from different walks of life rub along well together.
“However, protecting it and bringing along those Londoners who currently feel left out, is a big job. We can get much further with tackling it with collaboration between charities and the public sector, each maintaining their independence, but drawing on each other’s strengths and resources.
“That’ s why we have set up this new initiative and we hope it will help support one of the best things about London.”
See in Charity Finance
Khan said: “I want every Londoner to be able to actively participate in the life of our great city - this can only be possible when we overcome initial barriers like ensuring people can access their citizenship rights, can have their say in the decisions that affect them and feel like they have the opportunity to get to know their neighbour.
“By joining forces with Trust for London, civil society organisations and independent funders, we can bring together our collective expertise and networks to achieve real change for Londoners and reach our shared goal of making London the most inclusive and open place in the world.”
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