Projects and Activities

Multicultural Policy

Multicultural Communities Policy Exchange Programme

FY2024

This July, the Japan Local Government Centre welcomed guests from Japanese local authorities and related organisations, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Sapporo City, Nagoya City, and many international associations, as part of our Multicultural Communities Policy Exchange Programme. The programme featured visits to local authorities, charities, museums, and schools.  

Local authorities shared details of their migrant support services. Islington Council discussed their Afghan resettlement project, Ukrainian support services, and asylum contingency work. Other London Boroughs with Borough of Sanctuary status, such as Newham, Hackney, and Greenwich, also participated.  

The group visited a playgroup for Ukrainian families run by the Big Red Bus Club and Big Red Kick and spoke with the director of New Arrivals Support, a CIC assisting Ukrainians. Migration Work CIC described its collaboration with local authorities and organisations like EuroCities and the Migrant Champions Network.  

A visit to the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities provided insights into central and local government collaboration on migration. DLUHC officials shared reports on community cohesion and educational inclusivity efforts.  

At the London School of Economics, the delegation learned about research-based policymaking, particularly the Design Lab process, where 11 boroughs shared asylum-seeker needs and tested solutions.   

The delegation explored faith-based programmes with the Faith and Belief Forum and visited St Saviour’s school in Walthamstow, where teachers shared their inclusive approach despite a Christian ethos. Students at St Saviour’s have engaged in migration-related projects, such as sponsoring a refugee family and assisting asylum seekers.  

At the Migration Museum, the group learned about migration history, especially among healthcare workers, and the museum’s role as a community centre fostering dialogue and integration through initiatives like the People’s Panel and Network Project.  

The tour concluded with a visit to the Brixton Business Improvement District, where they heard about local businesses’ efforts to support the community in a diverse neighbourhood.  

JLGC thanks all the participating organisations for contributing to the continued success of the Multicultural Communities Policy Exchange Programme. The delegates will share their experiences and insights with local government officials across Japan to help create welcoming communities for all.  

FY2023

JLGC hosted our first-ever Multicultural Communities Policy Exchange Programme from 3-7 July 2023. The delegation comprised officials from various cities and prefectures in Japan and visited several UK organisations including the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Manchester City Council and several London Boroughs.  We were also grateful for input and assistance from the University of Oxford’s Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS) in coordinating these visits.

JLGC was happy to welcome delegation members, including officials from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Nagoya City, Shiga Intercultural Association for Globalization, Hamamatsu Foundation for International Communication and Exchange, the Japan International Cooperation Center and CLAIR’s Yamanashi Prefecture branch. The participants work in diverse areas including support of Ukrainian refugees, child services and support programmes for Brazilians of Japanese heritage.

The programme started in London with a visit to Islington Council. Staff at Islington Council kindly told us about their great work with diverse communities, such as the Homes for Ukraine programme and Afghan support programmes. Everyone was very interested to hear about how local authorities in London support other groups, such as those with no recourse to public funds.

The participants also visited the London Borough of Waltham Forest and heard more about their various initiatives. In particular, they were interested to learn more about the ‘No Space for Hate’ programme which targets hate speech and encourages welcoming and inclusive communities for all. Not only did Japanese participants learn greatly about the borough’s work, they also sampled British culture through a delicious afternoon tea kindly provided by Waltham Forest.

Visits were not limited to local authorities, and the programme also explored different types of migration organisations operating in the UK. In order to learn more about the history of migration, the delegation visited the Migration Museum in Lewisham. As the museum is currently in the local shopping centre, the participants were able to see the everyday close links between community and migration. The delegation also enjoyed a talk from Migration Work CIC, a not-for-profit that works with communities and policymakers to respond to migration.

Another theme of the programme was multiculturalism and interfaith among children. A visit to Our Lady and St George Catholic Primary School and the Faith and Belief Forum provided fascinating insight into the work done to support children of all faiths and backgrounds. The participants were particularly interested to hear about school linking programmes, in which children from different faith schools meet up a few times over the period of a year to learn more about each other and break down inter-community boundaries. It was great to have the opportunity to talk to the children about their experiences and hear about the impact that programmes such as these can have on young people’s lives.

Although the delegation was pleased to visit many diverse organisations in London, it was also great to visit Manchester City Council and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to see the work being done in other areas of the country. For example, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority discussed their Equalities Panels, which are a useful example of an initiative designed to ensure that all voices are heard in policymaking.

Another highlight of the tour was a visit to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to learn more about how national government and local authorities work together in the UK. It was interesting to hear about the challenges of inter-departmental policymaking and the collaboration needed between national and local government to ensure effective policy and change. The Department for Levelling Up also shared how they work with local authorities to implement initiatives such the Homes for Ukraine programme and support for BNO passport holders from Hong Kong.

JLGC would like to thank all the hosting organisations for their warm welcome. The delegation was pleased to visit so many interesting organisations and have the opportunity to reflect on how to implement similar programmes and goals in their home organisations in Japan. The Multicultural Communities Policy Exchange Programme provided a fantastic opportunity for local officials from Japan and the UK to discuss the issues facing both countries and share ideas about creating welcoming communities for all.