BSBT programme is boosting community resilience

New, independent evaluation has found that people have an increased willingness to challenge extremist views after taking part in the government’s Building a Stronger Britain Together programme.

The latest progress report, produced by Ipsos Mori, was commissioned to assess the impact of BSBT programme activity against key outcomes, understand the effectiveness of processes involved in delivering BSBT and establish the successes and challenges of delivery. It found that 98 per cent of organisations that received BSBT funding and completed their projects said they would not have been able to deliver the project at all, or in the same way, without these funds.

Launched as part of the 2015 Counter-Extremism Strategy, the programme has reached an estimated 228,670 individuals in communities across England and Wales. Of those who participated in BSBT activity, there are positive shifts in the attitudes which contribute towards individual resilience to extremism, according to the report.

BSBT has enabled the creation of a network of up to 40 local Community Coordinators who work to counter extremism risks in their local area. The progress report demonstrates these coordinators help to facilitate networking and sharing of best practice on how to tackle extremism whilst also providing support to groups in broadening their understanding of what counter extremism activity involves.

Baroness Williams, Minister for Countering Extremism, said: “I have seen first-hand the vital work our BSBT network has done at the grassroots level to ensure communities are resilient to extremists who want to spread hatred. The innovative scheme is the first of its kind and has allowed us and local communities to quickly react to the evolving threat of extremism and tackle those who seek to destroy the core values that make this a great country.”