We believe government policy can go a long way to fostering greater diversity and inclusion in the countryside. By improving access to affordable housing, properly funding rural services and backing the rural economy, there will be much greater opportunity for people of all backgrounds to be a part of rural communities.
But aside from this, we are also keen to develop the capacity of ACRE members to promote diversity and inclusion locally. One limiting factor is that many funders require projects and programmes to focus on meeting the needs of disadvantaged or under-represented groups in society. Unfortunately, such an approach is not always practical in rural areas where population density is much lower, and groups harder to identify. Rather, we would like funders to be more open to the value of supporting whole rural community projects that encourage people from all walks of life to come together in a particular place, share experiences, and help each other overcome shared concerns.
