FURD takes a grassroots, multi-layered approach to fostering cohesion. Our initiatives are interconnected, working together to deliver long-term change. This joined-up method ensures that impact is deep and lasting. Our core areas of work include:
Sport as a Catalyst:
We run inclusive football and sports activities for people of all ages and abilities. These sessions provide a safe, structured, and welcoming environment - especially for marginalised young people - where they can connect, grow, and thrive. A coach or leader or teacher is always present to guide understanding.
Creative and Cultural Expression:
Through music, art, and spoken word, we support young people in exploring their identity and sense of belonging. These projects also help participants develop creative and transferable life skills.
Community Drop-in Spaces:
We offer open, inclusive settings where local residents can seek support, engage in meaningful dialogue, and form connections across different cultures, generations, and life experiences.
Dialogue Across Difference:
Our structured peer-led discussions create space for empathy, understanding, and collaborative problem-solving—laying the groundwork for stronger, more united communities.
What Our Approach Delivers
Our ways of working strengthen community cohesion by:
Connecting Diverse Communities: We bring people from different backgrounds together through shared activities and experiences that promote respect and dialogue.
Building Skills and Confidence: Participants gain key social and emotional skills such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and resilience—tools that empower them both individually and collectively.
Fostering Collaboration: We work closely with schools, housing providers, local police, and voluntary groups to develop joint responses to community challenges. These partnerships encourage shared responsibility and sustainable change.
Creating Safe and Supportive Spaces: All FURD environments are designed to be trusted, accessible, and empowering. These positive spaces are critical in tackling isolation and preventing conflict.
From Conflict to Cohesion: Our Principles in Practice
At the heart of FURD’s work is a clear belief: cohesion begins with recognising and addressing the tensions that divide us.
We create spaces where open, inclusive conversations can take place. By listening and sharing, trust is built. Trust leads to action, and action leads to change—communities working together towards a common good.
This process helps generate lasting cohesion: a shared sense of belonging, mutual respect, and collective ownership of our society’s future.