The Mayor's new citizenship initiative

The programme, in partnership with Trust for London and Unbound Philanthropy, will work with boroughs, communities, civil society and employers to improve social integration in the capital. It has a particular focus on supporting Londoners to:

• play an active role in the city and decisions that affect them
• access their citizenship and residency rights

The collaboration will see experts from Migrants Organise, Citizens UK, Coram Children’s Legal Centre and Just for Kids Law 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 it has been delivered here.

In the run-up to its launch, Sadiq commented:

London is one of the world’s most diverse and vibrant cities, but improving social integration is still one of the biggest challenges we face. Building more cohesive communities across the capital is a top priority for me as Mayor because greater integration will lead to a safer, healthier and more prosperous London.

I want every Londoner to be able to actively participate in the life of our great city.

Deputy Mayor for Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement, Matthew Ryder, commented:

Social integration is not just about bringing certain communities together. It is about every single Londoner feeling like they belong in this city, have a shared set of values with other Londoners, and a role to play in the everyday life of the capital.

This initiative very much sets the tone of our work around social integration – working in partnership with communities and civil society to bring real change to the lives of Londoners, and I am very much looking forward to working with Trust for London on this ground-breaking project.