Learning from the Bringing People Together Programme 2021-2024

The Bringing People Together (BPT) Programme aimed to increase understanding of what works in bringing people together, to bridge divides and foster a sense of belonging.

The programme funded 23 diverse projects across a period of five years. The first group of projects started in autumn 2021, and later projects are due to complete in autumn 2026. All 23 projects are designed to help communities thrive and prosper by creating the conditions, infrastructure and social fabric that enable better and longer lasting ways of bringing people and communities together.

This report draws together the learning from the National Development Team for Inclusion’s (NDTi’s) work as BPT’s Learning Partner. NDTi worked alongside projects and The National Lottery Community Fund between early 2022 and late 2024.

BPT has generated insights and understanding about the nature of strengthening communities and connections across the UK. Although the programme was delivered in the most challenging of contexts, BPT has unlocked some of the ‘abundance’ that exists within communities.

We hope that this report will be useful to a variety of audiences including: community leaders and activists, those involved in projects designed to strengthen connections and relationships across divides, community organisations and groups including NGOs and social enterprises as well as businesses, local authorities, funding bodies, designers, entrepreneurs and researchers.

Read the reports:

• Full BPT report
• Executive Summary BPT report
• Executive Summary of BPT report in Welsh
• Case Study 1: Assemble story
• Case Study 2: Twinning story
• Case Study 3: Understory

For more information, please contact Helen Bown at Helen.Bown@ndti.org.uk