Getting to grips with city issues: (dealing with urban problems).

`You are conscience-jerkers' was how a Leeds youth worker described the work of Hope in the Cities at a conference that drew people from British and American cities to Tirley Garth, MRA's conference centre in Cheshire, last December.

Many came from innercity areas where people are tackling the effects of urban deprivation, with few jobs, low or no motivation and the hopelessness that spawns unrest and crime. They run into turf-wars, battles against seemingly uncooperative authorities and endless struggles for finance and resources.

Fresh ways to tackle these issues were vigorously demonstrated by a group of 15 from Nottingham, led by Christina Ashworth, Project Coordinator, and Richard Hawthorne, Chair, of the Partnership Council for four of Nottingham's deprived districts.

Offered the opportunity to spend [pounds sterling] 5.4 million of European Regeneration Budget funds, Ashworth and her colleagues resisted the pressure to rush into expensive project proposals. `In the past,' Ashworth said, `there have been loads of regeneration schemes. But there are still empty buildings and available space, with the lowest take-up of any area in the city.' In the Eighties and Nineties regeneration money was available but had to be competed for. The pressure to produce programmes had led to disillusion, producing disengagement. `How could we do it differently?' she asked.

Looking for those who had the energy, skills and resources, the Partnership Council drew in residents, public sector officials and voluntary agencies in a series of forums. Often it was the first time they had met each other, even though they were aiming to serve the same people. As each put forward their agenda they were surprised to find how much they overlapped and how much more they could accomplish by pooling resources.

There have been setbacks, as when a plan to send truants on a working trip to Jamaica had to be aborted because of unfavourable publicity. But this learning process has led to unexpectedly helpful outcomes.

The conference was under-girded by the input from a group from the US Hope in the Cities programme. Their work in eight cities has tackled the bitter legacy of racial injustice by initiating honest conversations and `walks through history', acknowledging the pain and shame. They offered their experiences as resource material. `Take what you want and adapt it to your needs,' said David Campt, former policy advisor with the President's Initiative on Race. `Your situation is different from ours.'

In the States, race is an issue that is being officially recognized in order to work through anger and hatred and to move to accountability and responsibility. Rob Corcoran, National Coordinator of the US Hope in the Cities, said it was important in building a core team to first ask, `Who is not here but needs to be part of the process?' Teambuilding also included turning enemies into allies, employing active listening and knowing that everyone's story needed to be heard. Everyone's experience was valid and could be used for healing.

A business perspective came from John Carlisle, President of John Carlisle Partnerships. His slogan is `cooperation works ... but it's hard work'. Carlisle brought practical experience from working in South Africa, Hong Kong, Europe, the US and the UK. Before partnerships are even formed, he said, those involved should use behaviour analysis to bring about cooperation so that programmes can be sustained.

Frank Mountcastle, a retired bank executive, presented an example from American business. A branch of a national bank donated resources to a community in Richmond, VA, by providing a venue and hiring neutral facilitators to put on workshops on such subjects as teambuilding. The bank stayed in the background and provided support so that the communities had the chance to take responsibility and ownership.

Connections and new friendships were established. As people shared their personal experiences and risks, eyes were opened and awareness of others grew. When others responded in understanding and support they learned something new.