Asking people about their experiences

Through 2004 and 2005, we talked to organisations and individuals living in central Bristol about conflict - how it affects their daily lives, and how much they are aware of conflicts that occur in the areas we live and work in.

We wanted to explore whether people’s experiences differ / match according to their age, gender, race or religion, and whether communities see the signs / indicators of a conflict long before it actually takes place.

This informative exercise was a great opportunity to get to know more about people’s concerns regarding ‘hidden’ conflict (ie conflict that goes unreported to the police or other agencies), and to talk to them about how they experience it firsthand on a day-to-day basis.

A sample of 70 organisations and individuals primarily working and living in the BS5 and BS2 areas of Bristol were interviewed. Participants were selected in one of two ways: as a small voluntary organisation working in BS5 or BS2, primarily for/with BME communities, or as a trader working on Stapleton Road and surrounding streets in Easton. A few organisations – a total of 12 - were based outside these areas but worked in central Bristol.

Click here to see the final report, 'Conflict, Faith and Funding in Easton' (March 2006).