peace iii - Belfast City Council
Transcription
peace iii - Belfast City Council
AU TU M N 20 12 III ns E latioLevel Re al ACitive Loc os he PE P at t g in ild Bu www.belfastcity.gov.uk/goodrelations 2 PEACE III FOREWORD Foreword With the assistance of the PEACE III programme for Northern Ireland and the Border Region, Belfast City Council’s Good Relations Partnership has supported a wide range of programmes and projects to tackle sectarianism and racism in our city and to build positive relations within and between communities. With financial assistance from the European Regional Development Fund significant progress has been made in Belfast in developing and promoting shared space and in ensuring the city’s continued growth as a safe, welcoming and inclusive city. This review outlines the progress made in the first phase of the Belfast PEACE III Plan and details some of the work underway in the second phase which runs until 2013. I would like to commend everyone involved for their continued commitment to promoting positive relations and wish them continued success with their projects. Councillor Maire Hendron Chair of the Good Relations Partnership 3 4 PEACE III Introduction This project is part-financed by the European Union’s Programme for Peace and Reconciliation (PEACE III) managed by the Special EU Programmes Body. The Belfast PEACE III Plan is 1 of 14 plans led by local authorities in NI and the Border Counties and is 100% funded under Priority 1.1 of the PEACE III Programme for Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Republic of Ireland by the European Regional Development Fund. The aim of the Belfast Plan is to build positive relations at the local level and tackle sectarian and racist attitudes with a focus on conflict resolution and mediation at the local community level. The Plan is structured around the following 4 key themes, all informed by the concept of shared space: • • • • securing shared city space transforming contested space developing shared cultural space building shared organisational space Apart from the direct costs of the conflict, sectarianism has resulted in many indirect costs, including ongoing division and tension, segregated patterns of housing and schooling and separation in many areas of social and community life as well as inhibiting the development of the city as a modern European capital, attractive to visitors and investors. The related issue of racism has also become more apparent in recent years, partly as the demography of the city changes. Programmes and projects have been designed with the broader strategic context in mind and represent a collaborative approach to building peace and reconciliation at a city-wide level. The views and opinions expressed in this Report do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission or the Special EU Programmes Body. The Good Relations Partnership The implementation of the Plan is overseen by the Good Relations Partnership which is made up of elected representatives and representatives from the community and voluntary sector, statutory agencies, major churches and faith groups, trade unions and the private sector. THE GOOD RELATIONS PARTNERSHIP The Good Relations Partnership is responsible for managing and administering the funding available through the PEACE III Programme. The partnership consists of 21 members 6 elected members - 1 from each of the party groups on the council; plus representatives from the major statutory organisations and the community / voluntary sector in Belfast. Good Relations Partnership Sector of the community from which the partners have been chosen Representatives Elected members of Belfast City Council Maire Hendron (Chair) John Kyle (Deputy Chair) Tim Attwood Jim McVeigh Lee Reynolds Bob Stoker Statutory agencies Jennifer Hawthorne (NIHE) Mark O’Donnell (DSD/BRO) Orla Barron (Belfast Health Trust) Trade unions Peter Bunting (ICTU) Paddy Mackel (BTC) Private business sector Rory Galway (Shorts Bombardier) Billy McGivern (Belfast City Centre Management) Churches Michelle Marken Patrick Scott Archdeacon Barry Dodds Reverend Lesley Carroll Minority faith groups Ugor Tok Voluntary or community sector Sean Brennan May de Silva Minority ethnic sector Angila Chada 5 6 PEACE III Phase I Summary The independent external evaluation commissioned by SEUPB found that the Good Relations Partnership included established Peace and Reconciliation policy partners and that models of inter-agency collaboration were very evident from the Plan and that it was also successfully encouraging intra and inter community collaboration. It also found extensive evidence of the bottom up approach Indicator through the use of community bodies for delivery and community involvement in planning. The Good Relations Partnership has successfully delivered a range of projects under Phase I of the Belfast PEACE III Plan as can be seen from the following summary of the 2009-2011 programming period. Target Actual 1 20 These were programmes led by Belfast City Council and NI Housing Executive. and Belfast Health Trust 22 51 A number of organisations led 2 projects in Phase I 2,500 36,297 17,786 18,511 Events that address sectarianism or racism or deal with conflict resolution 74 227 More events held than originally anticipated due to increased number of projects Reports/films or other deliverables 73 132 More reports/ booklets and short films produced than originally anticipated due to increased number of projects Footfall in city centre at key retail locations after receiving support - 62% Environmental improvement schemes on arterial routes 4 4 Northumberland St; Ormeau Bridge; Bridge End; Carlisle Circus Area networks promoting community cohesion 2 2 Inner East & Inner South Network to approve mediation resource 1 1 Network of Accredited Mediation Practitioners Programmes developed and implemented Organisations in receipt of grant aid Participants of which: male of which: female Commentary Includes 15,733 from Festivals programming 62% of those surveyed never having been into the city centre on the 12th/ 13th July before PHASE I SUMMARy Indicator Target Actual Discussion on changing the physical appearance on 4 interface barriers 1 1 Includes development of 4 area plans and community toolkit Paramilitary murals replaced or removed 2 8 8 militaristic murals removed and replaced in participating communities 24 73 4 4 Meetings held 16 34 Refers to meetings of the Good Relations Partnership. 34 meetings of the Partnership between Aug 08 and Sept 11 Best practice studies 12 15 Across all themes and delivery mechanisms 0 21 Across all themes and delivery mechanisms Organisations working in partnership on Peace III Plan New partnerships developed in relation to PEACE III Cross border partnerships established and supported Commentary 5732 Migrant & Minority Ethnic Project; 5802 Divercity Project; 5783 Growing Together; 5739 Interfaces Programme In addition the following outcomes have been achieved due to the PEACE III intervention: • Increased inter-community contact • Increased use of shared public spaces • Increased inter-agency collaboration • New models of planning and engagement • Increased capacity of voluntary & community sector • Environmental improvements and creation of new shared spaces – community gardens etc. • Significant progress on reduction/removal of physical barriers with agreement of local communities • Support for positive expression of cultural heritage and shared cultural collaboration • Increased capacity within migrant & minority ethnic sector • Early years interventions on anti-bullying/ anti-racism/ anti-sectarianism work • Resourcing grass roots/ frontline work 7 8 PEACE III (l-r) Gareth Harper,PeacePlayers International,Councillor Marie Hendron, Chair of Good Relations Partnership,Martina McKnight,Belfast City Council’s Growing Respect Project and Daryl Pettigrew, PeacePlayers International at the launch of the programme in Belfast City Hall on 5th July 2012 The Phase II Projects In Phase II of the Belfast PEACE III Plan approximately £5million is being invested in a wide array of projects designed to tackle sectarianism and racism and help create shared space in Belfast. The projects are led by a mix of statutory bodies and community and voluntary organisations and are operating across the city. Northern Ireland Housing Executive “Community Cohesion” Project Aim: Building on the success of the creation of Local Area Networks in East and South Belfast during Phase I of the PEACE III Plan the NIHE will lead a project to create Local Area Networks in North and West Belfast. The aims of the networks are to cultivate relationships between communities in local areas, promote cross community activities, develop working partnerships at neighbourhood level and create a mechanism for the development of services, diffusion of tension and increased cooperation between communities. Following extensive consultations 2 networks have now been established and currently they are developing a series of activities that will increase interaction and improve community relations. Project Contact: John Read (07920 832104) Email: [email protected] PROJECT SUMMARIES Belfast City Council, Parks and Leisure Department ‘Growing Respect’ Project Aim: The aim of the project is to engage young and older people in a programme of sporting and horticultural activities that will address issues of sectarianism and racism and promote health and well being. In 2012 over 200 people have been engaged in a series of activities across the city including the creation and development on derelict land of 2 community gardens. Through working and learning together participants have gained not only skills and knowledge but through the workshops element of the programme have increased their understanding of issues surrounding cultural diversity, racism and sectarianism. Several of the participating groups are continuing to work together on activities outside the programme providing a legacy of community partnership. In 2012-2013 the programme will continue to grow and include a cross border initiative. Project Contact: Martina McKnight (02890 458024) Email: [email protected] or Paula Irvine (07917 132710) Email: [email protected] 9 10 PEACE III Belfast City Council, Good Relations Unit - “Promoting Positive Expressions of Cultural Heritage” Project Aim: The aim of the project is to support communities in the development of “shared spaces”. This is based on the premise that there is a richness of heritage across Belfast which should be a cause for celebration. The project seeks to facilitate ongoing transformation of cultural events and activities into community celebrations that can be safe, shared, welcoming, good quality and accessible to all. A report on the 2012 Programme has revealed that 50 groups were involved in the managing bonfires aspect of programme and that through their engagement there was a reduction in incidents reported to PSNI and there were fewer call outs for the Fire Service; there was more community engagement in festival style activities and an increase in volunteering. Project Contact: David Robinson (02890 320202 ext 6030) Email: [email protected] PROJECT SUMMARIES Belfast City Council, Community Safety “Tension Monitoring Programme” Project Aim: This project is a development of the established Belfast Tension Monitoring process which has been in existence since September 2009 after a 2 year development process with key strategic partners such as OFMDFM, Department of Justice, PSNI, NIHE, and Belfast Community Safety Partnership. The tension monitoring process is designed to tackle and reduce hate crime in Belfast. This will be achieved through embedding the tension monitoring process and ensuring a co-ordinated approach to deal with community tensions. The project will also: • Provide a process whereby quantitative and qualitative information is collated and analysed to inform understanding of community tensions • Coordinate a multi-agency approach to respond to identified community tensions and deliver targeted responses that reduce or minimise the impact and number of community tensions • Engage with relevant communities and partners, in particular those from minority, underrepresented and at risk groups such as areas affected by sectarian and interface violence, where issues exist and between settled and new communities Belfast City Council, Community Safety “Youth Engagement Programme” (YEP) Project Aim: The yEP will provide a range of services to 100 young people and their families in 4 areas of Belfast: Upper Springfield; Ardoyne/Woodvale; Newtownards Road/Short Strand; M1 Interface area. The yEP programme has brought together a wide range of statutory service providers and community based organisations to tackle a host of issues involving young people at interface areas. Following an extensive mapping exercise and community consultation in the 4 areas work is now underway to deliver youth mentoring; family counselling; youth employment and training and local capacity building services. The yEP programme is also facilitating a range of diversionary activities to take place at key times during the year. The programme will aim to change attitudes and behaviours of those engaged in the programme and develop a model for future service delivery across the city. Project Contact: Project Contact: Richard McLernon (02890 320202 ext 3324) Email: [email protected] Suzanne Gowling (02890 320202 ext 3316) Email: [email protected] 11 12 PEACE III Belfast City Council, Development Department “City of Festivals II” Project Aim: The project aims to enhance shared cultural space through the provision of a wide range of vibrant, open and welcoming festivals, which will celebrate and promote local cultures and communities and run parallel to the wider civil celebrations of 2012 and 2013. The project aims to use festivals to develop and enhance shared cultural space by: Milna Jaison, performing with the South Asian Dance Academy at Belfast Mela 2012 Photo: Lucas Ludziejewski © ArtsEkta Ltd • Increasing attendance from new audiences from a wide range of communities and Section 75 dimensions across the city • By increasing opportunities for communities from different background and identities to participate in 2012 and 2013 celebrations In 2012 the project has supported: Belfast Orangefest Féile an Phobail Belfast Book Festival Belfast Pride Belfast Mela Belfast Culture Night Thomas Anang, performing with Afro-Caribbean group Magwere at Belfast Mela 2012 Photo: Max Humphreys © ArtsEkta Ltd Project Contact: Lisa Mackle (02890 320202 ext 6036) Email: [email protected] Enjoying the sights and sounds at the Belfast Mela 2012 Photo: Lucas Ludziejewski © ArtsEkta Ltd PROJECT SUMMARIES Belfast City Council, Development Department - “Creative Legacies” Project Aim: The project, an audience development and outreach initiative, will use arts and culture to generate responses to Belfast’s social and political problems at a local level, helping communities to develop shared cultural spaces and a sense of belonging to the city. The project will contribute to the development of Belfast as a shared cultural space and help promote it as: • A peaceful, attractive and welcoming city, open to everyone • Having a citizenry that recognises and embraces difference • A space where active citizenry is encouraged at local and central levels • A driver of leadership and strategic excellence • A vibrant and attractive city Project Contact: Lisa Mackle (02890 320202 ext 6036) Email: [email protected] Belfast City Council, Good Relations Unit “Migrant and Minority Ethnic Project” Project Aim: The project aims to build positive relations within the city by supporting the inclusion and integration of new communities. The project will build on Phase I of the Migrant and Minority Ethnic Project and will support the integration of new communities in the city through a number of interventions and through the continued development of the Belfast Migrant Forum. The Project aims to: • Support the integration and inclusion of migrant and minority ethnic communities within the city • Facilitate collaborative working and the sharing of information around issues relating to migration • Support advice structures within the city to ensure that specialist knowledge is available to migrant and minority ethnic communities • Address myths and misinformation around migration related issues through the delivery of training and awareness raising programmes Progress to Date: In 2012 the project has delivered training on Migration Awareness and Ending Hate in our Communities. In addition 2 new initiatives have been launched: the Belfast Integration and Participation Programme (BIIP) and the Migrant and Minority Ethnic Employment Support and Advice Project. These programmes are providing practical advice, assistance and training to people from a wide range of backgrounds increasing knowledge and understanding between communities and increasing peoples awareness of their rights. Project Contact: Margaret Higgins (02890 320202 ext 6028) Email: [email protected] 13 14 PEACE III Belfast Health and Social Care Trust “Roots of Empathy” Project Aim: Roots of Empathy (ROE) is an evidence-based not-for-profit programme that has shown a dramatic effect in reducing levels of aggression among school children by raising social/emotional competence and increasing empathy. The core themes of the project are: • To engender a positive understanding of diversity • To teach children to respect one another and to build a culture of caring • To develop empathy and to enable children to value inclusion • To value participatory democracy • Non violence / anti-bullying The proposal will build on the pilot programme to establish ROE within schools in the Belfast area including Blythefield, Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagain, St. John the Baptist, Fane Street, Holy Cross, Loughview Integrated, St. Joseph’s, St. Oliver Plunkett, St. Vincent De Paul, St Malachy’s, St. Mary’s, Edenbrooke and Taughmonagh Primary Schools. Project Contact: Maria Morgan (02890 56421) Email: [email protected] Ashton Community Trust “REAL Project - Respect Engage and Listen” Project Aim: The core aim of this project is to inspire and facilitate personal interaction between residents and groups from initially 2 neighbourhoods; Mount Vernon and New Lodge and, subsequently, from other areas of inner North Belfast through the umbrella groups LCAP (Loughview Community Action Project) and GNLCEP (Greater New Lodge Community Empowerment Project). The project will provide space and opportunities for people to meet without threat and moving from dialogue to action, planning together with positive engagements. Project Contact: Jim Deery (02890 742255) Email: [email protected] PROJECT SUMMARIES Forthspring Inter Community Group “Cross Interface Planning Group” Project Aim: The project aims to develop and implement a cross interface community planning model which will be community driven with statutory and political involvement and support. The project aims to support residents and communities to develop innovative approaches to participate in community planning and engage in partnership working; undertake a mapping and consultation exercise of the interface; establish a Cross Interface Community Planning Group, involving representation from communities, service providers, and statutory agencies. Creating Cohesive Community Project “Safety for all in our changing community” Project Aim: LORAG have been involved in ongoing consultation with local residents, community organisations, political representatives and local stakeholders particularly working with ethnic minority communities over the past 18 month period in direct response to weekly hate crime and violence between local residents and the ethnic minority population of the target area (and particularly the Roma community). This project has been designed to address some of these problems through a planned programme of joint community activities. Project Contact: Project Contact: Maura Moore (02890 313945) Email: [email protected] Anne Marie White (02890 312377) Email: [email protected] Belfast Interface Project “Inner East Outer West - IEOW” Project Aim: The project will facilitate groups of hard to reach young people, involved in problem anti-social behaviour within their areas, along with adult residents from Inner East Belfast and Suffolk / Lenadoon to meet through a facilitated contact programme, to identify and exchange perspectives and attitudes regarding their identities, and to develop positive relationships. The project, through such means as adult and youth residentials will create opportunities for interaction and discussion of issues relating to conflict and division on a cross-interface basis, along with opportunities to visit each other’s area. Project Contact: Chris O’Halloran (02890 242828) Email: [email protected] 15 16 PEACE III Northern Visions & Institute for Conflict Research “A Century Later” Project Aim: The Century Later Project draws upon the experiences of individuals and their communities in ! the context of a decade of key commemorations. The project will deliver 6 issue based symposia streamed online, 4 documentaries, 20 individual digital stories, a web site and a final event. The Fellowship of Messines Association “Citizens for Peace” Project Aim: The project plans to promote citizenship as a vehicle for the transition to sustainable and safer communities and society. It will build and facilitate networking opportunities between former security services and former prisoners and their families, and others, to address the cost of conflict and the transition to Peace. It will deliver the “Citizens for Peace” programme to participants to understand citizenship and political identity in a changing political landscape. Project Contact: Project Contact: Marilyn Hyndman (02890 245495) Email: [email protected] Harry Donaghy (02890 961111) Email: [email protected] Mediation Northern Ireland -“Belfast Interface Mediation Delivery Programme” Project Aim: This project will develop a new broad culture of systemic meditative practice in supporting dialogue processes which impact on interface communities. The aim of the programme is to further develop and embed systemic community mediation and facilitation processes in interface areas in Belfast. It will provide 8 dialogue processes at Belfast interface areas. Communities will be facilitated to address issues of common concern and assisted in working together to address those issues. The work will be delivered by community based mediators trained in Phase I of the PEACE III programme. ! Project Contact: Mike Gaston (02890 438614/07884 188664) Email: [email protected] PROJECT SUMMARIES Peaceplayers Northern Ireland “Belfast Interface Games” Project Aim: In the spirit of the 2012 London Olympic Games, the Belfast Interface Games built on the Sport for Change movement to use sport as a tool to unite young people from communities across the city. With the full support of the Irish Football Association (IFA), Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) Peaceplayers Northern Ireland ran a series of “Game of 3 halves” in the north, south, east and west of the city using soccer, gaelic and rugby grounds. Nearly 200 children and their parents were involved in the summer programme. In addition to being introduced to new sports and receiving training from fully accredited coaches the participants engaged in the “fourth half” of the Belfast Interface Games with activities that included workshops on challenging stereotypes and increasing awareness of cultural diversity. Participants commented “I have met people I would never have met if it wasn’t for the Interface Games”, “I had not played Gaelic football before.. the religion doesn’t matter. I want to come back next year”. “I had never tried rugby before, it’s a really good sport. It’s the way they (Peaceplayers) bring groups of people from different religions together. It’s really fun”. Project Contact: Gareth Harper (02890 667416/07985 574959) Email: [email protected] Public Achievement - “WIMPS Belfast (Where Is My Public Servant)” Project Aim: WIMPS Belfast is a high profile multi-media youth engagement project with a world-class website. This project is about ensuring the active civic engagement of young people throughout the city and beyond it and will: • Build a strong infrastructure of young people, across the city who will address local issues and engage with their local representatives from Council to EU level • Engage actively in cross-community discussions and practical work around important issues • Engage with young people from the border counties • Produce 25 issue based films; and produce 50 youth generated articles Project Contact: Davy Sims (02890 442813) Email: [email protected] 17 18 PEACE III Small Steps Adult Education Group “Walk of Faith II” Project Aim: The project will unite school communities and faith communities in North Belfast to deliver a learning programme which increases knowledge of the diversity of faiths in the area; creates opportunities for contact between people of different faiths and enhances the confidence and capacity of local people to tackle difficult issues which affect their communities. 12 primary schools will participate in a learning programme of educational visits to faith venues and creative activities to explore diversity. The schools will work with 10 faith groups in the area, supported by 4 community partners. The project will bring these groups onto the Walk of Faith Partnership and develop a model of good practice for inter-faith education which can be maintained in the long term, leaving a lasting legacy for good relations in the city. Project Contact: Muriel Bowyer (02890 297191) Email: [email protected] Training for Women Network (TWN) “Visions of Peace Building” Project Aim: The project will focus on the delivery of a series of exhibitions/seminars/training events across Belfast for women which are anchored around a photographic exhibition based on images of women involved in peacebuilding/conflict resolution locally and globally. The project will produce a travelling exhibition roadshow; deliver seminar/training events for groups of local women and bespoke courses focused on the role of women in peacebuilding. A research report detailing the contribution of local women to peacebuilding will be published. Project Contact: Norma Shearer (02890 319888) Email: [email protected] PROJECT SUMMARIES 19 Contact Information For general information on the PEACE III Programme visit the SEUPB website at www.seupb.eu or for more information about any aspect of the Belfast PEACE III Plan contact the PEACE III Team. PEACE III Team Good Relations Unit Chief Executive’s Department Belfast City Council Belfast BT1 5GS e: [email protected] t: 028 9032 0202 BCC 5222