Annual Report 2012
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Helping Unionists and Nationalists to Learn, Work and Live Together as part of a shared future on the island of Ireland Annual Report & Accounts 2012 Developing and funding initiatives that tackle segregation and promote integration to build a lasting peace in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties is a key priority for the Fund. LONDONDERRY/DERRY DONEGAL ANTRIM TYRONE DOWN FERMANAGH ARMAGH LEITRIM MONAGHAN SLIGO CAVan LOUTH CONTENTS 02 Chairman’s Foreword 06 The Board 08 Introduction 10 Building Foundations 1 26 Building Bridges 36 Building Integration 48 Leaving a Legacy 2 52 Community Transformation 55 Pre 2006 Programmes 57 Accounts 1. A Peace Wall and extended fencing that forms a barrier between Newington Street and Hallidays Road 3 in Belfast. 2. The Waves of Change Project brings together communities involved with the Workhouse, Dunfanaghy, County Donegal and Farset International, Belfast. 3. Glengormley Integrated Primary School Choir hit the right notes at the re-opening of the Barron Hall, Newtownabbey. Annual REPOrt & ACCOUNTS 2012 | 1 2 | Annual REPOrt & ACCOUNTS 2012 Chairman’s Foreword In February 2012, at an event in Belfast attended by several hundred people representing a range of Fund supported projects, we celebrated the 25th Anniversary of the Fund’s pioneering peace building work across the island of Ireland. A very tangible measure of the Fund’s success Nationalist communities together. Delivered is its ability to empower local communities by the two main teacher training colleges in to deliver real and meaningful economic, Northern Ireland, Classrooms Re-imagined: peace building and reconciliation initiatives. Education in Diversity and Inclusion for At the celebration event in Belfast we Teachers (CREDIT) is an important addition to were very fortunate to hear from a wide the SiEP portfolio. The project engages directly range of community representatives about with trainee teachers, providing the skills and how our funding had helped to positively confidence to address issues of community transform communities and individuals cohesion within school environments. severely impacted by sectarian tensions. Late in 2012 we consulted with the Thousands of individuals living in hundreds Ministerial Advisory Group on the of communities affected by sectarian violence Advancement of Shared Education have benefited from the Fund’s support. in Northern Ireland to discuss how SiEP can assist the Education Minister The Fund’s 2012 Annual Report & to enhance shared education in the Accounts features many of the personal region. We look forward to publication stories of very courageous individuals and of the Group’s recommendations. organisations that have, through the very generous financial assistance provided by The Fund’s broad portfolio of youth our international donors, delivered real programmes deliver a wide range of and meaningful community change. projects which promote mutual respect and diversity. One such example is the Learning During the past year, the Fund committed and Educating Together (LET) Programme £13 million/€16 million to a very wide range which promotes personal development of interventions in Northern Ireland and and mutual understanding for 12-13 year the southern border counties to promote olds in an enterprise based environment. cross-community and cross-border peace Participants reported increased motivation to building and reconciliation projects. establish cross-community and cross-border friendships, better performance at school and The case studies contained within the consideration to starting their own business. 2012 Annual Report & Accounts capture Pictured at the Peace very eloquently the wide ranging nature The opening of Belfast Metropolitan Wall in Alexandra Park, Belfast were: Dr Adrian and impact of our many investments in College’s e3 facility in West Belfast marked Johnston, Chairman of peace building and reconciliation, and the the fruition of one of the Fund’s largest the International Fund for following projects are very good examples. single financial investments. The e3 facility Ireland; Eamon Gilmore TD, the Tánaiste and Minister works closely with community partners to for Foreign Affairs and Our Sharing in Education Programme (SiEP) enhance social and economic regeneration Trade; and Pat Colgan, Chief Executive of the continues to support a range of strategic and boost employment prospects in an Special European Union projects which bring pupils from Unionist and area blighted by sectarian division. Programmes Body (SEUPB). CHAIRMAN’s foREWORD | 3 2 1 The commitment of those seeking to would feel safe to commence discussions reconciliation within and between transform their communities is greatly about the removal of Peace Walls. Peace communities throughout the island that are inspiring and we have seen significant Walls, physical barriers which divide suffering the greatest economic and social success with the Communities in Transition interface communities, are among the most deprivation and that have experienced Programme. For many participants in visible remaining symbols of community limited benefits from the Peace Process. this programme, the drive towards division in Northern Ireland and they pose positive change in areas affected by one of the most significant remaining The reality is that many communities in civil unrest is a real act of courage. Their challenges to lasting peace and community Northern Ireland and the southern border efforts to build stronger, more peaceful regeneration. The Fund is determined to counties continue to experience sectarian communities make compelling reading. do all it can to help the British and Irish tensions which sometimes results in violence. governments to address the remaining There is a real need to continue to mobilise Projects under the Fund’s Community Based challenges to lasting peace and a truly and maximise efforts to sustain the peace we Economic & Social Regeneration Programme shared future for all on the island of Ireland. have and continue to build on it in order to continued apace during the year, targeting eliminate the remaining sectarian tensions. in particular disadvantaged areas along the The Fund’s Strategic Framework for Action border counties which suffer from long-term 2012-2015 (Community Transformation), It is clear that a greater focus on community unemployment, high rates of youth migration places particular emphasis on developing and transformation rather than conflict and high levels of poverty among other funding interventions that tackle segregation management is now required to address issues. Projects such as the Louth Leader and promote reconciliation in interface the most significant remaining challenges to Beyond Beliefs Data Project which utilised areas and areas where violence has the lasting peace. In the remainder of its lifetime computer skills training, and the 3Cap potential to destabilise the Peace Process. the Fund intends to place a greater focus on Project which provided digital photography supporting further community transformation courses proved to be a huge success. Both It is designed to direct a concerted effort by engaging with individuals and projects connected people from different to help secure the gains of the Peace communities that have not previously, or have communities and also provided participants Process, eliminate the remaining issues only partially, participated in peace building with useful skills for seeking employment. which could destabilise it and make and community development activities. the final push to positively transform In January 2012 the Fund announced that it community relations, civic society and the Given the ongoing difficult economic would provide financial support to projects wellbeing of all on the island of Ireland. conditions and the consequent severe aimed at delivering a range of confidence budget restraints it is now critically important and relationship building measures within While the overall objectives of the Fund for government departments and funders and between communities to create the remain unchanged, the focus is now on to work more collaboratively by sharing conditions whereby interface residents building sustainable peace and promoting and linking initiatives in order to ensure 4 | Annual REPOrt & ACCOUNTS 2012 It is clear that a greater focus on community transformation rather than conflict management is now required to address the most significant remaining challenges to lasting peace. they are complementary and they achieve notably within areas regarded by government particularly in terms of setting a very clear positive and sustainable outcomes. as those most difficult to reach. The strategic direction for the Fund. He worked international dimension of the Fund has tirelessly to promote peace across the island The Fund was never conceived as a greatly facilitated its ability to transcend of Ireland, and I am very honoured to follow permanent funding mechanism, and the political disputes and tensions in this in his footsteps as Chairman of the Fund. Board of the Fund recognise that the levels regard. Our interventions have had a very I would also like to pay tribute to outgoing of financial support which the Fund attracted significant and positive impact on the lives Board Members Mrs Anne Henderson and pre-2010 cannot be maintained. However, of thousands of people living in hundreds of Ms Mary Southwell for their enthusiasm, fully embedding peace and reconciliation communities throughout