Removing barriers to a lasting peace Annual Report & Accounts 2018 ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018 | A OUR KEY PRIORITIES Developing and funding initiatives that tackle segregation and promote integration to build a lasting peace in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties of Ireland. LONDONDERRY/DERRY DONEGAL ANTRIM TYRONE DOWN FERMANAGH ARMAGH LEITRIM MONAGHAN SLIGO CAVAN LOUTH B | ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018 CONTENTS 02 Chairman’s Foreword 08 The Board 11 Introduction 12 Peace Walls Programme 26 Peace Impact Programme 44 Personal Youth Development Programme 64 Shared Education Programme 66 AMBIT 70 Accounts RIGHT: An interface on Lanark Way in West Belfast. COVER: MAIN IMAGE: A PSNI landrover closes a road following a criminal incident. SECONDARY IMAGE: A paramilitary mural situated in East Belfast. ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018 | 1 Chairman’s Foreword While the year saw many challenges with the continued suspension of the NI Executive and the concerns for our projects around the issue of Brexit it has also been a year of many success stories and progress for the International Fund for Ireland. 2 | ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018 The Fund continues to work with left to continue reconciliation efforts. grassroots communities still living with The Fund has been a consistent presence of the legacy of our past. This continues community support for over 30 years. This to be the focus for the Fund no matter current impasse highlights the continued MAIN: what the challenge might be. Our Peace need for the Fund, an independent The Chairman of Impact Programme (PIP), Personal Youth international organisation, and its journey the Fund pictured Development Programme (PYDP) and towards lasting peace. We cannot do at a recent Board Meeting in Limavady. Peace Walls Programme (PWP) have this on our own. Support is needed been a remarkable source of resilience from statutory agencies and Government ABOVE LEFT: Stewart McClean, and support over the last year. to ensure the good work that these Project co-ordinator, communities have undertaken is not lost. Newtowncunning- ham Community Regrettably, ongoing uncertainty around Outreach Project Brexit and the lack of a governing Executive Our projects have continued to progress welcomes Dr. Adrian Johnston, (left); in Northern Ireland are putting pressure and grow, paving the way for other Chairman of the on a range of service provisions, which in communities to start their journey towards International Fund turn affects communities across Northern reconciliation and peace building. We for Ireland for the launch of a two-year Ireland, particularly those most deprived have seen some incredible stories and cross-border project and isolated in society. A new sense of inspirational peace makers in our projects based in the newly constructed Orange uncertainty is also being experienced within over the last 12 months. Groups who have Hall, with Mary the border counties, unsure of how Brexit dealt with difficult issues and conflict, Moy, Programme Manager, Inter- will affect its surrounding communities. have engaged with each other to get a national Fund for We have already seen those opposed to better understanding of each other’s Ireland and Maurice Healy, Community reconciliation use Brexit as an opportunity to perspectives and find a way to live together. Foundation for encourage paramilitary recruitment at a time Northern Ireland. when projects are working hard to provide Almost 50 years since the first Peace Wall ABOVE RIGHT: peaceful alternatives. We must ensure that was erected, there remains a significant The Chairman communities that display considerable number of physical structures acting as discusses the Fund with Tánaiste and leadership are supported so this does not symbols of continued sectarian division Minister for Foreign occur. Partnership and collaboration are vital and segregation within communities. The Affairs and Trade Simon Coveney TD to ensure communities who have started role of our Peace Walls Programme (PWP), at a Board Meeting on the path to peace do not get derailed. now in its 7th year, is primarily to build in County Louth. community capacity and confidence in and Funding for many public services and between interface communities, aimed at projects in NI has been postponed or reaching agreement around barrier alteration even cancelled due to the absence of a NI or removal. At present there are six PWP Executive. This has severely impacted on Projects and these have all made significant communities as local projects have struggled progress in opening a dialogue in their or wound up due to the loss of funding communities about the possible removal and it is local residents who are typically of barriers, something many within these ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018 | 3 ABOVE: The Chairman engages with Jamie-Lee Mogey and Rodney Champion, both project leaders from a Peace Impact Programme based in Carrickfergus. 4 | ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018 areas would have previously struggled year, the Fund awarded funding to 19 to imagine. We have seen projects make projects; 14 in NI and five in the border strides towards removing such barriers, counties. At present there are over 13,000 working towards a better future despite some participants on the programme and 81% difficult tensions faced over the summer. of these participants have reported an increased confidence since taking part. These ABOVE: Participants and guests attend a Our Personal Youth Development are small steps, but neccessary in building project celebration Programme (PYDP), now in its third year, engagement and reinforcing the belief that event to hear more about the success focuses on building resilience among sustained reconciliation can be the norm. and transforma- vulnerable young people who have endured tion of young lives through the Fund’s very difficult challenges in their lives. This During the past 12 months, the Fund PYDP Programme. gives these young people a range of skills has committed £11.4m/€12.8m to and opportunities which allows them communities and we need to continue to take a positive and active role in their the task of progressing some of the most communities. I have been privileged to important reconciliation work in NI. meet a number of young participants of Although the Fund is fully committed to this programme from right across Northern continuing this work. We need a whole Ireland and border counties and have range of partners to get behind those witnessed them not only succeed in a range making a difference and to support the of initiatives but speak openly about their work they are doing to help bring about experience – something they themselves a better life for their communities. would not have contemplated previously. In this Annual Report, you will get to During the year the Fund has awarded read first hand stories from some of our funding to 40 PYDP projects; 28 in participants and projects, hearing how the NI and 12 in the border counties. funding has enabled them to make a real difference in their communities and lives. The Fund’s Peace Impact Programme Their stories are powerful and give you a (PIP) is aimed at transforming those genuine sense of the impact of these projects. communities who have not yet committed to reconciliation. In many cases this is due The following are three examples of to specific sensitivities within the local projects that have been working hard community and requires both a knowledge to tackle segregation and promote of the area and an understanding as to what integration in Northern Ireland and the intervention will work for this community. southern border counties of Ireland. The Fund’s flexibility allows for a variety Swanlinbar Development Association, of interventions which is important to funded through PIP, is using a range of gain the trust and involvement locally. sporting and leisure activities to bring We have witnessed real progress in areas people together and is making a significant where PIP has been working. During the impact on a cross-border community ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018 | 5 ABOVE: (L-R) Rachel Mullan-Carlin from Bogside and Brandywell Initiative (BBI) joins an event performer and Cllr John Boyle, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council and Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland, Dr Adrian Johnston at the official launch of the City’s Winter Market. 6 | ANNUAL REPORT AND ACCOUNTS 2018 where lives and community relations support of the Consul General and her were seriously affected by the conflict. colleagues for the work of the Fund. Duncairn Community Partnership (DCP), We remain grateful to our international funded through PWP has worked tirelessly donors for their support and encouragement. to engage with the local community We are particularly fortunate to have about the removal of physical barriers in representatives from these countries ABOVE LEFT: North Belfast and the surrounding area. serving as Observers at our Board Meetings, The Chairman engages with DCP are also testament to the need for providing valuable insight and guidance. young participants partnership, working with the Department attending a Peace Walls event in North for Justice, NI Housing Executive and On behalf of the Board, I would like to Belfast. residents to look at the best options for thank the Joint Chairs and Members of the ABOVE RIGHT: all who live near these interfaces. Inter-Governmental Advisory Committee Local project for their guidance and advice; and the leaders from Co Donegal share their Edgarstown Residents Association is a Secretariat, our Programme Managers, groups’ experiences PYDP project focusing on supporting Managing Agents and partners for the with the Chairman young people who are at risk of engaging extensive time that they devote to ensuring at the Fund’s Board meeting in February with criminals/paramilitaries in the our work can make a meaningful difference. 2018. Portadown area. The project deals with issues of drugs, alcohol abuse, mental Finally, this will be the last Annual Report health and gambling, working towards of this current Board.