Hamber & Gallagher Ships passing in the night: psychosocial programming and macro peacebuilding strategies with young men in Northern Ireland Brandon Hamber & Elizabeth Gallagher The study presented here explores how the impact Introduction: background of the con£ict, as it applies to interventions with Northern Ireland is a society emerging from young men, is conceptualised within the context over 40 years of, what has been described of Northern Ireland after the signing of the peace as, a political, religious, economical and agreement (1998). It focuses on four groups psychological con£ict (Harland, 2009; undertaking psychosocial work, that is, two generic Whyte, 1990). This long history of con£ict support groups and two groups with an explicit is based on a struggle between those focus on those who had experienced violence during who wish to see it remain part of the UK the con£ict. A total of 20 young men (18^24 years (mainly Protestants) and those who wish old) and 19 sta¡ were individually interviewed, (mainly Catholics) to have a united using a semi-structured interview.The study found Ireland (mainly Catholics) (Cairns & that many challenges facing young people concern Darby, 1998; Gallagher & Cairns, 2011). the interrelationship between the past and a poor Although the start of the modern part of socioeconomic context in the present. The struggle the con£ict, or ‘theTroubles’ as it is called by to address the legacy of the con£ict in the present some in Northern Ireland, is believed to be is, certainly in the literature and according to the in the late 1960’s, the roots of the con£ict in participants of this study, linked to a lack of Northern Ireland are actually centuries old knowledge about the past.When it came to promot- (Bardon, 1992; Stewart, 1989). Since 1968, ing such change and building peace, participants there have been between 3,600 and 3,700 tended to ascribe to a personal transformation deaths, in which half of these have been model as the route to engagement with peacebuild- civilians (Morrissey & Smyth, 2002; ing work. This article argues that the personal McKeown, 2009). The number of people transformative model is emblematic of the wider injured as a result of the con£ict ranges peacebuilding debate in Northern Ireland, where from 8,383 to 100,000 (Breen-Smyth, 2012). psychosocial and peace orientated programming The impact, therefore, has been extensive has been separated from wider peacebuilding in a country with a population of some strategies, such as job creation. This highlights 1.8 million. Indeed, con£ict has been part an analytical de¢cit in the psychosocial program- of everyday life for over four decades, and ming, peacebuilding and economic development has occupied politics, employment, residen- ¢elds. tial space, public space, movement and social and cultural activities, thereby having Keywords: economy, masculinity, North- a profound psychological impact (Hamber, ern Ireland, peace, peacebuilding, psycho- 2004; Gallagher, Hamber & Joy, 2012). social interventions, social change, trauma, Although, Northern Ireland is post peace young men agreement, or in a peacebuilding phase, 43 Copyright © War Trauma Foundation. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. Ships passing in the night: psychosocial programming and macro peacebuilding strategies with young men in Northern Ireland, Intervention 2014,Volume 12, Number 1, Page 43 - 60 following the 1998 peace agreement, a wide dispirited in relation to employment, with range of con£ict related issues and social ills the result of alarming levels of low aspira- have been identi¢ed as impacting on the tions among young people in Northern mental health of young people. It is argued Ireland today (Breakthrough Northern that one of the unseen e¡ects of the con£ict Ireland, 2010; Department of Enterprise, has been the toll on the psychological health Trade and Investment, 2010). and wellbeing of children and young people Low aspirations in young people, in relation (Ghigliazza, 2010). In comparison to the to education and employment, may lead to UK, average mental health needs in North- an increased likelihood of anti-social beha- ern Ireland are 25% higher (Department viour, community alienation and sub- of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, sequent punishment attacks (i.e. informal 2004). Northern Ireland’s turbulent history, justice meted out by paramilitary groups at least in part, contributes to these statistics to allegedly manage anti-social behaviour (McAlister, Scraton & Haydon, 2009). within their communities). Despite the Although many young people have never peace in Northern Ireland, some young experienced ‘the Troubles’, y o u n g p e o p l e i n people, especially young men, still live with Northern Ireland face a real threat of the threat of punishment and other forms inheriting the psychological vulnerability of intimidation from paramilitary groups, of their parents that was created by the as well as being the children of direct victims con£ict (McGrellis, 2004; McAlister et al., of the con£ict. In a recent study by Morrow, 2009). Robinson & Dowds (2013), the authors note Social exclusion, as well as unemployment that the obstacles to improve community and under employment are also major con- relations ‘lie in real fears and the risks which cerns (Campbell et al., 2013: Rondo¤netal., some young people run in relation to violence. Of 2014). According to a report by the World particular concern has been the sharp decline Bank (2011), youth unemployment is a con- in the perceptions and attitudes of young people stant in all con£ict situations globally. towards improving community relations in recent Northern Ireland is no di¡erent in this years suggestingan increase in anxiety and antagon- regard, and has experienced low socio- ism in youth culture, dashing hopes that the peace economic progress as a result of the ongoing process would liberate young people from the presence of sectarian divisions, especially fears of the past’ (Morrow et al., 2013). From in low income, segregated communities 2001 to 2011 there have been (approxi- (Davidson & Leavey, 2010; McCormick & mately) 805 shootings, with 862 recorded Harrop, 2009; Rondo¤n et al., 2014; Campbell victims of punishment beatings by paramili- et al., 2013). This has had a direct e¡ect on tary groups, with the latter carried out young people in Northern Ireland, with mainly on young men (Security Situation youth unemployment now reaching 19.1% Statistics, 2011). Paramilitary style attacks (Nolan, 2012). There are approximately are a legacy of the con£ict, and a threat that 46,000 young people who are unemployed, those working with (particularly) young and are not in any training scheme, or on men have had to deal with on an ongoing an educational path (O⁄ce of the First basis, despite political peace. Therefore, and deputy First Minister, 2013). Alienation amidst the continuing legacy of the past among young people is also closely corre- and the ever present threat of sectarianism lated to issues of deprivation, high levels of in the present, young people in Northern poverty and low educational attainment Ireland are clearly dealing with serious (O⁄ce of the First and deputy First Minis- issues of social exclusion, fear and intimida- ter, 2013). Increasingly, there is evidence that tion and unemployment (Campbell et al., some young people have become entirely 2013; McGrellis, 2005; McAllister et al., Copyright44 © War Trauma Foundation. Unauthorized reproduction of this article is prohibited. Hamber & Gallagher 2009; Morrow et al., 2013; Rondo¤netal., weak to others and how masculine stereo- 2014). types act as a barrier. This article argues Additionally, high prevalence rates of that the personal transformative model depression and mental illness in Northern is emblematic of the wider peacebuilding Ireland have been associated with unem- debate in Northern Ireland, where psycho- ployment, addiction and con£ict related social and peace orientated programming trauma (Breakthrough Northern Ireland, has been separated from wider peacebuild- 2010). A poll conducted by the Prince’sTrust ing strategies, such as job creation. This has shown that a third of young jobless highlights an analytical de¢cit in the psycho- people in Northern Ireland have contem- social programming, peacebuilding and plated suicide (Belfast Telegraph, 2010). economic development ¢elds. Northern Ireland has the highest rates of suicide in the UK, with research ¢nding an increase of more than a third in young Under investigated: impact of past men taking their own life since the end of con£ict on young people and young the Troubles (Bennett, 2007). The majority of men today suicide deaths in 2010 were males between The transition from con£ict to peace has 15^34 years old; a total of 240 male suicide been di⁄cult for many young people, and deaths were registered, in comparison to especially for men growing up in the peace 73 female deaths (Northern Ireland Stat- process. Some argue that the violence that istics and Research Agency, 2011). Since the was externalised and socially accepted in 1998 agreement, there has been a growing the past is no longer accepted, and is there- trend in suicides, and notable gender fore being internalised through alcohol variation in self-harming and completed and/or drug abuse, misuse of medication suicides (Tomlinson, 2012). Violence and (especially antidepressants) and self-harm aggression remains deeply ingrained in the and/or suicide (McAllister et al., 2009; Tom- society and manifests in violence, both linson, 2012; Gallagher et al., 2012). Studies against others and themselves. have argued that the impact of sectarian The study presented here found that many division on youth culture has been under challenges facing young people concern investigated, especially in terms of how their the interrelationship between the past and lifestyles have sustained the adverse e¡ects a poor socioeconomic context in the present.