SEUPB: Building Positive Relations Funding - Building Community Cohesion Through Social Innovation (Regional)
Overview
On 7 September 2020 the SEUPB opened a new funding call, under the EU’s PEACE IV Programme, to support community-led social innovation across Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland.
This call will fund a single regional-wide project that can create new approaches to tackle the challenges which keep communities divided.
Some issues and target groups can be better accommodated through regional level initiatives that transcend local authority boundaries. These regional initiatives will also facilitate cross-border cooperation. The Programme will pay particular attention to minority groups and groups who traditionally have been marginalised in society so that opportunities will be created that allow for a greater degree of participation in society.
The Programme will support groups particularly impacted by the legacy of the conflict such as victims and survivors and those communities with low social capital as well as those identifiable groups and networks dealing with specific legacy issues such as young and older people, women, the faith community, those suffering from physical or mental disability arising from the legacy of the violence, ex-prisoners, displaced persons and former members of the security forces.
In all cases, projects will be inclusive in nature and will ensure meaningful, purposeful and sustained contact between people of different backgrounds, and which have the capacity to change attitudes and behaviour. Initiatives should evidence a direct commitment to tackling real and complex issues, such as sectarianism and racism.
This objective will promote positive relations characterised by respect, where cultural diversity is celebrated and people can live, learn and socialise together, free from prejudice, hate and intolerance.
It will result in an increase in the percentage of people who think relations between Protestants and Catholics are better than they were five years ago; an increase in the percentage of people who think relations between Protestants and Catholics will be better in five years' time and an increase in the percentage of people who know quite a bit about the culture of some minority ethnic communities. These result indicators will be monitored from information collected by the Northern Ireland Life and Times survey.
The successful applicant will be expected to engage in meaningful peace and reconciliation activity and include a pathway/outreach programme that creates sustained contact between people from different backgrounds and communities.
The project must also have a specific focus on the needs of minority groups as well as groups who traditionally have been marginalised by society. It will create opportunities for these groups to have a greater degree of participation and integration within larger community life. See below details of the funding call.
Building Positive Relations
Output: 20 regional level projects that result in meaningful, purposeful and sustained contact between persons from different communities.
The above output can be achieved through the following indicative actions:
- Projects to reinforce progress towards a peaceful and stable society through the promotion of reconciliation amongst all communities;
- Projects which build, improve and sustain relationships between communities by addressing issues of trust, prejudice and intolerance.
Building Community Cohesion Through Social Innovation Funding Call Document.
Live Stream Workshop
A live stream workshop for this call took place on Wednesday 9 September, 10am - 12 noon. A copy of the agenda; and PDF presentations, are below.
Paul Boylan, The Special EU Programmes Body
Andrew Forde, The Department for Rural and Community Development, Ireland
Linsey Farrell, The Executive Office, Northern Ireland
Filmed Versions of Workshop Presentations
Below are the filmed versions of the presentations which took place during the live stream.
Paul Boylan, The Special EU Programmes Body
Andrew Forde, The Department for Rural and Community Development Ireland
Linsey Farrell, The Executive Office, Northern Ireland
Deirdre Mortell, CEO Rethink Ireland
Sub-titled versions of the above presentations can be made available upon request.
Match-funding for the call has been provided by The Executive Office in Northern Ireland and the Department of Rural and Community Development in Ireland.
Additional support, for those seeking to apply for funding under the call, is available through an appointment based system.
To make an appointment please contact Siobhan McConnell at the SEUPB via email: siobhan.mcconnell@seupb.eu