The programme has two strands:
- Capacity Building and Dialogue programme for 14 areas: and
- Facilitative Leadership Programme for 21 areas.
The areas of programme delivery were identified by the Peace IV Partnership through the development of their action plan and recruitment was strictly targeted to these areas.
This programme was delivered by a consortium of community sector organisations including Building Communities Resource Centre, Northern Area Community Network and the Interaction Institute for Social Change and was managed by Causeway Rural & Urban Network as lead partner.
Since November 2017, 38 community and voluntary groups and 353 residents have participated in a capacity building programme consisting of conferences, study visits, seminars and accredited and unaccredited training opportunities aimed at building their capacity to learn new skills, including leadership and the promotion of good relations at a local level.
The programme is part of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s £3.8m Local Authority Action Plan, which has been funded by the EU’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Match-funding for this project has been provided by the Executive Office in Northern Ireland and the Department for Rural and Community Development in Ireland.
The aim of the programme was to enable the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Peace IV Partnership to build positive relationships at a local level by building the capacity of local groups to engage in positive relations characterised by respect and where cultural diversity is celebrated and people can live, learn and socialise together, free from prejudice, hate and intolerance.
Project activities focus on developing strong inclusive civic leadership that promotes positive relationships, dialogue, and enables practical efforts to bring about change between individuals and communities.
All the groups within the programme were provided with mentoring support to deliver action-based learning projects in the target areas designed and delivered by project participants utilising the learning achieved through the programme. 35 Resource Allocations have been awarded through the programme from a total fund of £135,000 which has contributed to the delivery of a diverse range of community projects including study visits, heritage projects, community gardens, purchase of capital equipment, community festivals, team-building, outward bound activities, art projects and so much more.
