Despite a new era of political and civic stability, communities throughout Northern Ireland and the southern border counties remain deeply divided, with many people living, learning and working separately.
The International Fund for Ireland is committed to developing and funding a series of pioneering initiatives across housing, education and community groups that improve opportunities for sharing. This series of programmes promotes integration and supports lasting and sustainable peace.
Housing
The Shared Neighbourhood Programme
In August 2008, the International Fund for Ireland launched the Shared Neighbourhood Programme, a major new Programme to support and encourage shared neighbourhoods across Northern Ireland.
The Programme is managed by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who is working with existing communities to develop 30 shared neighbourhoods over three years.
The Programme provides grants to enable community organisations to celebrate diversity and bring together people, from all backgrounds who live in these areas. Participants also benefit from community relations training, community consultations and support to design their own Neighbourhood Charter and deliver their own Good Relations Programme. Training and practical on-the-ground support are provided by the Housing Executive via a dedicated team of Cohesion Advisers.
At the time of its launch, five housing areas across Northern Ireland had committed to participating in the Programme. In June 2009, a further 11 housing areas were announced as participants in the initiative and it is anticipated that a further 14 areas will become involved in the next 18 months.
For further information on the Shared Neighbourhood Programme, please contact:
Mr. John Carson
International Fund for Ireland
PO Box 2000
Belfast
BT4 1WD
Tel: + 44 (0) 28 9076 8832
Fax: + 44 (0) 28 9076 3313
The Shared Neighbourhood Programme Case Studies
Lissize, Rathfriland, Co. Down
 A small estate of 100 houses in Rathfriland in County Down, Lissize has become the first participant in the Shared Neighbourhood Programme to be officially designated as a Shared Neighbourhood. Lissize Community Association has been working in the local area for over 12 years and was one of the first housing estates to commit to the Shared Neighbourhood Programme.
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Shared Neighbourhood Programme - Springfarm Co. Antrim
This innovative new Programme which was launched in August 2008, by the International Fund for Ireland, will develop 30 shared neighbourhoods across Northern Ireland over the next three years. Working with existing communities, the Programme will provide assistance to help them realise their desire to live together.
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The Re-imaging Communities Programme
The Re-imaging Communities Programme is a pilot programme which contributes to the re-imaging of communities in Northern Ireland in order to make them more welcoming to all. The Programme brings together artists and local people to eradicate displays of sectarianism in their communities and to create attractive public spaces which enhance the physical and natural environment and help people to feel part of the community in which they live.
The Programme is funded through and managed by the Shared Communities Consortium, comprised of representatives from the International Fund for Ireland; the Arts Council of Northern Ireland; the Department for Social Development; the Northern Ireland Housing Executive; the Community Relations Council; the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure; the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister; and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The Programme is administered on behalf of the Consortium by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland.
For further information on the Re-imaging Communities Programme please contact:
The Arts Council of Northern Ireland
Mac Niece House
77 Malone Road
Belfast
BT9 6AQ
Tel: + 44 (0) 28 9038 5200
Fax + 44 (0) 28 9066 1715
www.artscouncil-ni.org
The Re-imaging Communities Programme Case Studies
Short Strand Development Forum
 The Short Strand community is a small Nationalist group in the largely Unionist area of East Belfast. The community continues to be divided by one of the first peacelines to be erected in Northern Ireland.
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Lower Shankill Community Association
 The Lower Shankill Road’s political and sectarian murals were once infamous – they were among the most gruesome and violent of Northern Ireland’s murals. They were shown around the world to signify the worst of Northern Ireland’s segregation and sectarian intimidation. Designed to intimidate, they succeeded in keeping many people away from the area.
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Education
The Sharing in Education Programme
The Sharing in Education Programme supports the strategic objectives of the International Fund for Ireland by providing support for projects that enable young people to participate in shared educational experiences.
The Programme is managed by the Department of Education who work with providers in education, registered youth organisations and related services to support educational experiences which are shared between young people representative of the two communities, where reconciliation is an overriding objective.
The Sharing in Education Programme aligns with the Department’s role to promote personal well-being and social development, so that children gain the knowledge, skills and experience to reach their full potential as valued individuals and active citizens.
It seeks to break down the barriers arising from our historic conflict by providing a range of opportunities for young people to learn together and reach the highest possible standards of educational achievement.
The Programme encompasses pre-school, primary, post-primary and special education; the promotion of community relations within and between schools; and teacher education.
The Sharing in Education Programme will support a range of projects which facilitate reconciliation for a shared future through the medium of education and related services and particularly welcome those which:
- promote shared education by linking schools representative of the two communities;
- build on community relations within and between schools;
- support cultural outreach amongst young people representative of the differing communities/traditions; and
- address strategic gaps in achieving reconciliation through a cross-community, cross-border approach through education and the related services sector.
The Department of Education acts as agent for the Fund for applications made under the Sharing in Education Programme.
If you wish to make an application for financial assistance under the Sharing in Education Programme you should, in the first instance, complete an Expression of Interest Form.
Please read the guidance for applicants before completing the form.
Expression of Interest - Guidance Notes to Applicants .doc 44kb
Expression of Interest Template .doc 152kb
Application Form Guidance Notes .doc 88kb
Sharing in Education Application Form .doc 236kb
For more information on the Sharing in Education Programme, please contact:
Department of Education
International Fund for Ireland Liaison Team
Rathgael House
Balloo Road
BANGOR
BT19 7PR
Tel: + 44 (0) 28 9127 9508
Fax: + 44 (0) 28 9127 9466
Email:
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The Sharing in Education Programme Case Studies
St Mary’s College
 St Mary’s College is an all girls, Catholic maintained secondary school in the heart of the Creggan area of Londonderry/Derry. It is working with Lisneal College, a controlled secondary school, through Queen’s University’s Sharing Education Programme, which is supported jointly by the Fund and The Atlantic Philanthropies.
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Fermanagh Trust Shared Education Programme
 The Fermanagh Trust Shared Education Programme is a ground-breaking pilot initiative which enables schools in County Fermanagh to deliver part of their curriculum jointly with a partner school on a cross-community basis. The three-year programme is funded jointly by the Fund’s Sharing in Education Programme and The Atlantic Philanthropies.
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The Sharing Education Programme
The Sharing Education Programme is a pilot programme that encourages schools to find new models of ‘sharing education’ which offer additional educational and academic opportunities for students and in doing so provide opportunities to build greater cross-community engagement and reconciliation.
Each of the 12 Specialist Schools (i.e. 12 post primary schools delegated by the Department of Education in Northern Ireland as having particular expertise in the teaching of a curricular subject) is required to develop a number of partner schools (including cross-sector) to collaborate and provide opportunities for regular contact, mutual understanding and reconciliation between the school communities.
The Sharing Education Programme is managed, on behalf of the Fund, by Queen’s University, Belfast.
For further information on the Sharing Education Programme please contact:
Mr John Carson
International Fund for Ireland
PO Box 2000
Belfast BT4 1WD
Tel: + 44 (0) 28 9076 8832
Fax: + 44 (0) 28 9076 3313
The Respecting Difference Programme
The Respecting Difference Programme is aimed at instilling a tolerant attitude and a respect for difference among young children in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties that will last throughout their lives.
Developed by Early Years, the organisation for young children, the Programme uses cartoons and interactive play materials to help young children understand and respect those who are different and encourage inclusion in a simple and child-friendly way.
With funding from the International Fund for Ireland, the Respecting Difference Programme will reach over 5,000 pre-school children and parents and 240 pre-school teachers over the next three years across Northern Ireland and the southern border counties.
For further information on the Respecting Difference Programme, please contact:
Mr John Carson
International Fund for Ireland
PO Box 2000
Belfast
BT4 1WD
Tel: + 44 (0) 28 9076 8832
Fax: + 44 (0) 28 9076 3313
Community Groups
The Integrating Community Organisations Programme
The Fund’s Sharing this Space strategy identified the integration of community organisations as a key means of promoting social integration and reconciliation. In recent years the International Fund for Ireland has developed its Integrating Community Organisations Programme in partnership with the Rural Development Council (RDC).
The Programme aims to encourage community organisations from each side of the community to work together in a spirit of co-operation. Where groups are already working together, the Programme aims to deepen the level of co-operation and encourage if possible a merger. For groups that come to the initiative without a partner, the Programme helps them to develop close links with a group from the other community.
The Programme offers training, support and mentoring to strengthen partnerships as well as creating opportunities for small joint projects that will bring mutual benefit to both groups and their respective areas.
For further information about the Integrating Community Organisations Programme please contact:
Northern Ireland Rural Development Council
17 Loy Street
Cookstown
Co Tyrone
Northern Ireland
BT80 8PZ
Telephone:+ 44 (0) 28 86766980
Fax: + 44 (0) 28 86766922
E-mail:
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The Integrating Community Organisations Programme Case Study
Riverbrooke Cross-border Initiative
 Riverstown, a village south of Sligo town and the village of Brookeborough in County Fermanagh have, given their locations, both been affected by the troubles. As is commonly the case in many border county towns and villages, this history has led to a sense of fear and distrust within the communities.
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