Two young fans from either side of the Old Firm meet in the Springfarm Housing Estate
Crucially, the Programme acknowledges for the first time those communities who have been working quietly towards becoming genuinely shared spaces, often with little or no funding. The Shared Neighbourhood Programme is community led, providing those on the ground with the support to share their experiences, capture best practice and ensure their work is sustained.
Managed by the Housing Executive, the Programme provides grants to enable community organisations to celebrate diversity and bring people together. Training and practical on the ground support will also be provided by a team of Cohesion Advisers, all of whom have experience in their own communities of promoting shared space.
Five areas have committed to the Programme in Phase 1 – Lissize in Rathfriland, Knockmore/Tonagh in Lisburn, Gortview/Killybrack Close in Omagh, Ballynafeigh in Belfast and Springfarm in Antrim. A further 11 areas were launched in June 2009, in Phase 2 of the Programme, as follows: Redburn & Loughview, Holywood / Suffolk and Lenadoon, Belfast / Skegoneil and Glandore, Belfast / Shandon Road & Belfast Road, Newry / Central Brownlow, Craigavon / Sion Mills Village / The Glen, Limavady / Whiteabbey Village / Castle Street/Westgate, Ballymoney / Areema, Lisburn / Windmill/Minorca Drive, Carrickfergus. It is hoped another 14 will follow in the next three years.
Choosing to share
Springfarm is a socially and economically deprived housing estate of some 450 Housing Executive and privately owned dwellings, situated 2.5 miles outside the town of Antrim. In geographical terms, it is relatively isolated with poor services and minimal facilities. There is one small shop, poorly lit footpaths, only two bins, no bus shelters, no cash point, no park or other safe play, recreational or sporting facilities. The estate is served solely by the Community House, a row of three terraced houses which have been converted for the purpose of offering some support and is run by the volunteers of Springfarm and District Community Association (SDCA).
SDCA have been promoting good relations for many years. In recent years SDCA worked closely with the NIHE Community Cohesion Unit who in 2008 funded a part-time administration post, CRC and OFMDFM Racial Equality Unit to map its work and the processes involved to assist other areas who wish to move towards developing themselves as Shared Neighbourhoods.
Now Springfarm is a genuinely shared neighbourhood, a position that has been achieved through the Shared Neighbourhood Programme and strong community leadership, commitment, transparency and consultation. It is a community taking responsibility for itself.
Chris Davis, along with her husband Seamus, has been at the heart of Springfarm’s journey towards becoming a shared neighbourhood. She has worked for more than 15 years as a volunteer in the Community House and is now also working as a Cohesion Adviser for the Shared Neighbourhood Programme.
“The International Fund for Ireland, in partnership with the Housing Executive, has been the first funder to acknowledge and recognise the work already being done in communities like Springfarm. We’re delighted that they are now supporting us. In addition to the funding they are making available, the recognition that this Programme has brought to our work helps us to remain enthused.
“However, there is still a lot to be done. We need to continue to socialise our young people into a new set of norms. To empower them to respect themselves and others and to give them the confidence to embrace diversity with openness, understanding, tolerance and respect. We need to develop strong leadership, build and strengthen relationships and trust to sustain our shared communities. People have to choose to share their neighbourhoods and there are real challenges ahead in galvanising communities.
“We are starting to see other people take an interest in the work which Springfarm has done and is continuing to do. There is a hunger among other communities to start to move towards sharing their spaces.”
“What we also need is for statutory agencies to follow the example of the International Fund for Ireland and support communities which are doing everything they can to build healthy, safe, shared neighbourhoods. Where we are now is good but we all need to work to make it better.”
