Cross-community projects in North Belfast have benefitted from vital funding from The International Fund for Ireland (IFI).
THE funding allocation comes at an important juncture in peace and reconciliation across the island of Ireland, with local communities dealing with a range of challenges that are impacting community relations and prosperity.
Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum received £169,437 through the IFI’s Peace Impact Programme (PIP) and will deliver an engagement programme with disenfranchised young people from the Cliftonville, Lower Shankill, and Lower Oldpark areas of North Belfast, providing skills, personal development, and employability training.
An allocation of £352,189 will go to Catalyst to deliver their cross-community ‘Innovation for All’ project, engaging with 30 at risk young people in Belfast as well as Derry aimed at reducing barriers to employment and provide Level 4 Advanced Personal Development, Training and Employability Support Programme. The funding is through the IFI’s Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP).
Through the IFI’s Peace Barrier Programme (PBP) the IMAGINE Peace Barriers Project received £107,874 to facilitate a one-year engagement programme with local communities in Lower Cliftonville Road/Manor Street/Rosevale/Rosapenna and Cliftonpark Avenue/Lower Oldpark areas of North Belfast to aid the reduction of peace barriers and build inter-community relationships across the barriers.
Under the same programme, Twaddel Ardoyne Shankill Communities in Transition (TASCIT) was allocated £208,399 to extend and expand on their existing peace barrier removal work, promoting inter-community engagement with residents through events and activities and providing opportunities for consultation around barrier removal.
IFI Chair Paddy Harte said: “Unfortunately, we have seen the threat of paramilitary recruitment and anti-social behaviour persist in many communities. In the last year, the IFI’s programmes have included specialised interventions to divert young people away from the threat of paramilitary recruitment. In 2022, 23,033 participants took part in accredited training, education, and capacity building programmes, delivered by IFI funded projects.
“Projects funded across our four core programmes have been working hard to support local communities who are struggling. The cost of living crisis has put a significant financial burden on people, add to that a general lack of investment in some communities and ongoing tensions relating to the recent Windsor Framework and ongoing political instability, and you can see why this support is so vital.
“This latest round of funding further demonstrates the wide range of support offered by IFI funded projects, tailored to specific needs of a particular community. From engaging at risk young people, to delivering conflict transformation initiatives, delivering important employment, and training opportunities to working in hard-to-reach areas struggling with paramilitary and coercive control."
