Sharing Spaces
After a 2-year consultation process, government have recently produced the Shared Future[1]strategy. Some commentators have described this new policy as representing a challenge and opportunity to improve relations by formally committing government to building a society firmly based on the achievement of reconciliation, tolerance and mutual trust, that is, turning peace-building from rhetoric into reality. Sectarian division and conflict in Northern Ireland has been described as ‘the Big Issue around which most of the others revolve’. It is therefore crucial that community initiatives and projects to develop the skills and create the opportunities for partnership continue to be supported and encouraged. Throughout the work of NBP, the ethos of partnership is key in delivering progress towards our strategic mission. Where possible projects and programmes are encouraged and supported to take proactive action towards building good relations while importantly recognising the context in which people live. One of the key objectives of the EU Urban II Community Initiative Programme is to build cross-community alliances in the regeneration of interface areas. Measure 1.1 Sharing Places offers the potential for both communities to look collectively at a problem that affects them both in the way in which they use the city, access jobs and services and in the quality of their lived experiences. The fractured geography in the north of the city has contributed to an underlying apathy. When this is coupled with a significant lack in community capacity and leadership at local levels, it demonstrates the importance of an initiative like Sharing Places. Learning to work effectively together will make a difference and therefore the Sharing Places Measure should be regarded as a very important source for drawing the communities together. Examples of Specific Initiatives In recognition and acknowledgement of the difficulties faced by some communities in sharing physical space, the Urban II secretariat has developed a number of strategic initiatives aimed at creating opportunities for single identity, cross community and parallel activities across inner North Belfast: - ICT Networking Initiatives, an area based programme which aims to develop a strategic and integrated approach to utilising ICT in urban regeneration across inner north Belfast. A cross community forum of local Community Empowerment Partnerships manage the programme to maximise networking opportunities via the safe medium of ICT.
- An environmentally focused “Parallel Activity” Programme which responds to opportune environmental planning initiatives at key interface areas.
- Youth Challenge, A “conflict resolution” focused project involving over 90 groups targeting primarily youth stakeholders at interface areas across north Belfast.
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