Working in Communities
For the last 15 years, NIACRO has been supporting communities across Northern Ireland to consider and develop ways of making their communities safer.
Initially focusing on issues for children, NIACRO practice and learning was markedly developed through its work with the Greater Shantallow Area Partnership (the Galliagh Community Safety Project).
This project began with consulting the local community, then working with them to develop an action plan. This became the working model for NIACRO, and we used it to contribute to the shaping of the NIO’s Community Safety Strategy.
Between 1987 and 2003 NIACRO developed a quality partnership with the Rural Community Network, mindful that the forthcoming NIO strategy would be led by local councils and that without some preparation rural areas could be at a disadvantage.
This programme ran in 13 areas of Northern Ireland within seven councils: Down, Fermanagh, Dungannon/Cookstown, Lisburn, Magherafelt, Newry & Mourne and Derry City Council.
Projects were also run in Belfast and Lisburn (Colin area and Ballysillan) and those projects have also been evaluated. This confirmed that it is critically important to develop different approaches to the work when the community infrastructure in the area is weakened or fractured for whatever reason.
The Tullyally/Curryneirin (an interface area in L’Derry/Limavady) gave us experience in interface work and this too is something we plan to develop.
Community Safety Partnerships
Later, we became involved with the council-led Community Safety Partnerships and are at present represented on the CSPs in Armagh, Belfast, Dungannon, Enniskillen, L’Derry, Lisburn and Magherafelt.
We have contributed to debate within these partnerships on issues including ASBOs, ABCs, community restorative justice, community engagement and volunteering.
NIACRO works actively to ensure that government policy takes all these elements into account, and that there is “joined up thinking” between the various agencies involved. We also stress the goal of all our work in communities – making them places that feel safer to live in.
Contact:
Donnie Sweeney
donnie@niacro.co.uk
Tel: 028 7126 4555