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Following the success of 'The Future Together Summer School', Belfast City Council has funded a North Belfast Initiative to run a number of community workshops as part of a 'Future Together Autumn School'. Organised with the assistance of Intercomm's Developing Leadership Initiative, Droichead an Dóchais, Community Dialogue and other inter-community organisations, the Autumn School has begun discussions with a number of North Belfast and Greater Shankill community activists to plan a series of workshops and discussions that will allow local residents to discuss the St Andrew's Agreement Proposals and what it will mean to them.
Irene Sherry, from Droichead an Dóchais, said:
"Thanks to the success of this years Summer School, we have been allocated funding to build on the momentum to continue exploring our 'Future Together'. Both I and John Loughran, from Intercomm's Developing Leadership Initiative, have been in contact with key community leaders to begin a discussion on how we can put a programme of events together that will promote dialogue on our 'Future Together'. After last weeks talks in Scotland people are telling us to focus the Autumn School on the new Agreement Proposals.
"We are now inviting groups to help us develop a number of 'brainstorming' sessions across North Belfast and Greater Shankill so that local people can discuss what the Proposals mean to them'. Based on these views we hope to invite key speakers, academics and politician's to a larger event where people can have their questions answered. "
Anne Carr, from Community Dialogue, said
"This Autumn School has arrived at just the right time as it gives us an opportunity to hear what local people think of the St Andrew's Agreement Proposals. We encourage all citizens to take this opportunity to get a real understanding of what the Proposals are about, its focus and its issues."
From Left to Right: John Loughran & Conor Maskey (Intercomm),
Diane Menaul,
Anne Carr, Sean Brennan (Edward de Bono Foundation),
Irene Sherry, Mary Trainor and Eileen Weir
Eileen Weir, a local Community worker, believes these workshops can help the people of North Belfast to start to unpack the St Andrew's Agreement Proposals, to see how it will affect their everyday lives.
"We are hoping to give local people the opportunity to voice their hopes and fears on it. Politicians and the media will spin the Agreement Proposals to suit their own needs but if it does not change the everyday lives of those people still suffering from the consequences of the conflict then we need to know.
I am looking forward to organising workshops in the Greater Shankill and North Belfast to hear what local people think of the Agreement and how it will affect the bread and butter issues of life in North Belfast and the Greater Shankill. We have witnessed a 50% increase in the number of suicides in our areas over the past year. Mental Health illnesses are also on the increase and it has been proven that by working together on all of these issues, positive outcomes have resulted.
These workshops will give local people the chance to ask questions and have their own say on the Agreement Proposals."
Further details of times and venues for these Future Together Autumn School workshops will be circulated when confirmed with local community venues.
Ends.
Note:
Further information about the Future Together Autumn School can be obtained from Irene Sherry 028 9022 1022 or John Loughran, Developing Leadership Initiative CEP 028 9035 2165 and Eileen Weir 028 9031 9333
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