PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan
Antrim and Newtownabbey
What is PEACEPLUS?
PEACEPLUS is a new European Union funding programme, with the overall objective to build peace and prosperity and ensure a lasting and tangible legacy across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
This programme has been designed to build on the work of the PEACE and INTERREG programmes.
PEACEPLUS is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and represents a funding partnership between the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive.
PEACEPLUS represents total investment of €1.14bn of projects that promote peace and reconciliation and contribute to cross-border economic and territorial development.
PEACEPLUS comprises six themes, which encompass 22 individual investment areas.
Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan
The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) has allocated £4.4 million (€5.1million) to the Council to deliver the Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan to fund community activities and infrastructure projects that help build peace and reconciliation in the Borough. The Plan will engage a minimum of 5,110 participants in meaningful, purposeful and sustained contact between people of different communities.
The Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan is a targeted and locally based response to the needs that have been identified and co-designed
to complement Community Planning including existing Good Relations approaches, led by Council, to establish and invest in key actions, which will make a significant and lasting contribution to peace and reconciliation at local programme area level.
The Plan will enable and empower the Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Partnership to self-determine and deliver priority projects on a cross-community basis, which will result in improved, shared and inclusive local services, facilities and spaces and make a lasting contribution to peace and reconciliation.
The Antrim and Newtownabbey Co-designed Local Community Action Plan
The Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan is centred on three established strands:
1. Local Community Regeneration and Transformation
2. Thriving and Peaceful Communities
3. Building Respect for All Cultural Identities
The three thematic strands provide scope to incorporate projects, which span a range of different sectors and activities, including health and wellbeing initiatives, children and young people, community (regeneration, including redevelopment and re-imagining of existing community facilities for shared usage), initiatives to build positive relations, social innovation, social enterprise, and community education. All projects are designed to address issues of racism and sectarianism, increase social inclusion, and promote civic leadership.
Antrim and Newtownabbey
PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan
PEACEPLUS Members
The PEACEPLUS Partnership
The Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Partnership is responsible for the effective delivery and governance of the PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan. The Partnership meets regularly and Members are selected through open call and nominations.
The PEACEPLUS Partnership consists of 23 Members:
» 12 Elected Members (nominated by D’Hondt and representing each of Council’s 7 DEAs)
» 4 Statutory Partners (Education Authority, Northern Health and Social Care Trust, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Police Service of Northern Ireland)
» 7 Social Partners (from constituted Community and Voluntary Sector organisations).
ELECTED MEMBERS
Alderman Lewis Boyle (AP) Ballyclare DEA
Alderman Linda Clarke (DUP) Dunsilly DEA
Councillor Jay Burbank (AP) Dunsilly DEA
Councillor Mark Cooper BEM (DUP] Threemilewater DEA
Councillor Paul Dunlop BEM (DUP) Antrim DEA
Councillor Michael Goodman (SF) Glengormley Urban DEA
Councillor Ben Mallon (DUP) Macedon DEA
Councillor Andrew McAuley (AP) Airport DEA
Councillor Eamonn McLaughlin (SF) Glengormley Urban DEA
Councillor Annie O'Lone (SF) Dunsilly DEA
Councillor Leah Smyth (UUP) Antrim DEA
Councillor Stewart Wilson (UUP] Dunsilly DEA
STATUTORY PARTNERS
Louise Clarke (NIHE)
Lynsey McVitty (NHSCT)
Lena Grimes (PSNI)
Deirdre Hassan (EA)
SOCIAL PARTNERS
Chris Flynn
Wendy Kerr
Michael Maguire
Pamela Minford
Ken Nelson
Clare Patterson
Kathy Wolff
Antrim & Newtownabbey
PEACEPLUS Co-design Process
The PEACEPLUS Partnership held its inaugural meeting on 11 October 2022 and approved the co-design process to enable the development of the Local Community Action Plan.
Co-design stakeholder engagement was conducted within local communities. Ultimately, nine strategic projects under the ‘Our Borough’ brand have been included in the Plan.
The PEACEPLUS Journey
Begin Procurement of Programme
Receipt of Letter of Offer from SEUPB
DEA Roadshows
Information Sessions for Potential Programme Service Providers
Pre-market Engagement Sessions for Potential Programme Service Providers
Launch event
Roll out of Programme Delivery
Conclusion of Programme Delivery
Antrim and Newtownabbey
PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan
The Antrim and Newtownabbey
PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan consists of nine strategic programmes developed under the ‘Our Borough’ brand.
The Plan is underpinned further by five fundamental themes:
Our ‘Active’ Borough
Our ‘Future’ Borough
Our ‘Historical’ Borough
Our ‘Inclusive’ Borough
Our ‘Shared’ Borough
These five themes have been used as the foundation of the Action Plan. The Action Plan is a network of programmes that balance each other and provide opportunities for individual and collective growth. Each of the programmes identified link together to create an all-encompassing Action Plan that complements each programme throughout delivery, and cuts across each of the three established strands.
The aim is to provide opportunities across the three strands for programmes, which not only support the delivery of the Action Plan, but importantly provide programmes which will support participants to grow and develop, both their knowledge and skills, whilst also providing unique opportunities to create a legacy within and for their own communities.
Local Community Regeneration and Transformation
The Local Community Regeneration and Transformation strand will engage 250 participants.
Projects under this strand are designed to empower local people to transform their communities on a cross-community basis. This can include changing the physical appearance or functionality of a community by developing new, or re-imaging existing spaces. Projects must have the potential to create opportunities for an increased level of crosscommunity interaction.
The physical appearance of a community should reflect the sense of pride and potential therein. Considered and strategic physical regeneration can change how people feel about their local area as well as how they use it.
Thriving communities should provide physical spaces in which people can spend time together, as well as receive vital services. Regeneration can be used as an opportunity to visually reflect the character and shared heritage of an area.
Communities within Antrim and Newtownabbey seek the rejuvenation of the area through the creation of accessible spaces and versatile
facilities for a wide range of individuals and groups. Residents expressed the need to enhance community spaces and encourage cultural and historical enrichment. There is a growing demand for non-traditional sports facilities, improved walking trails, capacity building programmes, the development of social enterprises, and the preservation of local heritage and innovative historical site development to attract tourism and stimulate the local economy.
The goal of this strand is to provide local people with the tools they need to revitalise and transform their communities on a cross-community basis and involves altering a community’s operational structure in addition to its outward look.
The development of new, shared spaces include a skate park, urban sports walls, pump track, safe access to the water, enhancements at a local cricket club and the improvement of current community facilities.
The Action Plan also seeks to preserve unique stories of this area's past and showcase the prestigious heritage across the Borough, creating opportunities for job growth and investment. As a result, the three prioritised programmes under this strand will help to expand the vibrant local tourism market.
Antrim and Newtownabbey
Programme 1
Our Historical Borough
This programme will ensure the regeneration and connectivity of heritage and historical sites throughout the Borough, which will provide a platform for building a strong and vibrant local historical and tourism economy, whilst protecting and supporting the growth and knowledge of our shared history for many years to come.
Programme 1 will involve a wide cross section of the community in the recording and understanding of the Borough’s shared history, with the opportunity for important intergenerational and cross-community involvement.
This programme is designed to support the growth and protect the history and heritage of the local community by creating stronger connections between local historical sites, people, communities and stories.
This programme is linked to Programme 7 – Our Historical Borough under Strand 3 - Building Respect for All Cultural Identities.
Programme 2
Our Active Borough
This programme will create new, shared spaces and provide sustainability and legacy by boosting the leisure offering in the Borough with the construction of a second skate park in Antrim, urban sports walls, a pump track, as well as providing safe access to the water. Also included are improvements at Muckamore Cricket and Lawn Tennis Club to ensure the ongoing activities at this 125 year old club which provides a much needed service for the local community and for those from around the world.
This programme will provide common areas where individuals, families and groups from various backgrounds can interact and be ‘Active’. These new and upgraded shared spaces will successfully remove actual and perceived barriers by generating a sense of community and shared identity, increasing community cohesiveness.
This programme is also linked to Programme 5 –Our Active Borough under Strand 2 - Thriving and Peaceful Communities.
BOROUGHOURACTIVE
Antrim and Newtownabbey
Programme 3
Our Shared Borough
This exciting programme is designed to support projects in the community by extending the space available with the creation of a Community Hub at Stiles Community Centre and the creation of a multipurpose suite at an integrated community outreach facility in Randalstown. Both projects will directly enhance and support peace and reconciliation in the area.
The key objective of this programme is to develop and deliver strategic capital projects and work collaboratively with local community and voluntary groups to deepen established partnerships and create a cohesive society through the development and transformation of shared spaces.
Stiles Community Centre will benefit from the creation of repurposed community space, to enhance community participation and engagement locally. The project will also include landscaping and associated environmental works.
In partnership with an established community organisation, a dedicated, integrated community outreach facility will be created in Randalstown.
This programme is linked to Programme 4 – Our Shared Borough under Strand 2 - Thriving and Peaceful Communities.
BOROUGHOURSHARED
Thriving and Peaceful Communities
The Thriving and Peaceful Communities strand will engage 2,450 participants.
Thriving and Peaceful Communities are defined by people with high levels of individual wellbeing; who manage strong relationships and connections; and who are empowered to lead targeted and transformative programmes.
This theme will invest in cross-community collaboration to jointly identify issues and opportunities in their areas and co-develop collaborative projects to address these and bring about positive change in their communities. It will build and sustain relationships between people from different communities, across a wide range of sectors.
Projects should encompass a number of different sectoral areas including:
» Children and young people
» Sport
» Environment
» Education
» Heritage
» Health and wellbeing
» Arts
» Capacity building and training
This strand will result in an increased number of coordinated, community led responses to challenges in areas, which experience high levels of economic and social disadvantage.
Residents of Antrim and Newtownabbey expressed the need to empower young people through an education and skills programme, build the capacity of community and voluntary organisations, support volunteers and provide access to funding. In addition, there is a need to strengthen community bonds and combat isolation, develop connectivity of the community leaders, improve mental health support through shared interests and foster inclusivity among diverse communities.
Antrim and Newtownabbey
Programme 4
Our Shared Borough
A community and voluntary sector capacity building programme will be designed to support emerging and new community groups, develop and grow existing community groups to become active and sustainable, and nurture groups who aim to expand and establish themselves as service providers and social enterprises.
This programme will enhance capacity within the community and voluntary sector in the Borough.
The main aim of the programme is to identify, grow, and nurture groups whether they are new, existing, or those who are ready to progress into the first stages of becoming a social enterprise, by helping and supporting groups to be more self-sustaining.
The community and voluntary sector have been feeling the impact of social challenges in recent years. This programme is aimed specifically at supporting those already established groups through a wide variety of education and learning.
Having a wealth of knowledge and talent amongst our existing community and voluntary groups, a mentoring programme will be developed through the use of more established and experienced individuals to build capacity through learning and also improve the ability of our groups and organisations to form partnerships and collaborations at all levels.
The final phase of the programme will support groups that are established and well placed to be able to grow and develop their place within the Borough.
This programme is linked to Programme 3 –Our Shared Borough under Strand 1 - Local Community Regeneration and Transformation.
OUR SHARED OUR
Programme 5
Our Active Borough
This is an all-inclusive and all-encompassing programme of participation which will support a full range of opportunities to encourage our local people to be more active, thereby promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.
Activities will range from arts and crafts to mainstream sports, from design to walking, or from drama to outdoor activities and will include any activity that helps improve wellbeing, build relationships with others and utilises the built and natural assets of the Borough.
Projects under this programme will likely include:
» Mainstream sporting activities
» Alternative sporting activities
» Recreational activities
» Nature walks and an intergenerational forest school to help and support positive mental health and wellbeing
This programme is linked to Programme 2 – Our Active Borough under Strand 1 - Local Community Regeneration and Transformation.
Antrim and Newtownabbey
Local Community Action Plan
Programme 6
Our Future Borough
This is a two-stranded community education and learning programme to help support those who are currently economically inactive to develop their personal skills and also provide the opportunity to increase employability and workplace skills.
Project 1 will help build the confidence and resilience of local people through personal education and learning, enabling growth in areas concerning personal development and individual success.
Project 2 will provide a community education and learning programme designed to support currently economically inactive individuals to provide the opportunity to increase employability and workplace skills by presenting intern opportunities and other career path options.
BOROUGH OUR FUTURE
The Programme’s primary purpose is to assist those who want a better life for themselves but are unable to break away from a vicious circle, which may include, but is not limited to:
» Low self-esteem
» Poor mental health
» Economic inactivity
» Loneliness
» Long-term unemployment
Whatever the reason, this programme is designed to give people hope. For some that will mean the chance to participate in training or reskilling in order to enter or re-enter the workplace. For others, it will result in the possibility to attend parenting classes, or to understand how self-care or volunteering can boost their mood.
This programme is linked to Programme 9 – Our Future Borough under Strand 3 - Building Respect for All Cultural Identities.
Building Respect for All Cultural Identities
The Building Respect for All Cultural Identities strand will engage 2,410 participants.
Cultural diversity is demonstrated through the variety of individuals and cultural ethnic groups within the Borough.
It has a broad definition, which encompasses a range of population differences including:
» Race
» Ethnicity
» Age
» Ability
» Language
» Nationality
» Economic status
» Gender
» Religion
» Sexual orientation
Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland have become increasingly culturally diverse in recent years and there is a need to invest in programmes which increase understanding of and respect for all cultural identities.
PEACEPLUS will place particular emphasis on providing support to those most marginalised within the Borough. These include, but are not limited to: minority communities (including migrants, refugees and those from the Traveller Community), women, LGBT community, older people and those living with a disability.
Through the co-design process, it was evident that Antrim and Newtownabbey residents value their historical and heritage sites and they desire to promote them, therefore accredited training is a necessary element of preserving and developing these sites. There is a need for increased support for newcomer communities, cross-border collaboration, the promotion of inclusivity, and methods that foster unity and respect for diverse cultural identities.
Projects in Strand 3 of the Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan will focus on delivering programmes which will build an environment for greater respect for all cultural identities.
Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan
Programme 7
Our Historical Borough
Directly linked to Programme 1, this programme has been developed to provide individuals with the skills and knowledge to support a thriving and successful local heritage and tourism sector, whilst granting people the ability to ‘tell their story’ in relation to our rich, local shared history and heritage.
Programme 7 will also seek to take advantage of the unique opportunity created by the delivery of Programme 1, by developing people and communities with the ability to break new ground in creating sustainable, local social economy projects, and capitalise on the wider opportunities created through historical and heritage-based tourism.
This programme is compiled of four projects, as follows:
» Heritage Training
» Heritage Skills
» Heritage Stories / Genealogy
» Reminiscence / Memory Lane
This programme is linked to Programme 1 –Our Historical Borough under Strand 1 - Local Community Regeneration and Transformation.
Programme 8
Our Inclusive Borough
This extensive cultural development programme is designed to build upon the Peace IV Cultural Expressions Programme, creating an opportunity to deliver a wider cultural expressions programme to promote respect and acceptance for all cultural identities, whether they already exist, or are new to the local community.
This programme’s main goal is to bridge the gap between local people and newcomers in order to learn about other customs and recognise the vital role that all cultures play in fostering a diverse, inclusive community that promotes the Borough’s vibrancy and inclusivity.
The programme will also provide a forum for individuals to consider how they can participate in and advance peace, and be part of the solution in bringing divided communities of all kinds together.
BOROUGH OUR INCLUSIVE
Programme 8 is compiled of five projects, as follows:
» Cultural Expressions – building on the successes and achievements made by the PEACE IV Key Institutions Programme
» You’re Welcome – equipping community and voluntary organisations to engage with and support people from a diverse range of backgrounds
» Perspectives – an opportunity for people from differing backgrounds and life experiences to engage in dialogue, increase understanding and challenge perceptions through themed Supper Clubs
» Storytelling – an opportunity for participants to learn more about themselves, to develop understanding and tolerance, and to build community
» Cultural Colour Festival – a large-scale cultural colours celebration festival bringing together local people and newcomer communities under the umbrella of diversity and inclusiveness, to celebrate and promote our valued, visible and vibrant communities.
Antrim and Newtownabbey PEACEPLUS Local Community Action Plan
Programme 9
Our Future Borough
This programme is designed to assist in developing the ability, confidence and skills of our young and emerging local leadership, whilst using new and creative coaching approaches to assist with and discover proactive solutions to many of the problems that face our communities, both today and in the future.
Programme 9 will support new and emerging leaders to ‘Learn from the Past and Look to the Future’, whilst exploring key themes which are vital to developing civic and community leadership.
Our post-Covid communities face a very different world than that of pre-2020. Many people have considered their personal lives and commitments, and sought to step back from local community, voluntary, or political activity, choosing instead to devote their time and resources to personal and family activities.
This programme will seek to challenge and address some of the issues identified, whilst looking to inspire emerging leaders to be creative in producing new and innovative ideas, concepts, and practical applications, resulting in stability and prosperity for the Borough.
This programme is linked to Programme 6 – Our Future Borough under Strand 2 - Thriving and Peaceful Communities.
OURFU BOROUGHOURFUTURE
T. 028 9034 0000 E. peace@antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk
A project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body.