VIEW by brian pelan

Independent voice for community/voluntary sector

Issue 10, 2012

Website: viewdigital.org

VIEW STILL WAITING FOR A DISABILITY STRATEGY Image: Kevin Cooper

Story on pages 4-5

VIEW

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Seeking help

Website: viewdigital.org

CONTENTS

Page 2

Festive tales

Pages 6-7 VIEW talks to the Housing Rights Service about the rise in the number of people coming to it for help

Pages 14-15 A number of people share their Christmas memories, including writer Frances A Burscough (left)

Joining forces

Big Picture

Page 8 Two charities have joined forces to promote a ‘Housing First’ strategy as a way of combating the issue of homelessness

Pages 16-17 See who we have chosen as The Big Picture from a variety of community/ voluntary images which were sent in to us

Cleaning up

Speaking out

Page 12 We talk to Alice McLarnon (above), of Trademark, about the decision to set up a new co-operative made up of women cleaners

Page 18 Professor Kathleen Lynch (above) argues that charity is not an effective response to the issue of economic inequality

Editorial

VIEW, the online publication for the community/voluntary sector in Northern Ireland.

By Brian Pelan, editor

ince setting up VIEW in January this year, the publication has attempted to offer an independent view of the community and voluntary sector in Northern Ireland and further afield. How well we have succeeded, I will, of course, leave it up to our readers. But it has been a fascinating journey so far. As someone who has worked in newspapers for more than 20 years, I came into the sector with no strong knowledge of how it functioned. It may be referred to as the community/voluntary area, but often there are many competing voices with their own distinctive message. From our first issue, when we led on the story about Older Volunteer of the Year winner, Jim Pierce, who tragically lost two daughters when they took their own lives, we have tried to reflect on the people and their stories who are part of this vibrant sector. Real people with

real stories. Other issues we have covered, included,the feature about Andrea Begley, who, as a visually impaired young woman, spoke to VIEW about some of her most upsetting experiences as she travelled through airports in the United Kingdom. We also carried an in-depth look at the issue of homelessness. We have made no secret about the fact that we are strongly opposed to the measures contained in the Welfare Reform Bill. We have allowed many organisations to carry their message of opposition to an unparalleled attack on those who can least resist it. As part of the development of VIEW, co-founder Una Murphy has also overseen the setting up of a series of media workshops, which are aimed at passing on the talents of a key number of professionals to members working in the community and voluntary sector. A VIEW app has also been created which

allows users to obtain the latest news about the sector on iPhones, iPads,Tablets and Android devices. It can be accessed by clicking on the link, bit.ly/viewdigitalapp and following the simple instructions. The long-term vision of VIEW is to set up a media hub which offers news and workshops to the sector; a hub which will also offer employment and training to those interested in the concept of independent journalism. We also want to stimulate debate. All publications of VIEW will contain comment pieces from a variety of sources. In this issue, on page 18, Professor Kathleen Lynch argues that charity is not an effective response to social inequality. We would urge anyone who takes a different approach on charity to send in their replies. And, finally, I wish a merry Christmas to all VIEW readers.

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Website: viewdigital.org

Profile

We talk to Siobhan Doherty, chief executive of Aware Defeat Depression, about her work and the challenges facing the organisation

Page 3

‘The stigmatisation of mental health is very dangerous because if someone is afraid to say they have depression they may not access the services that could aid them’ 1, How long have you been in your present position?

doing is actually helping people

I have been in this post since November, last year. It has been a fairly hectic year.

7, Do you have any concerns about the Welfare Reform Bill and its impact upon people experiencing mental health problems?

2, What are the main challenges facing Aware Defeat Depression? The main challenge is probably how funding is delivered to the sector – it is mainly a one-year rolling contract. Whilst we are in the lucky position of being in receipt of funding from the health service, it is still only yearto-year funding. They are talking about moving from yearly contracts to three-year contracts. If that happens, it would allow us to plan more ahead. 3, Is there still a stigma surrounding mental health issues or has public awareness of it improved? I think that public awareness has improved but it hasn’t done much to remove the stigma. The stigmatisation of mental health is very dangerous because if someone is afraid to say they have depression they may not access the services that could aid them. 4, How well is Northern Ireland equipped to deal with issues such as depression in terms of support, care packages, counsellors, etc? There are a lot of services out there; both in the health service and in the community and voluntary sector. There can at times appear to be a lack of joined-up thinking from the various organisations dealing with mental health issues. We need to work together more to raise awareness. 5, Have you noticed an increase in people availing of your services becomes of the tough economic conditions we are experiencing? We have seen a small increase in calls to our helpline. We have also noticed that more people are starting to talk about the economic downturn and the Welfare Reform Bill at our support groups. 6, Can you measure ‘success’ in the treatment of mental health issues? We do get a lot of feedback from people who have used our services to say that it was helpful to them. We also externally evaluate much of our work to ensure it is evidence based so that we know that what we are

I have many concerns. I also think that a lot of our service users have concerns as well. There is a lot of fear about the effects of the proposed legislation and the impact it may have on people with mental health issues. People are starting to talk more and more about the Welfare Reform Bill and are wondering if there benefits are going to be affected – this is leading to anxiety, stress and depression. 8, How ‘successful’ has the NHS been in dealing with issues such as depression? I think it does it the best it can with the resources it has. But most people agree that mental health services are under-resourced. 9, What is the best and most difficult aspects of your role? The best aspect is looking at this small organisation, which is made up of 16 people, based in Derry and Belfast, and thinking about all the work we do and how many people we reach out to. I also know that the services we provide do help people suffering from depression. It can be frustrating sometimes because we know there are so many people we can help but we have, unfortunately, limited resources.. 10, Do you have a favourite book and film. My favourite book would be Atonement by Ian McEwan and my film choice is Saving Private Ryan, staring Tom Hanks. 11, If you could be or do anything else – what would it be? I would opt for being a dance choreographer, because I love to dance and I think I have a lot of rhythm. • Aware Defeat Depression provide a range of services to people with depression, their carers and their families. They currently have 19 support groups in communities across Northern Ireland. The groups are facilitated by local volunteers who are trained and supported to carry out their role. For further details, call the helpline on 08451 202961 or visit the website, www.aware-ni.org

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Website: viewdigital.org

Page 4

‘We hope the disability strat

RNIB NI conference told of long struggle to push the rights of blind and

Conference: Harry Reid, Campaigns Manager for RNIB NI

ore than 100 delegates, politicians and members of statutory agencies attended a recent RNIB NI one-day conference this at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast. The event was entitled ‘Lost In Translation?: Towards The Construction Of A Public Policy Framework That Works for blind and partially sighted people In Northern Ireland.’ Held on International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2012, this event was designed to ignite debate about how the forthcoming Disability Action Plan under the NI Executive’s Disability Strategy – due for publication – can be combined with the UK Vision Strategy and the UN Conven-

Panel: Brian Pelan, VIEW editor, left, with Paul Noonan, Senior Policy Officer, E RNIB NI and Rosie Dempsey, Albinism Fellowship tion on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, to ensure that the delivery of public policy in Northern Ireland guarantees that the rights, needs and life chances of blind and partially sighted people, along with those of the wider disability community, are upheld, met and radically enhanced. The event included; • Three keynote critiques of the current situation and analysis of what steps need to be taken next; • Workshops for participants to identify an agenda for progressive change based on achievable concrete actions;

• A discussion, with audience interaction, anchored by BBC Northern Ireland’s Noel Thompson which featured a panel of people with sight loss together with key figures from the worlds of equality enforcement and promotion, journalism and the NI Assembly. RNIB NI’s Campaigns Manager Harry Reid said, “For too long now people with sight loss have, ironically, been an invisible group, whose needs have been neglected, and rights ignored. Today marks the moment when this starts to change. So that the future can be one in which they are accorded their full and equal rights as citizens.”

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Page 5

Website: viewdigital.org

tegy will be fit for purpose’

partially sighted people up the political agenda in Northern Ireland

Equality Commission of Northern Ireland; BBC broadcaster Noel Thompson, Thomas Quigley, Communications & PR Officer, Images: Kevin Cooper Mr Reid said, “The conference was about exploring realistic and practical changes that can pave the way towards justice for all people with sight loss.To this end, we welcome the commitment from the Assembly to make Northern Ireland 10 times better for the blind and partially sighted community.” “We do have statistics and they do paint a sort of picture. One, that is unacceptable, is that 66 per cent of blind and partially sighted people, who are of working age, are unemployed.” “It is a disgrace that the lives of these people are needlessly curtailed.” Karen Hall, Policy and Communications

Manager, Disability Action, who also addressed the conference said, “In April this year the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) launched a consultation on a draft Disability Strategy – which it has taken nearly eight years to produce. “In 2004, after the European Year of People with Disabilities the Promoting Social Inclusion Disability Group was established to look at developing recommendations to take forward to improve the lives of disabled people. “It wasn't until 2009 the the PSI report and recommendations were published by OFMDFM. At that time people expected an Executive

response to the recommendations. “Instead what has come out of the process is the draft Disability Strategy – currently we are awaiting the outcome of the consultation and the launch of the final strategy and action plan – it is looking like this will take place in the New Year. “It has been a long road to get to this stage and we hope that the final strategy will be fit for purpose and will have some real actions to help improve the lives of disabled people here.” Other speakers included; Joe Reynolds, from the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister; Alliance Party MLA Chris Lyttle and David Galloway, Acting Director, RNIB NI.

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Website: viewdigital.org

Page 6

‘It’s difficult for some people to talk about debt and to seek help’ VIEW editor Brian Pelan talks to Janet Hunter, Director of the Housing Rights Service and one of the charity’s debt advisors, Denise Callaghan, about the increase in housing repossessions and the rise in the number of people turning to the organisation for help

Support: Janet Hunter, Director of the Housing Rights Service, left, and debt advisor Denise Callaghan VIEW: In the past couple of years, have you found that more people are coming in for advice? Denise: Absolutely. I have been in the Housing Rights Service for the last five and a half years. Initially, when I started here months could have gone by and you wouldn’t have been in court or in a busy month you could have been in once or twice. That was about five years ago. It was very rare that we had to represent people in the court where the repossession cases are heard. Then with the economic downturn we seen the numbers increasing substantially. And that demand has never subsided – if anything it has increased over the last number of years. Janet: We’ve been operating the mortgage debt advice service for the Department of Social Development for almost three years. In the first pilot year we seen on average 65 to 70 people a month. We are now seeing 160 people a month. It has continued to rise over that period. This time last year we were probably seeing 130 people a month, this year we’re seeing 160 people a month. VIEW: How do people contact you? Denise: People can contact us by phone or

email and we also do live chat. We provide an out-of-hours service as well so they can email us between 5pm and 8pm on a Tuesday and Thursday. It’s basically live chat on the internet so they can email one of our advisors and get advice via email. Sometimes that might just be an initial contact and if they require an in-depth or ongoing service then we’ll move on to maybe organising an appointment. Janet: We also have a public information website, housingaviceni.org. Some people prefer, particularly with a problem like debt, to try and solve the problem themselves, without actually engaging other people. They can use the site to access information. Around 6,000 people used this service last year.. Denise: It’s an excellent service which gives you a good overview of the whole process, from when you get into arrears right through to going to court. Housing Rights Service in association with the Courts Service also did a video which you can access from the website. It shows what it is like to go to court. People often have preconceptions of what it’s like to go to court and how daunting that is. The court is not actually a big open court room – the cases are held in the master’s chambers, which essentially is the master’s office and it’s literally the master, the solicitor for the lender and the

person in mortgage arrears and if they have someone representing them. The video is fantastic because it gives people an idea of what to expect and even on a more basic level it gives them an idea of where to go and what to do. VIEW: What sort of people use your services? Denise:: There is no stereotypical client coming here. We have people of all ages, of different backgrounds, people in their early twenties right through to people of retirement age, families, and single people. They’re coming for such a wide variety of reasons. The thing that strikes me most is it may not be for a huge level of arrears either – they could be at risk of losing their homes for a few thousand pounds worth of arrears and those arrears may have arisen from a reduction in working hours or one person becoming ill. Once you’re in that arrears position it’s so important to budget and deal with that but there are so many other conflicting demands on people as well – it’s so difficult to make ends meet. A lot of it is about looking at their financial situation and helping them to prioritise what has to be dealt with first, helping them to analyse their budget,

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Page 7

Website: viewdigital.org

Stressful: People of all ages and background are now contacting the Housing Rights Service making sure that if people have benefit entitlement they’re claiming it – no two cases are the same. VIEW: Are people coming to you in a very stressed state? Janet: People are very often reluctant – they maybe feel a bit ashamed. It’s a difficult thing to talk to people about and they’re reluctant to take help. And probably because of that, most people come to us when their situation is fairly serious. It’s like every problem in life – the earlier you try to deal with it, the more options you have. But most of our clients come to us when legal action has already started. Some of our clients are contacting us when they’re in court the next day. VIEW: What sort of help can you give them then? Denise: The earlier a person comes to us the easier it is to help them and the more options that are open to them. But we always encourage them coming to us, even at a very late stage, because there are still options. When they come to us at a late stage, we’re looking at doing financial statements, what their options are, is there an option where they can make proposals to the court so they can save their home? Even at a late stage, the outcome of the case is not a foregone conclusion. We look at key things – their financial situation, can they actually afford the mortgage and can they make proposals to pay the arrears within the term that’s remaining on the loan. People are often of the opinion that they have to clear the arrears very quickly – that may not necessarily be the case. It’s about prioritising their debt and maybe negotiating with unsecured lenders to get reduced payments to get more money freed up for the mortgage.

get onto agreements which they can sustain for a time but then something comes along and derails it. They don’t travel in one direction. It’s very often a case of three steps forward and two steps back. VIEW: Will the ‘bedroom tax’ (the under-occupancy penalty in the Welfare Reform Bill) cause an upsurge in people using your service? Janet: Undoubtedly it will, and that’s a change that’s going to affect people living in the social housing sector and housing association accommodation who get housing benefit and who will now have a shortfall in their benefit. VIEW: Will you be able to cope with that upsurge in demand? Janet: We won’t be able to cope with it without additional resources. As Denise will testify, we’re working to absolute full capacity. We did receive additional funding to set up the mortgage debt advice service but we’re not had any additional funding. VIEW: Is it ironic that the Goverment, who fund the Housing Rights Service, implement policies which will result in more people using your services.? (The Housing Rights Service were awarded a funding contract from the Department of Social Development after a tendering process) Janet: That’s absolutely right but I suppose it puts us in the position where we can collect a lot of data from the clients who use the mortgage debt advice service and we can use that to inform our discussions with the department to try and shape and influence the policy direction here.

VIEW: How many people who you deal with go on to lose their houses?

VIEW: Have you had any input into the ‘bedroom tax’ decision?

Janet: That’s a difficult one because you would have to track them on quite a long term basis but we do keep statistics for the first six to 12 months and in four out of five cases of people who come to us, they are still in their homes 12 months later. Very often you can help people to

Janet: Absolutely none because as you’re aware that isn’t devolved. It is pretty grim, but what’s not in the public domain yet but what is actually probably more relevant about mortgage repossessions are the changes which are being considered to support for mortgage interest,

which is the help with housing costs paid to homeowners. There have already been significant reductions to that back in autumn 2010. I think the proposals that are in the pipeline are even more radical in that, at present you can qualify for that help after a 13-week waiting period but the proposals are to increase that waiting period again to 39 weeks. It was 39 weeks up until 2009 and then it was reduced. Thirty-nine weeks is just too long – people will have lost their homes, there’s no question about that. VIEW: Has there been a surge in homeless figures compared to last year’s statistics: Janet: There has been an increase in the number of people presenting themselves as homeless and there’s been an increase in the number of people accepted as being homeless as well. VIEW: Do you see yourselves becoming more of a campaigning body? Janet: We already have a policy arm, which has been in operation since 200. We have done quite a lot of work to try and influence policy and we have had some results, particularly around developments in the private rented sector and also in terms of the homeless strategy. We’ve secured a fair number of changes over the years. In terms of mortgage repossessions, we have been talking to the department and other policy makers over the past couple of years about how important it is for their focus not only to be on getting people into home ownership but also putting in place frameworks that will help them to sustain their homes. • Housing Rights Service www.housingrights.org.uk • 4th Floor, Middleton Buildings 10-12 High Street Belfast, BT1 2BA • Telephone: 028 9024 5640 • Fax: 028 9031 2200 Email: hrs@housingrights.org.uk

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Website: viewdigital.org

Page 8

Seminar: Dolores Ferran (left), Assistant Director, Housing Policy and Services, Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE); with·Anna Ellison, Senior Researcher, Policis; Kerry Anthony, Chief Executive, Depaul Ireland; Colm McQuillan, Assistant Director Strategic Partnerships, NIHE; Sandra Moore, Director of Homelessness Services, The Welcome Organisation; Dr. Eoin O Sullivan, Associate Professor of Social Policy at Trinity College Dublin; Heather Cousins, Deputy Secretary, Department for Social Development and Janet Hunter, Director, Housing Rights Service Image: Kevin Cooper

Tackling the homelessness issue T

WO charities have joined forces to promote a ‘Housing First’ strategy as a new way to accommodate and support vulnerable homeless people to live in the community. Depaul Ireland and Housing Rights Service (HRS) held an event recently at Clifton House, Belfast to look at the potential local application of the international Housing First model. Policy makers and delegates also heard findings from new research, commissioned by HRS, into whether the housing needs of vulnerable homeless people can be met in the private rented sector. ‘Housing First' takes housing as a basic human right and sees permanent housing as the first step in addressing chronic homelessness. It provides choice and self-determination to homeless people and is accompanied by an emphasis on independent living, managing relationships with landlords and the community and a commitment to working with homeless people. Across Europe and the USA research indicates that ‘Housing First' is an effective way to end homelessness and create sustainable longterm tenancies. Northern Ireland is about to embark on this approach Kerry Anthony, CEO of Depaul Ireland, said: “Placement in temporary hostel accommodation has not served the long-term needs of very vulnerable homeless people well and Housing First will successfully transition people

from homelessness into independent living. It allows people to move directly into permanent housing rather than having to make their way through a maze of temporary accommodation and transitional housing placements.

‘Private landlords have little appetite for housing vulnerable or high risk tenants’ “It is imperative that agencies are funded to support people to live stable, secure and dignified lives where they have the confidence to take a wider role in their community. “Housing First has the potential to connect vulnerable people to their own community, as an additional support network, and prevent isolation, loneliness and stigmatisation,” said Ms Anthony The research, sponsored by Housing Rights Service, ‘Meeting the housing needs of vulnerable homeless people in the private rented sector in NI’ focused on the experiences of people often considered to be chronically

homeless whose voices are not often heard in public debate. It aimed to understand the support required to address complex problems within a sustainable and settled housing context. Amongst its key findings were: • Vulnerable homeless people aspire to self-determination, a space of their own and the opportunity to re-set their lives. • Policy approaches based on the reaction to crisis and serial placement in hostels have not served the homeless well. • Private landlords have little appetite for housing vulnerable or high risk tenants. • Housing solutions without an appropriate degree and mix of support have set individuals up to fail Janet Hunter, HRS Director, said: “We hope this report will help to inform debate and support future policy and service development for the chronically excluded, homeless people who are living in Northern Ireland.” Ms Hunter added: “A commitment from policy makers within government and the relevant agencies to develop a holistic people centred response to their needs could arrest the cycle of failure which leads to repeated episodes of homelessness and, in the most acute cases, even more tragic consequences for these individuals and their families. It would provide them with the much needed foundation from which they can rebuild their lives.”

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VIEW, issue 10, 2012

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Page 10

Proud moment: Karen (left) with Cherith, Timmy and Ken from the Cookstown and Magherafelt Volunteer Centre. They were among 400 young people in Northern Ireland who received an ‘Award of Excellence’ recently. Barbara Kennedy, Recruitment and Placement Officer, said, “The contribution these local young people make to our community is significant. Not only are they making a difference to local people, but they are also gaining valuable experience and skills for their own future.”

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VIEW, issue 10, 2012

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Page 12

Team work: Trademark worker Alice McLarnon, left, with other women cleaners

A co-operative move as women cleaners in Belfast get organised

OMEN cleaners have in the past been seen by some employers as a cheap source of labour. But that could be about to change following the launch this year of a workers’ co-operative called the Belfast Cleaning Society. VIEW caught up recently with one of the founders of the co-operative, Alice McLarnon, at the offices of the not-for-profit organisation Trademark in west Belfast. Alice, who is employed by Trademark, explained the thinking behind the setting up of the co-operative. “Trademark has been working with women’s groups along the Springfield Road interface for five to six years – the Highfield woman’s group, Shankill woman’s group, Clonnard woman’s group and the Falls woman’s group. “The idea of a co-operative had been floating about for three years or so. Trademark were doing training courses in personal development, anti-sectarianism, anti-racism, human rights, and equality. About two years ago the idea of a co-operative empowering people living in interface areas was formed. These are deprived places of high unemployment and social deprivation. “The chance came last October, 2011, when I received a phone call in our office from a guy who was working backstage at the MTV Awards. He said, ‘Alice, do you know a cleaning company?’ “I rang two women I knew who had connections with other women. They are all expert cleaners who’ve worked all their lives cleaning factories, offices – big industrial cleaning jobs at below minimum wage. “I said: ‘Do you want a job, do you want top work at MTV?’ And it was ‘yes’ right away. The first woman I called was called ‘Queenie’ so we called the group ‘Queen Clean’.

‘The confidence and self-belief of the women has grown’ “We had the Queen Clean logo on the shirts and four women worked backstage at the MTV Awards. So the foundation was there – we knew we were going to work together and set this co-operative up. “We applied to the Cooperative Enterprise Hub in Manchester last year. We asked for help from the hub and co-operative consultant Jo Bird came to visit us in November. “She assessed whether we were going to be a workers co-operative. The hub agreed to four days’ consultancy work with us. “In February this year, we decided on the name, the Belfast Cleaning Cooperative Society. There were initially five founder members and then we brought in another woman who had great skill in administration and organisation. “The co-operative also accepted the help of Joe Law and Mel Corry, who are both employed by Trademark. Joe is a mediator and is also great with anti-sectarian training. We all completed anti-sectarian training together and it means that if a new member comes along then we would do a refresher course. It’s in our rules, it’s completely anti-sectarian – respect each other, respect each other’s cultures, don’t offend anyone. “In July, this year when the Tennent's Vital concert was taking place at the Boucher Road, south Belfast, we got another phone call asking whether we would like to go for the contract for that. We were awarded the contract. It was a three-day music festival and we had to clean up after 65,000 people. “For that huge job, we brought in another 26 workers, all cross community, all ages, all

sexes. Whilst they were sub-contracted, they were still paid exactly the same hourly rate as any member of the cooperative. There was a flat structure – no one was paid any more or any less. “It was my job to chase Tennent’s Vital for the money and I did that. We were very lucky in that four days after the last day of the work everyone got their money. “We’ve two women employed (part time) through PAYE at present. The other four members all work ‘sweat equity’ where we would get a share certificate for any work that we do. (Sweat equity is where you are building up your shares for dividends.) “So if I do 20 hours a month on behalf of the cleaning cooperative I’ll have a share certificate. So that means come two or three years time when the cooperative – we know it’s going to be successful, we’re not saying ‘if’ but ‘when’ – we’re very, very strongly committed to make sure it works. When it comes to any profits at the end of that year my ‘sweat equity’ means I will get a dividend. “We will not seek work at any trade union organised workplace, but if we find a place that isn’t trade union organised we will tender for the work. “At the moment we send out emails about our services. We also distribute flyers and do door to door calls. We’ve also received phone calls from private homes. It’s turning into an all round cleaning company. “We have a meeting every two to three weeks where we sit round the table and talk about what needs done The confidence has grown within the women and the commitment is there. “Women who wouldn’t speak last year are going, ‘hold on, what about this’? You can see that their confidence has grown and even their own self-belief, which to me is paramount.”

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

PHoToLinE Photographer Kevin cooper has more than 25 years experience in Press and Pr photography. Kevin works to a wide range of clients in community and voluntary sector organisations as well as the trade union movement. For quoTaTions conTacT Kevin cooper E: photoline@supanet.com T: 028 90777299 M: 07712044751

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Innovative approach adopted By Una Murphy

hat does social innovation mean to you? The Building Change Trust – established by the Big Lottery Fund to help develop and promote the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland – wants to find out. The Trust has held public workshops in Belfast and Derry to discuss social innovation in food, health, arts and culture and to draw up a social innovation action plan for the sector. Maeve Monaghan, Chief Executive of the NOW which provides training and employment services for people with learning difficulties and a trustee of the Building Change Trust said social innovation was a way to look at social problems and see the potential of people from different sector helping to find solutions. She said NOW would like to bring together people from the creative industries to help with online training for people with learning disabilities. “We are currently building a creative collective in NOW to develop our suite of online training materials for people with learning and communication difficulties. “Alone we could only take this idea so far but the social innovation model means the potential is endless. We can now envisage a range of products which can meet the

Maeve Monaghan: potential of social innovation is endless needs of our customers and others beside and have the potential to be sold in other countries.” “The Building Change Trust wants to free up the sector to think bigger and look at innovative solutions”, she added. In January the Building Change Trust along with Social Innovation Camp are launching the first Northern Irish Social Innovation Camp to match software developers with

people who understand a social problem to build technology-based solutions to social problems. “The Trust needs to understand the sector’s awareness of social innovation and to stay informed of what more can be done to support and promote innovation across the Community and Voluntary Sector in Northern Ireland”, Charlie Fisher, Building Change Trust Coordinator, said.

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Website: viewdigital.org

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Page 14

Festive memories a

To celebrate the spirit of Christmas, VIEW aske to and assisted us in our first year to share thei

Fergus Cooper: “I loved seeing the Christmas Tree outside Belfast City Hall”

Sandra Moore: “We regularly tell the ‘Magic Pram’ story at Christmas”

“I suppose my best memories would be going back to my childhood at primary school and the fact that it was a very big family Christmas. I remember my father packing my brothers and myself into the car and taking us down to my great aunt’s to collect her and my aunty and bring them back up again to our house for Christmas dinner. Then that evening – it became a big tradition in the family – when we were taking them home we took them for a drive through Belfast to see the Christmas lights. What I remember as a child was how amazing it was to see all the lights and the Christmas tree outside the City Hall.” Fergus Cooper, Head of Country (NI), Save the Children “The story that regularly gets regurgitated in our house is the story of the Magic Pram. Santa Claus called at our house on the afternoon of Christmas Eve, carelessly abandoning a much wished for pram and doll in our spare room. Of course, our five-year-old daughter, would on that one day go into the spare room and find that Santa had been early. There was much squealing with excitement as she rushed down the stairs to the kitchen where I was cooking. But lo and behold when her father, having heard the commotion, ran upstairs and on his return reported that there was no pram there. Of course there were ructions and tears, there was no soothing her by

Frances A Burscough: “Decorations did not go up until Christmas eve”

explaining that Santa would probably bring her a pram in the morning. This helpful remark only caused a further meltdown. A squealing mantra of ‘I don’t want a magic pram, it will on keep disappearing’ went on for hours. Eventually everything settled down and sleep overtook.” Sandra Moore, Director of Homelessness Services, The Welcome Organisation, Belfast “I may be almost 50 years of age but I still get excited about Christmas. I love decorating the house so much I have the entire project planned the moment that Halloween is over. But when I was a kid, we were not allowed to decorate the house until the morning of Christmas Eve. Mum was always adamant about that, even though I started to campaign for Christmas decorations as soon as Halloween was over. She used to say: “You don’t eat your birthday cake a month before your birthday do you? Besides, Mary and Joseph hadn’t even set off for Bethlehem yet and the star hadn’t appeared in the sky!” I did try to argue that the virgin birth of a saviour was no ordinary birthday, and therefore the usual rules ought not to apply, but she wouldn’t change her mind. Christmas will begin in our house on Christmas Eve and that was that. Of course, once the decorations were deployed it was all worth the wait. The sight and smell of a fresh Scots pine, twinkling with tinsel and sparkling with lights, towering above a mountain range of

Quintin Oliver: “Reciting Yevtushenko’s gut-wrenching poem Zima Station”

wrapped-and-bowed presents and a fireplace decked with boughs of holly was a wonder to behold and made our house into the most magical place on earth. But until then, all we could do was watch and wait, pressing our noses up against the frosty window-pane like poor deprived Dickens characters, as the surrounding homes in the neighbourhood lit up one by one and ours stayed sane and sombre. And until Christmas Eve, the only indication that the festive season was approaching was a solitary Advent candle flickering in the front window, next to the statue of the Sacred Heart. It must have looked like a big, bleak orphanage to passers-by. One year at about this time in mid-December, when everywhere else was in festive full-swing, the doorbell rang and mum glanced out of the window. There, standing on the doorstep was a small group of people dressed in red and black uniform, holding a bucket full of money. ‘Kids, it’s the Salvation Army carol singers. Come quick’, my mum shouted. So as we all assembled there, like the Von Trapp family, mum opened the door. ‘Hello, Mrs Burscough’, one of them said, ‘You don’t know me, but I’m the manager of the post office in town.Your postman told us about all these poor children that live here in this home and we all agree that it’s a wonderful thing you do.’ As mum stood there, agog, he went on: ‘So this year we decided to have a bit of a whip-round – for the poor kiddies-

and here it is. Maybe yo decorations to brighte or even a tree. But wh we hope it helps. Anyw good work – and long You’re an inspiration to Frances A Burscou

“Reciting Yevtushenko’ poem Zima Station at degrees below freezing Siberian Express (esca 12 midnight on Christm Quintin Oliver, dir Stratagem

“Until the age of ten, I farmhouse in Brittany, rooms – the kitchen a My two older sisters a into the kitchen when came too crammed wi kids, beds crowded aro Sometimes we also ha pram to rock to sleep. My best childhoo memory is watching m what felt like a mounta the kitchen table. The f father did shifts had st employees one presen were still wide awake, so tired she couldn’t w wanted very much to to go to sleep, so I did got a pair of slippers a from my parents and a the factory.

VIEW, issue 10, 2012

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are made of this . . .

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ed a number of people who have contributed ir favourite Yuletide memory with our readers

Catherine Couvert: “My best memory was watching my mum arranging the presents”

ou could get a few en the place up a bit, atever you decide, way, keep up the may it continue! o us all.’ ” ugh, journalist

s gut-wrenching Zima Station, 30 g, on the Transping Christmas) at mas night 1983.” rector,

lived in a small which had two nd the bedroom. and I were moved the bedroom beith the four younger ound my parents. d the baby in his . od Christmas Eve my mother arrange ain of presents on factory where my arted to give its nt per child. Us girls and my mum was wait any longer. I peek but she told us just that. I think I nd some felt tips a board game from

Denise Burns: “Memories of my last Christmas spent with my father”

My best grown up memories are Christmas mornings with my partner Sally and our two sons. The boys are always both excited and chilled and it’s our special time all together, before they go off and do the second half of Christmas with their respective fathers’ families.” Catherine Couvert, Publications Officer, Law Centre (NI) “My favourite memory is Christmas 2006. It was our last Christmas with my father who died the following December. Having been diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, he spent the best part of 2006 getting chemo and being unable to swallow or eat anything solid. My daddy not only loved his food but he also loved Christmas. So, having come out the other side of surgery, his appetite was back with a vengeance. That Christmas we devoured the usual massive turkey and ham, but daddy also wanted a goose for Boxing Day, along with half the M&S food counter (including dessert). We had the best Christmas ever because it was as if he wasn’t ill. In true form we all ate, drank and were extremely merry that year. It is my favourite memory because it wasn’t just the usual Christmas merriment – it was so much more special because we shared that wonderful time with daddy.” Denise Burns, Governance Secretary at Age NI. “A few years ago, as an extended family of 12, we decided to opt out of a traditional

Joanne Robinson: “Moving to Sinead Glackin: “I will always my new home during a snow remember the year I got a BMX bike” storm”

Christmas and spend the festive season in Dubai. December 23 was fraught with travel woe, given that everyone was obviously travelling to join loved ones , tempers were fraught, airports were chock-a-block and the season of goodwill was not upon anyone.We eventually arrived tired and feeling distinctly unfestive. However, a good night’s sleep changed this grumpy posse into the Waltons. The kids were more interested in getting down onto the beach. Christmas Day wasn’t spend bickering over the remote or pontificating over cooking. This Christmas turned out to be one of the best we have all had, no rushing about, quality time spent together and above all – no Northern Ireland elements to contend with.” Julie Cusick, Promotions Officer, Volunteer Now “My best Christmas was in 2009. When I got my job at Cancer Focus Northern Ireland I was able to afford my first home, which I was so excited about. My family helped me move in just before Christmas during a snow storm. There were Christmas carols on the radio and it was lovely. A few days later I had a party and got people to help me build my Ikea bedroom furniture. Then, I invited all my new neighbours around for shortbread and mince pies, which has become a bit of a tradition now. “My fiancé Andy and I have just put up our tree together. We’re getting mar-

ried six weeks after Christmas so this year is pretty special too.” Joanne Robinson, Art Therapist at Cancer Focus Northern Ireland “I was a tomboy when I was a child. I’m certain that my daddy will regale my wedding guests with tales of my childhood spent pursuing activities that were very different to those favoured by my sisters. While they preened Barbie dolls and fed and changed their plastic toy offspring, I was outside worm collecting, tree climbing and infuriating my mummy by scuffing pairs of Clarks Magic Steps patent shoes. My favourite Christmas memory was a childhood one, when I was aged six. That year, circa 1988, Santa made me the proud recipient of a BMX bike. No pink woven bicycle baskets or multi coloured ribbons for me. Quite the opposite, I was thrilled with my gun metal, chunky wheeled super stunt machine. So my favourite Christmas memory involves tearing down the street on Christmas morning on my new BMX with my best Christmas tartan frock fluttering behind me. That BMX was my premier mode of transport until Santa upgraded me to a Raleigh. These days, I’m more accustomed to cycling on bikes that never go anywhere during the course of a sweaty spin session, but the pleasure of getting and riding my BMX has never left me.” Sinead Glackin, Communications Officer, Charity Commission

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The Big Picture Hundreds of people dressed up as Santa in Belfast recently to help raise funds for the children’s charity Barnardo’s Image: Peter O’Hara, www.poharaphoto.com

If you would like your community/ voluntary organisation to be selected for The Big Picture in the next issue of VIEW, send images to editorial@viewdigital.org

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VIEW, issue 10, 2012

Comment Professor Kathleen Lynch argues that charity is not an effective response to economic inequality

‘Empty rhetoric of concern for the poor at Christmas ...’

harity is a gift, and those living on it have no rights to the services or goods offered that can be vindicated by law. Now that Christmas is coming, there will be the annual debates about “the poor” and “the homeless”; we will be exhorted to engage in charitable acts for the needy. Given that the poorest 10 per cent of Irish households experienced a drop of 26 per cent in their disposable income between 2009 and 2010, and the wealthiest 10 per cent had an increase of 8 per cent (according to the EU Silc – Survey on Income and Living Conditions – study), and that economic inequality is growing visibly with each budget, such calls may seem highly morally commendable. However, charity is not justice; it is neither a robust nor an effective response to economic inequality. In fact, charity perpetuates inequality and legitimates it, creating in the process a truly careless state. Charity is an entirely voluntary act; it can be given and it can be taken away. It is a personal choice, not a collectively binding agreement of solidarity. At the individual level, it is driven by the desire for moral recognition on the part of those who give rather than recognition of the rights of those who receive. It can and does service the guilt of the better-off, rather than the needs of the vulnerable to live with dignity and independence. Moreover, charity also leads to the moral judgment of those in receipt of it, a framing of the recipients as deserving or undeserving. It is politically dangerous in this respect as it creates the public impression that those offering charity (those doing their “good deeds”) are morally superior to the needy as they are working out of virtue. Because charity is a gift offered by those who decide to give, on the terms which they decide to provide it, those living on charity have no rights to the services or goods offered that can be vindicated by law. Being in receipt of charity is thereby demeaning; it has to be sought through supplication (effectively by begging – not all begging is with a cap in hand on the street). And this means those seeking charity are subject to scrutiny on the terms defined by the givers who exercise power over them. It is premised on the institutionalisation of unequal and unjust economic relationships. Only in such a structurally unequal system can those with resources be in a position to offer charity to others. Responding to inequality by acts of charity will not and cannot challenge the generative causes of injustice. To say this is not to deny the valuable work done by charities. Many charities speak out and some campaign on structural injustices; but even these operate under the restriction of the Charities Act, 2009, which states that . . . they cannot promote “a political cause,

Concept of charity questioned unless the promotion of that cause relates directly to the advancement of the charitable purposes of the body”. This means that structural inequalities are secondary considerations in most charitable work, and this reinforces and exacerbates injustice. It gives the false impression something is being done politically to address the deeply demeaning reality of living in poverty or without a home. Why do we respond so often (and so generously at the individual level, at times) to economic inequalities by offering charity even though it is ineffectual? Why do we not institutionalise systems of taxation for distributing wealth in a progressive and egalitarian way so that those who are most vulnerable have equal access to good health services, education, housing and transport comparable to others? Why is charity the governing ideology of public policy within the Irish welfare state? The problem rests in large part in the way ethical and moral issues are framed in Irish cultural and political life. The principles that have guided much of welfare policy have been those of voluntarism and/or subsidiarity; these have been interpreted in a narrowly defined way to mean the absence of State intervention even when such is necessary. The State has been absolved from acting, as charitable religious, voluntary and professional groups claim to be able to act in lieu of the State. In effect people set up charitable enterprises for public purposes (and while valuable in their own right) this means politicians are excused from raising taxes to fund and develop services and supports in a systematic way at national and local levels. In theory, services and supports can be provided through voluntary contributions and local initiatives. In practice, however, voluntarism means reliance on one’s family or local commu-

nity, both of which differ greatly in capacity. The inevitable result is that, where there is no voluntary effort, there are no services or supports. When communities are ravaged through unemployment and families are unable (or unwilling) to support the vulnerable within, those in need are left to the vagaries of the market. A service exists in one town, village or community, not in another; services are haphazard, unplanned and entirely unequal in terms of provision. The problem is exacerbated in a highly mobile society, where family and community networks are dismembered through migration and emigration. By relying on charity to guide public policy, Ireland has never developed a deep political and moral commitment to developing a truly welfare-led caring state, a state whose primary concern is the welfare of all the people, not just those who have the means to exercise political influence in one’s local constituency. So as Christmas is coming, the poor will be temporarily showered with the empty rhetoric of concern; the left hand of the State will exercise its unique mode of compassion, through encouraging charitable acts, Christmas boxes, donations, benefit concerts and the like. There will be sentimental displays of political good will. By doing the occasional charitable act people will be forgiven for refusing to pay more taxes and thereby depriving their neighbours of basic services. But it is in the right hand that power is yielded; it is in the budget that social justice lives and dies. And there is little sign of love and justice in the disproportionate cuts to the incomes of the most vulnerable that have occurred over several budgets of both the current and previous administration. Despite a professed belief in equality by most politicians at election time, when it comes to political practice, this does not translate into action; it is empty rhetoric. In real political terms a belief in charity is what underpins public welfare policy. This will ensure that “the poor we will always have with us”. We will continue to have what we now have; an increasingly careless state. It is a simple sociological reality that without addressing the deep structural causes underlying economic inequalities, poverty is effectively replicated in each new generation. In this political scenario, those of us who are comfortable, and especially those who are wealthy, will have continued opportunities to remain virtuous and offer charity for Christmas.It is helpful to remember that solidarity is the political form of love. • Kathleen Lynch is the Professor of Equality Studies at the UCD School of Social Justice in the Republic of Ireland

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Speakers Kirsten Kearney, left, and Fiona Murray at the TEDx BelfastWomen event in the Skainos in east Belfast

Inspiring messages at TEDx BelfastWomen event

nspirational women, including several who work within the community and voluntary sector, were among the speakers at a recent TEDx BelfastWomen event in Belfast. Professor Deirdre Heenan, Provost of the University of Ulster’s Magee campus, an authority on social policy issues, opened the event at the Skainos centre in east Belfast. Kirsten Kearney , the Chief Executive of ESC, an arts education charity based in Belfast, spoke of her work with the organisation – which brings together her desire for social justice for the marginalised and a belief in using the arts to create lasting transformation. “Our next feature, Prospero’s Prison will be filmed at the Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast, with former prisoners and youth at risk. It tells the story of forgiveness conquering revenge in post-ceasefire Northern Ireland.” Fiona Murray, Enterprise Manager for

charity Autism Initiatives NI, told the conference how she helped to set up a chocolate factory. Chocolate Memories is a social enterprise business that offers adults with Autism Spectrum Condition a pathway to employment. There are currently 13 trainees who learn how to hand-make the chocolates as well as other workplace skills. Eve Earley, the American expat granddaughter of a reluctant emigrant – who runs social enterprise Neo Ireland – said: “We must export our intellectual property, not our children. Certainly not the first generation reared in peace.” Kathleen Holmund who has worked in the human rights arena in Washington DC, spoke about how her walk along the Camino de Santiago in Spain helped her to set goals. The conference also heard from Siobhan Bogues who has worked in a variety of leader-

ship roles in voluntary and community sectors in Northern Ireland in the last 25 years, including most recently leading ARC, a learning disability umbrella charity. Professor Sue Christie, director of the Northern Ireland Environment Link – a network body for voluntary organisations involved in the environment, also spoke at the event. Irene Boyle from Ballywalter, Co Down, who attended the event, said: “Deirdre Heenan was a great speaker. I particularly enjoyed her talk as I am also from a farming background.” Anne Walker, from Belfast, added: “I enjoyed the girl who talked about the walk in Spain – it’s always been something I wanted to do. We’ve followed the route in the car – now I’m inspired to actually do the walk.” • YouTube link – http://bit.ly/TEDxBelfast

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