Case Studies:Work with Politically Motivated Ex-prisoners
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland has been involved in funding re-integration and peace building projects developed by groups of politically motivated ex-prisoners from both Republican and Loyalist backgrounds – a total of six different large groupings/factions. While most of the individual projects funded are ‘single identity’ in nature (i.e. they are either Republican or they are Loyalist), the Community Foundation has used its credibility with these groupings to bring representatives from both sides together regularly to discuss policy, practice and funding issues and to deliver joint projects and action plans for the benefit of their members and for the wider community. The groups have explored a wide range of issues that they share in common, including how to engage in conflict transformation, working through perceptions of ‘other’ and developing negotiation and mediation skills. They have worked on projects with young people, de-glamourising the conflict and the prison experience, and have developed Education Packs for use in schools and youth clubs.

The Community Foundation has also brought in speakers who were ex-prisoners in other divided societies – South Africa, Nicaragua and Sri Lanka – to share their experiences in peace building with political ex-prisoners from Northern Ireland.

Social Justice Work
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland is acutely aware of the sensitivity and potential impact of language and terms used in a society that experiences conflict and division. It set up a ‘Social Justice Fund’ because a ‘Human Rights Fund’ would be seen as Republican/Nationalist and a ‘Civil Liberties Fund’ would be seen as Unionist/Loyalist. An example of the type of funding awarded under this scheme is a small grant awarded by it represents the first money that the ‘Justice for the Forgotten’ group received. This group of victims and survivors of two bombing outrages used the grant to lobby for the recognition of their needs and demands for information and support. Their advocacy campaign worked and they are now receiving Government funding to enable them to raise awareness and provide support to the families affected by the bombings.

Other Social Justice programmes have engaged 90 local groups in work on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland while yet other programmes tackle exclusion and voicelessness. More than 100 groups are engaged in an action-learning programme ‘A Social Justice Approach to Community development’ where the issues of Power and Control are analysed within and between communities and with Agencies and Duty-bearers. Injustices – perceived or real – are tackled and relationships within and between communities enhanced.

Work with Young People
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland also recognizes the important contribution that young people make to a society coming out of conflict. They have funded many programmes to directly benefit young people including diversionary activities at times of heightened tensions, music and sporting activity and counselling and therapy programmes. However, an added dimension of our work is to recognize the contribution made by young people through supporting them to become decision-makers and advocates on their own behalf. As a result, we have developed several Youth Bank Projects across Northern Ireland to enable groups of young people to get together and administer small grant programmes directly thus developing the Youth Foundations of the future. This work has extended internationally with Youth Banks now established in regions of conflict across the world.

Pro-active Work with Excluded Communities
The Community Foundation for Northern Ireland also recognises that alongside the development of grant making programmes in the area of social justice and peacebuilding, there is the need to pro-actively support the development of work in communities that have been excluded or alienated through the impact of the conflict or as a result of discrimination. They, therefore, have developed Programmes such as Communities in Transition and The Creating Space for learning and Sharing Programme to animate and support work in approx. 80 communities across Northern Ireland where there was an absence of previous support or development. Their goal is to provide flexible and responsive support and resources to enable the communities to meet, talk and engage at local level, assess their needs and develop peace action programmes to empower them to change their situation.