Smart Solutions for Developing Citizenship and Civic Pride in East Belfast

Community development work is often barely known to the general public, but is a cost-effective and flexible way of “making things work” in local communities. EBCDA’s work helps to set up groups, support local forums, organise events and activities, engage with decision-makers, in order to enable people in East Belfast to work together across organisational and community boundaries.

 Current work includes:

Community Support

• Provision of governance, funding and training advice to local groups 
• Monthly community workers' forum for information sharing and networking
• Action research projects in 5 neighbourhoods of East Belfast, with a further 2 being developed in 2011.
• Support and development of Inner East Forum (now in its 10th year) in partnership with East Belfast Mission
• Providing a de-jargoned understanding of Govt policy developments and changes that affect the community sector.
• Coordination of East Belfast-wide policy responses
• Provision of regular ebulletins and community newsletters
• Voter registration scheme for 2011 elections in partnership with the Northern Ireland Electoral Office
• Annual funding information fair for East Belfast community groups
• Providing an advocacy role on behalf of the sector in East Belfast

Community Resource and Finance

• Promoting good financial management practice in the community sector
• Financial management advice
• Finance training services
• Community accountancy service.

Volunteer development

• Promotion, recruitment, and support for volunteers across East Belfast
• Promotion of networking opportunities
• Advice on volunteer policies, volunteer rights and responsibilities

Health Development and Connections

• Lay health information workers volunteer programme
• Community health events across neighbourhoods
• Community pharmacy projects
• Work with men’s groups
• Delivery of health training
• Mental health lobbying and signposting support
• Support and promotion of East Belfast Survivors of Suicide Group
• Signposting service for individuals bereaved by suicide or “at-risk.”

CORE “Circle of Learning” programme

• Cross-border project aiming to ensure continuity of learning within communities by connecting those with experience and knowledge with those that are just starting out on the road of active citizenship, community organising and development, in partnership with Short Strand Community Forum and TOLKA Partnership in Finglas.

Templemore Avenue School/East Belfast Network Centre

• £4m regeneration and redevelopment of Templemore Avenue School as a Community Network Centre and acting as a catalyst for bringing life, and civic pride, back to the Templemore Avenue area of East Belfast.
  

People’s History Project - Templemore Avenue School

• An essential element of the Templemore Avenue project - pulling together reports, letters, photographs and the stories of people who attended the school as pupils or teachers or who were associated whilst it was operational as a school.  For permanent display when the Network Centre is operational.

Developing citizenship and civic pride is central to EBCDA’s mission to ensure the sustainability of a community sector in East Belfast that is recognised, valued and effective.