£2.1 million funding programme launches its second year

Una McKernan, NICVA (front row, centre) and John Carson, IFI (front row) with representatives from Braniel Community Association, Centre for Health and Wellbeing, CARR Cavehill Antrim Road Regeneration, Croi Eanna (Glengormley), East Belfast Healthy Living Network, The Hubb Resources Centre, Lower Castlereagh Community Group, Newlodge Schools Cluster, Seaview Primary School PTA, St Matthew’s Parents’ Forum and Women’s Common Path Network, all of whom are accepted onto the Community Leadership Programme.

Una McKernan from NICVA commented:
 
“This is now the second year of this very successful programme. The first 27 groups have almost completed their training and learning and are showing lots of evidence of improved leadership skills”.

This Programme, delivered by NICVA, was launched in January 2009 and continues to offer exciting and innovative training and learning opportunities which strengthen the leadership capacity of community groups.  Year two of the Programme kicks off with a series of three roundtable events.  The first roundtable took place at the Ramada Hotel, Belfast on 4 March 2010, with the following groups from Belfast represented:

Braniel Community Association
Centre for Health and Wellbeing
CARR Cavehill Antrim Road Regeneration
Croi Eanna (Glengormley)
East Belfast Healthy Living Network
The Hubb Resources Centre
Lower Castlereagh Community Group
Newlodge Schools Cluster
Seaview Primary School PTA
St Matthew’s Parents’ Forum
Women’s Common Path Network
 
Each of these groups will have the opportunity to tailor a training programme to meet their specific needs and also receive a bursary of £2,500 to undertake a small project.
 
Joe McGuinness, principal of St Matthew’s Primary School, commented:
 
“The Parents' Forum are delighted to be accepted to the NICVA Community Leadership Programme. St Matthew's Parents' Forum has been established for 3 years and aims to provide opportunities for parents of school children to become active in their own community and interact with other communities. We feel that participation in the Community Leadership Programme can only strengthen the leadership capacity of our group”.

Recruitment for year three of the Programme will commence this summer so please contact NICVA if your community group is interested in participating.
 
For more information or comment, please contact Caroline Magee, Information and Communication Manager,
028 9087 7777 / 07721746805; email caroline.magee@nicva.org or visit www.communityleadershipprogramme.org


About NICVA
 
NICVA (Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action) is the representative and umbrella body for the entire voluntary and community sector of Northern Ireland. Its catchment area however extends beyond Northern Ireland due to strong working relationships with its sister organisations in the rest of the UK, and the umbrella body in the Republic of Ireland.
 
Since its inception in 1938 NICVA has been committed to social change and community development, acting as a catalyst to promote innovation and new approaches to targeting need.  NICVA works for justice, equality and dignity throughout society by promoting opportunities for community participation in the essential decisions that affect the lives of people in Northern Ireland.

About the International Fund for Ireland

The International Fund for Ireland is an international organisation established by the Irish and British Governments in 1986. The Fund’s main objectives are to promote economic and social advance and encourage contact, dialogue and reconciliation between unionists and nationalists throughout Ireland.

Contributors to the Fund are the United States of America, the European Union, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Since its inception, the Fund has committed more than £648m/€811m to a wide variety of projects in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. Developing and funding initiatives that tackle segregation and promote integration to build a lasting peace in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties is a key priority for the Fund.