£2.1 million funding programme launches its second year (Derry)

Photo - Una McKernan, NICVA (standing, far left) and John Carson, IFI (sitting, middle) with representatives from each of the groups accepted onto the Community Leadership Programme, at the launch of year two in the Everglades Hotel in Derry, County Londonderry, on Thursday 25 March.

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, one of which was held in the Everglades Hotel in Derry on Thursday 25 March.  The groups who have been accepted onto the programme include:

• Bluestack Centre Drimarone - Drimorne, Co  Donegal  
• Bushmills Ulster Scots Heritage - Bushmills, Co  Antrim  
• Coolessan Community Association - Limavady, Co Londonderry  
• Dunclug  Youth Forum - Ballymena, Co  Antrim  
• Dunfanaghy Resource Association - Dunfanaghy, Co  Donegal  
• Lisanelly Regeneration Group - Omagh,  Tyrone  
• Rasharkin Women’s Group - Rasharkin, Co  Antrim

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 or 2,750 euro to undertake a small project.   Margaret McKittrick from Strathfoyle Community Association Ltd and a participant on year one of the Community Leadership Programme told year two groups:   "Without this Programme we would still be in the 1970's. We have made immense progress with the help of the CLP. Through this Programme we have developed existing skills and learnt new ones. Before the governance review and action learning sessions we were at sea and now we feel we have clear direction".

Recruitment for year three of the Programme will commence this summer so please contact NICVA if your community group is interested in participating.

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.