Northern Ireland Community Relations Council - About Us - News - RDC Integrating Communities programme reopens

21 September 2010

The Northern Ireland Rural Development Council (RDC) is delighted to announce the re-opening of the ‘Integrating Communities’ programme.

‘Integrating Communities’ is a programme of support managed by the RDC and funded by the International Fund for Ireland. It is designed to facilitate community organisations that wish to co operate on a cross community basis to work on issues of common interest.

The programme will target up to 46 community organisations willing to work in partnership from across Northern Ireland and the border counties. It will provide a range of training, mentoring and support to help groups develop their respective partnerships (approximately 23 partnerships) with a view to then jointly delivering a small project.

Groups accepted onto the programme will work towards building stronger community relations, challenging segregation and misconceptions and facilitating their communities to come together with those whom previously they may not have engaged with, as a result of the conflict.

Following completion of the above support activities, small grants of up to a maximum of £5,000/€6,000 will be available to partnered organisations to implement a small project which will benefit both their communities.

Partners who successfully complete the programme will then have the opportunity to submit a further joint project application for consideration by the International Fund for Ireland. This will build on the outcomes of the small project and must include a strong, active and sustainable reconciliation aspect. Funding for the larger projects will be capped at £100,000 and groups must be in a position to make a 5% community contribution.

The programme is now open and RDC would encourage communities interested in making an application to contact the Integrating communities programme staff for further information:

Yvonne Breen, John Kelly or Kirsty Lancashire

Tel: +44 (0)28 8676 6980

Email: klancashire@rdc.org.uk

Website: www.rdc.org.uk/integrating