Bridging the Gap: Practical strategies and methods of working with service communities and host communities within a society coming out of conflict in Northern Ireland Barry Fennell, Dr Alan Largey & Andy Simpson

Present situation Normalisation? Stability - Uncertainty Integration Building Relationships Normalisation? Stability - Uncertainty Integration Building Relationships

Context and location

Development of ‘pilot projects’ By establishing a partnership approach to local peace building between Co-operation Ireland and Army Welfare Service that will be developed as a model and basis for a regional cross-border, intercommunity network of relationships.

Our focus Services communities and their families who are permanently stationed within Northern Ireland Families living on these bases are excluded and marginalised This project aims to reconcile services communities with local indigenous communities Services communities and their families who are permanently stationed within Northern Ireland Families living on these bases are excluded and marginalised This project aims to reconcile services communities with local indigenous communities

Strategies Delivery of an agreed, ‘bottom up’ and active programme Significant contributions towards: Community engagement, civic activity, advocacy, research, Interaction and fostering of mutual understanding and reconciliation between communities that never existed before

Overview Promoting and developing ‘local capacity’ Facilitating shared experiences/learning Developing shared, practical and innovative opportunities Embedding the principles of inclusion, equality and respect for difference into the lives of those taking part Promoting acceptance and understanding of others Testing values and beliefs Promoting and developing ‘local capacity’ Facilitating shared experiences/learning Developing shared, practical and innovative opportunities Embedding the principles of inclusion, equality and respect for difference into the lives of those taking part Promoting acceptance and understanding of others Testing values and beliefs

Summary Challenges Participation Security situation and threats Aims and ethos of the project were endorsed by all participants Activities were universally welcomed A sense that project(s) needed to run for longer, but despite this participants felt that positive outcomes had emerged Challenges Participation Security situation and threats Aims and ethos of the project were endorsed by all participants Activities were universally welcomed A sense that project(s) needed to run for longer, but despite this participants felt that positive outcomes had emerged

“Do we have the wisdom and the courage to walk the path of peace?” Barack Obama

ThankyouThankyou Barry Fennell Dr Alan Largey Andy Simpson Barry Fennell Dr Alan Largey Andy Simpson