Building shared communities and supporting good relations work within those communities has been a big focus for Apex Housing Association over the last few years. This work has been supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s Housing for All shared housing programme.
The programme has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.
For more information about the Housing for All programme, visit the Department for Communities website.
4 Corners Festival is premiering its Visions Of Our City video from the 2023 festival.
Earlier this year, the Festival partnered with Ulster University to bring together young people from all ‘corners’ of Belfast to explore their dreams for the city. This video showcases their experience of the event.
Award-winning photographer Mal McCann (Irish News) led workshops in smartphone photography before the sixth form students had the chance to work in groups and capture images that represent their collective vision for Belfast. A selection of the photos produced can be viewed on the Festival’s website.
Now approaching its 12th year, the 4 Corners Festival was conceived as a way to inspire people from across the city to transform it for the peace and wellbeing of all, featuring a range of art, music, discussion, sport and faith-based events.
Co-founder, Father Martin Magill: “A key part of 4 Corners Festival each year is our encouragement to develop new relationships. It was great to see how the young people got on so well with one another during our first event”.
This event was funded by The Northern Ireland Executive’s Central Good Relations Fund.
T:BUC Young Ambassadors embraced ‘Change Starts with Us’ by participating in a beach clean at Browns Bay in Islandmagee during Good Relations Week 2022 to help reduce the impact of litter and other environmental damage to the area.
The project provided young people with opportunities to learn about environmental issues and help build positive relations among the participants.
Visit www.goodrelationsweek.com #GRW22
Check out this video to learn more about the beach clean: https://fb.watch/fORUcqgEoA/
‘Change Starts with Us’ and the Cornfield Project in Coleraine is an amazing regeneration project that has transformed an unloved area of land, between two communities, into a thriving nature zone with widespread environmental activities. This exciting space benefits residents by bringing them together in the great outdoors to tackle issues such as segregation, low employment and health.
Good Relations Week 2022 is running until Monday 26th September with a colourful programme of over 250 community focused events across the region based on the ‘Change Starts with Us’ theme.
Visit www.goodrelationsweek.com for the 2022 event listings #GRW22
Check out this video to learn more about the Cornfield Project: https://fb.watch/fOylVRuras/
The Timorese Association Inclusive Support (TAIS) uses the power of football to ensure that ‘Change Starts With Us’ as it helps Timorese people integrate within communities across Mid Ulster. The community football project helps the local Timorese break down barriers with people from a diverse range of backgrounds.
Good Relations Week 2022 is running until Monday 26th September with a colourful programme of over 250 community focused events across the region based on the ‘Change Starts with Us’ theme.
Visit www.goodrelationsweek.com for the 2022 event listings #GRW22
Check out this video to learn more about TAIS Community Football Project: https://fb.watch/fOyi49KeD1/
On 15 July, we assembled over 150 delegates in the ICC, Belfast with one aim: inspiring and enabling climate action from Northern Ireland’s community groups.
To that end, we invited guest speakers from other community groups to share their top tips for climate action, put on workshops, and created a Sustainably Marketplace to facilitate ideas sharing and networking opportunities.
In the lead up to the event, we also kickstarted community climate action by working with 10 local groups on a pilot project. We showed the progress to date with our summit delegates.
Watch the video and feel inspired by local community projects that are tackling the climate emergency.
The T:BUC Trees project demonstrates to future generations that ‘Change Starts with Us’ by providing young people with opportunities to learn about the environment and plant trees to play a role in combatting the global issue. The project has had over 100 young people plant over 600 trees across the region.
Good Relations Week 2022 is running from Tuesday 20th to Monday 26th September with a colourful programme of over 250 community focused events across the region based on the ‘Change Starts with Us’ theme.
Visit www.goodrelationsweek.com for the 2022 event listings #GRW22
Check out this video to learn more! https://fb.watch/fI9gzIuKi5/
‘Change Starts with Us’ and The Rainbow Project is helping to build a shared and sustainable future for all by tackling important issues impacting LGBTQIA+ people across the region. The project is breaking down barriers a to improve the physical, mental & emotional health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex and asexual people and their families.
Good Relations Week 2022 is running from Tuesday 20th to Monday 26th September with a colourful programme of over 250 community focused events across the region based on the ‘Change Starts with Us’ theme.
Visit www.goodrelationsweek.com for the 2022 event listings #GRW22
Check out the video to learn more! https://fb.watch/fI9hAmaB3l/
The ‘Youth in Action’ programme, an inspiring Good Relations youth programme empowering young people to become the leaders of tomorrow, was delivered in partnership with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation. It focussed on tackling inequality, racism and sectarianism through accredited leadership, skills and vocational training, and ensured that everyone feels they belong in a district that is welcoming, shared and inclusive.
Twenty seven young people of different age and gender, from across the community and the district participated in this unique youth programme. It included an online and face-to-face training as well as a cross-border football tournament.
During the programme, the participants had the opportunity to learn practical youth leadership and sports coaching skills, explore mental health and resilience, experiment with film-making, meet influencers like former Chelsea FC star, Paul Canoville, and Northern Ireland international, Ashley Hutton, make new friendships and gain the confidence to be the next generation of youth leaders.