Corrymeela About

Corrymeela

About

In our increasingly divided world, we support thousands of people from different backgrounds to live well together.

Our vision is that by 2025 we will have contributed towards a more cohesive and hope–filled society by welcoming thousands of people into courageous conversations, which deepen our respect for each other so we can live well together.

 To deliver our vision we focus on 4 key areas:


1. Repairing Relationships

Every year we support around 7,500 people, who are mainly from marginalised communities, to explore difference and discover ways to live well together.

The Big Momas Group supports mums who have struggled to parent their young people in the face of challenges such as drugs and para–militarism in West Belfast. We supported them to deepen their relationships and continue their learning together.

Watch this short film to see how we supported the Big Momas to deepen their relationships and continue their learning together.

 

Our Belfast and the World course explored the significant centenaries in Ireland during the 1912 – 1921 period and sought to remember the past in a shared and ethical way. Our participants comprised of a truly cross–community cohort across Belfast. One participant said “The project gave us more confidence to talk about our identities.”. Another commented, “It helped me understand my own history, as we weren’t taught it in school.” and another said “I now have more understanding and empathy with the other side of the community.” 

Watch this short film (produced by Belfast City Council) and discover more about how we’re working towards building a better future: 



2. Nurturing Cohesive Leadership

We support hundreds of leaders each year to work in cohesive ways which benefit wider society.   

One of the frontline leaders we recently welcomed was Amy from Monkstown Boxing Club, which provides pioneering education and youth support programmes for local young people, many of whom are coping with drugs and alcohol misuse, challenging family backgrounds and the influence of paramilitaries. The Corrymeela team facilitated conversations to help Amy and her team reflect on the past year and explore how they can move forward enriched, both personally and professionally. “It was great to take some time out to reflect and see how far we’ve come and explore how to sustain ourselves and our projects going forward” says Amy. “We’re all going home a lot lighter, happier and refreshed”

Watch our inspiring film and discover how we are continuing to sustain hope in exhausted frontline workers like Amy:



3. Building Movements

At our heart is a growing community of people committed to living well with others.

community
Our Community includes nearly 190 members who are dispersed across the island of Ireland and beyond. Members commit themselves each year to relationships that overcome divisions of ‘us and them’ so we can discover a better ‘we’.

You can find out more about the membership here.

volunteers

Over the years, we have also supported hundreds of residential volunteers in developing peacebuilding skills which they now use in their day–to–day lives around the world.

You can find out more about our Horizons volunteer programme here.

 

podcast

We are also developing ways to build online communities, so we can support each other to live well together wherever we live.

Thousands of people around the world have downloaded episodes of the Corrymeela Podcast, which has featured guests including U2’s The Edge and Former Irish President Mary McAleese.

You can download episodes of the podcast hereor search for the podcast on your favourite podcast streaming service.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn.




4. Being Sustainable

We are always working towards becoming more and more sustainable.

People

One way we do this is by supporting our amazing staff team to develop personally and professionally.

When Róisín began as a trainee in our kitchen, her confidence was at an all–time low. We welcomed her, and she soon began to thrive with the support of Head Chef, William. Watch their inspiring film below:


Planet

As a charity, we are committed to operating in as ecologically sustainable way as possible. We already use a number of renewable energy sources at our Centre and are currently evaluating how we can become more sustainable going forward.

turbine

Not–for–profit

We are a charity which generates income from grants, supporters and guests who stay at our centre.

You can help us become more financially sustainable by donating here. Or you can book a group to stay at our beautiful Ballycastle Centre here.