Corrymeela’s community programmes try to help the people of Northern Ireland return to a normal kind of life. Or, in many cases, help them to live a normal life for the first time. Many of the community groups come from interface areas where Catholics and Protestants live in close proximity to each other but on either side of peace walls. These groups have experienced some of the worst of the violence since 1969.
Adjusting to life where there is hope of a permanent end to conflict will require great understanding and tolerance, compromise from all and boundless strength and mutual support. Corrymeela works with a variety of groups. Some represent ex-prisoners and their families, both republican and loyalist; others have been formed by groups of residents who live near each other but who have been unable to live as neighbours for many years because of sectarian violence . All are trying to support their own members and to forge cross-community relationships.
What might be achieved Corrymeela’s work with community groups has diverse aims and objectives: -
To organise training and workshops to give people the confidence to initiate their own projects. Many members of the community groups are enthusiastic and committed but may lack experience or tend to overextend themselves. Groups like this can benefit from Corrymeela’s experience and objectivity as we work in partnership to empower them to plan their own future strategies and development plans.
To assist groups in setting up projects which meet the needs of prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families.
To establish a network of contacts between the leaders of groups on both sides of the community to facilitate the development of cross-community partnerships.
To encourage dialogue between the communities to break down long-held myths and begin to develop trusting relationships.
To help groups develop leadership and co-counselling skills among their members.
To assist in designing and developing family programmes in their centres.
To reduce feelings of marginalisation and encourage positive, co-operative relationships among ex-prisoners, their families and among families living in interface areas.
To strengthen the groups through single identity workshops that examine their political, social and cultural history and traditions.
Over the years Corrymeela has learned that before groups are ready to listen to the stories and sufferings of people from ‘the other side’ they must first be sure of and secure in their own identity. Single-identity workshops aim to strengthen the sense of community, reduce fears and then to emphasise and build on the similarities between the Catholic and Protestant traditions.
The Ballycastle Centre Corrymeela’s residential centre at Ballycastle, on the north coast of Northern Ireland, provides a safe and neutral environment for some of these community groups to meet. The residentials serve two main purposes: to give the groups a break and to give them a venue for discussions. It is very important that people living in these communities get away from their home environment occasionally. The families of prisoners, or ex-prisoners, for example, face many stresses, financial burdens and social stigmas. The families at the interface also live under extreme stresses, with outbreaks of violence often occurring literally in their backyards.
The Corrymeela centre offers the families a safe, restful place in which to relax and regroup. Staff and volunteers plan activities for parents and children, both alone and together. The residentials can help those staying with us feel less isolated because they can share time and stories with others experiencing similar troubles.
Future peace in Northern Ireland depends on the ability of people from diverse traditions to accommodate their differences and build on similarities. Likewise, peace depends on the successful re-integration of former prisoners into our society. Corrymeela works alongside these groups now to support them through the enormous changes occurring in Northern Ireland but hopes that, within a couple of years, the communities will have the experience and skills necessary to continue the work with minimal support from Corrymeela.