Peace Ii Programme

Peace II Programme

In recent times, the Strabane Local Strategy Partnership’s main operational role, as a EU Implementing Body, has been to administer European Union grant aid under Measures 3.1 and 3.2 of the EU Peace II Programme.

Reasons For The Peace II Programme

Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland faced a significant challenge in supporting and reinforcing progress towards a more peaceful and stable society. The fundamental rationale for the Peace II Programme was to support that transformation by supporting actions on both sides of the border, which addressed the legacy of conflict over the past 30 years and took full advantage of the new opportunities arising from Peace.

Strabane LSP Peace II Action Plan

An Action Plan was developed by Strabane LSP as part of its role as an Implementing Body for Priority 3 of the Peace II Programme – Locally Based

Regeneration and Development Strategies. The central purpose of the plan was to help achieve the overall aim of the Peace programme which was to “reinforce progress towards a peaceful and stable society and to promote reconciliation” and, in particular, to meet the aims and objectives of:

Measure 3.1 Local Economic Initiatives for Developing the Social Economy
Measure 3.2 Locally Based Human Resource, Training and Development Strategies

The Action Plan’s Strategic Priorities

Eight strategic priorities were created to ensure that the framework could meet the aims and objectives of Measures 3.1 & 3.2. They are as follows:

Strategic Priorities

Developing the Social Economy
Developing Skills for the Social Economy/Skills Capacity Programmes
Equal Opportunities for all in Accessing the Labour Market
Adaptability and Entrepreneurship
Investing in the Rural Economy
Urban and Rural Neighbourhood Renewal
Culture, Arts and Leisure
Leadership

Based on the above priorities, the Action Plan focused on the social, economic and peace-building actions required to stimulate and develop the local social economy and support the development of a skilled workforce capable of seizing new job opportunities both locally and regionally.

(1) Developing the Social Economy

Under the Peace II Action Plan £596,632 was distributed to 21 projects. The financial support provided ranged from small grants of up to larger grants for the creation of new workspace accommodation.

(2) Developing Skills For The Social Economy/Skills Capacity Programmes

The primary objectives of this priority are to:

Enhance local community capacity to develop/manage social economy projects.

Enable individuals and local businesses to capitalise on new employment and business opportunities.

In total £375,832 was allocated to this priority. The largest of the projects funded was the Strabane Skills Development Programme (£228,337) which enabled local SMEs and Social Economy Enterprises to access financial support towards the implementation of Company training plans. Similarly, the Leading Communities programme provided up to 12 months mentoring support in a variety of business disciplines to 20 community based organisations, which are operating or intend to operate Social Economy businesses.

(3) Equal Opportunities for all in accessing the Labour Market

Six projects received £241,129 to provide education and training support to priority target groups such as women returnees, ex members of the security forces, victims, people with disabilities and young people. The funding delivered through this priority helped New Horizons Partnership to establish the Old Schoolhouse café, which provided learning disabled participants with the opportunity to use their learned skills within a realistic working environment.

(4) Adaptability and Entrepreneurship

The core purpose of this priority was to help SMEs improve their business performance and, to this end, the LSP has invested a total of £122,889 in three training projects delivered by Business in the Community, International Business Centre and Strabane Enterprise Agency. One of these, the Trade Links Programme run by the International Business Centre, has supported 13 local businesses to create and grow their export potential.

(5) Investing in the Rural Economy

The above priority has been less successful than others as it was only able to fund two out of three indicative actions. The LSP provided £139,596 to establish a farmers’ co-operative and provide innovative programmes, which focused on next generation farmers. To date the Forum has established a farmers market, provided a range of training programmes, and helped to establish 2 new groups.

(6) Urban and Rural Neighbourhood Renewal

One of the two indicative actions for this priority was funded – the Riverside Enhancement Scheme. Under this action £84,142 was awarded to Strabane Lifford Angling Development Association to physically enhance a one-mile stretch of the River Mourne that included facilities for disabled anglers.

(7) Culture, Arts and Leisure: Programmes for All

Under this priority the LSP has provided a total of £200,000 to Strabane District Council to deliver Arts and Sports programmes which will contribute to the development of the local social economy and provide training and qualifications which will improve individuals employability in arts and sports related fields. To date this funding has helped to establish 2 resource collectives and provide training for 202 people.

(8) Leadership

The main purpose of this priority was to enable Strabane Local Strategy Partnership to develop it’s leadership capacity, not only in the PEACE II context of developing the social economy and delivering training and development strategies, but also in the context of influencing decision making locally and regionally in relation to local priorities. The resulting Leadership project, which is co-funded by the PEACE II programme and Strabane District Council, aims to provide the LSP with an effective community planning and research and evaluation capability as well as providing a funding advice and support service designed to maximise funding opportunities from EU, national and regional sources. In terms of helping the district to lever additional funding, the project has been very successful with £2.9million being raised as a direct result of the funding advice and support service.

Peace II Extension Programme

The Peace II Extension Programme continued the Strabane Local Strategy Partnerships role as distributor of funding for the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation for Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. Under the Measure 3.1 – Local Economic Initiatives For Developing Local Communities, the programme would allocate a further £681,530 to the Strabane area. The Local Strategy Partnership offered funding under two programmes – the Community Programme for Development and Reconciliation and the Sustainability Programme. The budget allocation was £408,918 for the Community Programme and £272,612 for the Sustainability Programme.

(1) Community Programme

The Community Programme for Development and Reconciliation aimed to further reconciliation and target social need by facilitating collaboration and negotiation between groups in neighbouring areas and town lands and between groups working on similar issues across the District. As an example of the Community Programme, the Drummond Centre Project has 4 child-care groups in the Donemana area working together to improve the quality of life of the communities in which they work. The project aims to further strengthen community participation through greater integration, leading to a reduction in duplication of services, as the 4 child-care groups would be operating as a single cohesive unit and not as 4 individual groups. The project cost has been estimated at £27,710.

(2) Sustainability Programme

The Sustainability Programme’s primary aim was to contribute to the sustainability of local communities by supporting the social economy, improving management and governance within the community and voluntary sector and developing the quality of services provided by community and voluntary groups. As an example of the Sustainability Programme, Strabane District Council and Sion Swifts are working in conjunction to Regenerate Ballyfatton Park. The project aims to re-develop the once derelict site into a modern sports facility. Once completed Ballyfatten Park will provide a range of participants with access to physical activities that will improve health and well being in the community and reduce anti social behaviour. Overall, £79,646 was allocated to the Regeneration of Ballyfatten Park.

The table below outlines how Peace Two Extension Funds were subdivided for

Strabane District Council.

AREA

Approximate % of funding per area*

Strabane Town

44%

£299,873

Castlederg area

Glenderg

Clare

Castlederg

22%

£149,936

Artigarvan

Slievekirk

Dunamanagh

12%

£81,783

Finn

Sion Mills

Victoria Bridge

13%

£88,599

Plumbridge

Newtownstewart

£61,339

TOTAL

£681,530

For Further Information on the Peace II

Programme or any of the projects involved

contact:

Patrick O’Doherty
Programmes Manager

Strabane Local Strategy Partnership
47 Derry Road
Strabane
BT82 8DY

Tel: 02871 381309 - Ext 230

Fax: 02871 381346
Email: slsp@strabanedc.com