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 Home  > Community Capacity Building  > Community Empowerment Partnerships 

Empowerment Partnerships

There are currently 13 Community Empowerment Partnerships who work across North Belfast to benefit the lives of local people.  The partnerships deliver a number of programmes including:

  • community education
  • youth development and
  • sports, arts and culture.

Visit the following links for more information about the individual community empowerment partnerships:

  

  

Ardoyne & Marrowbone Community Empowerment Partnership (CEP)

This CEP is an area based partnership operating in a Catholic/Nationalist area

Council wards participating in the partnership in the include Ardoyne, Waterworks, Cliftonville, Glencairn and Woodvale

Mr Martin Walsh
Ardoyne CEP
Flax Centre
Belfast
BT14
Tel:02890 757525
Fax: 02890757425
email - focusgroup@ardoyne.org

Membership

Forty one groups are involved in this partnership. They are from the Ardoyne & Marrowbone areas plus 3 local schools. Other groups also help the membership including:

  • Ardoyne Youth Providers Forum,
  • Ardoyne Focus Group, and
  • Survivors of Trauma.

Activities and Themes

The Partnerships seek to develop community capacity building and empowerment initiatives in the local area. They will do this by providing a wide variety of programmes and engaging local people.

The community empowerment partnership has delivered a number of community-based programmes to support community capacity building. The programmes are focused on:

  • Community education
  • Community Life
  • Youth Development
  • Sports, Arts & Culture

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Citizen Youth Partnership Community Empowerment Partnership

This community empowerment partnership is not area based but operates throughout the North Belfast parliamentary constituency and particularly in areas of high social and economic deprivation.

This is a thematic community empowerment partnership is not area based but serving all ofoperates throughout the North Belfast parliamentary constituency and particularly in areas of high social and economic deprivation.

Contact:

Ms Joan Reid
Citizen Youth Partnership
Scout Association
109 Old Milltown Road
Belfast
BT8 7SP
Tel: 028 90492829

Membership

The lead partner of the CYP is Scoutlink. It encompasses the Scout Association of Ireland, Catholic Scouts of Ireland, Scout Association.

Expertise sharing is provided by BELB. BCC, North Belfast Sports Forum Belfast Scout Council and Down & Connor Regional Council

Activities and Themes

The partnership was formed on the foundation of an existing partnership of Scout Associations and other groups. This CEP specialises in seeking to develop citizenship through specified programmes ant to assist in helping promote good relations between communities. It also seeks to develop youth citizenship through a comprehensive programme of sport and other activities likely to attract participation by young people from all communities.

The Citizen Youth Partnership has been developed to promote the development of young people in achieving their full potential as individuals, as responsible citizens and as members of their local, national and international communities.

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Cliftonville Community Empowerment Partnership

Cliftonville CEP is an area based partnership operating in a Catholic/Nationalist area

The 3 main areas incorporated in the CEP are:

  • Greater Cliftonville;
  • Carrick Hill and
  • Little America/Glandore.

This serves 10% of the North Belfast Constituency.

Mr Manus Maguire
Cliftonville Community Empowerment Partnership
185 Cliftonpark Avenue
Belfast
BT14 6DT
Tel No: 02890749147
Fax No: 02890755532
email: ccrf@btconnect.com

Membership

There are around 12 groups participating from the Greater Cliftonville area including:

  • Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum;
  • Manor Street/Cliftonville Community Group;
  • Survivors of Trauma.

Activities and Themes

The aim of the Cliftonville

CEP is to encourage and empower their Community to work toward lasting change. This will improve the quality of life for everyone in North Belfast. It will also promote self-help and mutual respect to work for the social economic, physical and environmental regeneration of the Community.

The programmes which are delivered by the CEP aim to create a community which is open, accountable and sustainable. The community will work in partnership with statutory agencies, and the voluntary and business sectors to deliver the programmes which include:

  • community development training
  • communications programmes
  • urban regeneration strategy.

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Greater Ballysillan Community Empowerment Partnership

This CEP serves this mainly Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist area in Upper North Belfast.

Geographical Area

Ballysillan, Ligoniel & Cliftonville wards.

Covers Ballysillan, Glenbank, Sunningdale. The CEP is in the Belfast City Council area; covered by the Belfast Education & Library Board; and within the North & West Belfast Health & Social Services Trust.

Contacts :

Beverley Todd
c/o Ballysillan Community Forum
The Willowgrove Centre
913 Crumlin Road
Belfast
BT14 8AB
Tel: 028 9039 1272
email: bev.todd@gbcep.co.uk

Membership

At present there are 7 groups from across the area which participate as members of the CEP.

Activities and Themes


The Greater Ballysillan Community Empowerment Partnership is focused on targeting hard to reach groups across the area and creating a network for sharing information.

The CEP will deliver programmes which include:

  • Women in Leadership;
  • a local history programme;
  • Restorative Assistance Panels - training programme;
  • Peer Education;
  • Art & design Project;
  • Environmental Programme; and
  • Cultural Awareness.

The CEP will work with a range of service providers to ensure effective programme delivery.

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Greater Greencastle Community Empowerment Parthership

Greencastle CEP is an area based partnership operating in a Catholic/Nationalist area

The CEP incorporates a wide geographical area including the Greencastle, Whitewell, Bawnmore and Longlands Road . There is a particularly low level of positive community activity and little cohesion between groups in the area.

Contacts:

Mr Seamus Kelly
Greater Greencastle Community Empowerment Partnership
878 Shore Road
Newtownabbey
BT36 7DQ
Tel No:028 9085 9911
email: seamus@greencastlecep.org

Membership

The partnership has 9 participating groups drawn from the local area and including representatives of:

  • youth, community,
  • residents and
  • church organisations, such as, Greencastle Community Festival, Greencastle Community Association, and Millgreen Youth Club.

Activities and Themes

The key thrust of the CEP is to build community capacity from a low base by increasing community involvement, influence decision-making, involve young people and work in partnership with all relevant bodies (these are not exclusive).

Proposed activities include ICT training for local people; a doorstep survey; publication of new sheets, community action events and exploring scope for activities supported through a community chest

  • A number of key themes including defining a strategy, widening community development, improving communication, networking and supporting youth are to be developed for future programmes.

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Greater New Lodge Community Empowerment Partnership

Greater New lodge CEP is an area based partnership operating in a Catholic/Nationalist area.

The partnership focuses on developing communities and capacity building in the Greater New Lodge area which encompasses:

  • Duncairn,
  • Lower Antrim Road,
  • New Lodge,
  • Lower North Queen street and
  • Newington

Mr Paul Roberts
Greater New Lodge Community Empowerment Partnership
Ashton Centre
5 Churchill Street
Belfast BT15 2BP
Tel: 028 90202400

Membership

The lead partner is the Ashton Community Trust; and the CEP has active participating membership in the form of advice and expertise sharing from 30 local organisations including voluntary groups and community enterprises. There are also established links to statutory agencies.

Activities and Themes

The aim of this CEP is to develop community empowerment through developing and delivering a wide variety of activities and programmes in the local area.

A number of the programmes delivered focus on youth development. and the Ashton Centre as the lead partner is building upon extensive experience in a wide variety of community and social economy activities.

The CEP seeks to develop a community empowerment infrastructure in a largely Nationalist area through communications mechanisms such as outreach focus groups, workshops and public meetings

The CEP will build on 2003/2004 activity in areas such as:

  • Vision/Strategy
  • Community Involvement
  • Communication
  • Policy and Decision Making
  • Networking
  • Youth
  • Evaluation

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Ligoniel Community Empowerment Partnership

This is a community led partnership serving a particular area that has suffered from acute deprivation, conflict and unrest.

Geographical Area

The CEP operates through Ligoniel Village and small ares of Cliftonville.

Contacts:

Maria Morgan
Ligoniel Village Regeneration Empowerment Project
Wolfhill Centre
148 Ligoniel Road
Belfast BT14 8DT
028 90391225

Membership

The membership comprises Ligoniel Improvement Association and the member groups of the Ligoniel Village Regeneration Partnership.

The focus of this CEP is to deliver specific capacity building activities across a range of themes including supporting, encouraging and strengthening relationships to enable individuals, groups, organisations and networks to contribute towards the overall regeneration of the area.

This includes Community Development, Communication & Information, Bringing People Together, Social Economy Strands, Regeneration Development; and Health

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Lower North Belfast Community Empowerment Partnership

This CEP serves the mainly Protestant/Unionist area of Lower North Belfast

Geographical Area

This CEP operates in the:

  • Lower North Belfast area
  • Tigers Bay ,
  • Duncairn,
  • Shore Rd ,
  • Mt Vernon, also
  • Bellevue and
  • Waterworks

The CEP is in the Belfast City Council area; covered by the Belfast Education & Library Board; and within the North & West Belfast Health & Social Services Trust.

Membership

A range of community and voluntary groups, churches and schools are committed to developing this partnership. At present, there are approximately 57 member-groups from across the area

Activities and Themes

A key role for this partnership will be to act as a catalyst for community capacity building through increased empowerment / development / networking in area. CEP will work to develop stronger relationships among community groups in the area and undertake a range of support services and programmes for local people.

The CEP will develop and pilot a scheme of 'mobile creche provision' to provide support to parents wishing to access training opportunities; support youth development; community education & training; community capacity building; and address the needs of the elderly. The CEP also seeks to bridge relationship problems among unionist groups in the area.

To maximise the impact of the proposed programmes the CEP has sought to identify a number of statutory, community and voluntary sector partners and service providers to support programme delivery.

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North Belfast Developing Leadership Initiative

This CEP focusing on developing leadership and supporting peace building initiatives

Geographical Area

All North Belfast wards including the Newtownabbey Wards of Dunanney, Coole, Whitehouse and Valley.

  • Belfast City Council Area,
  • Belfast Education & Library Board
  • North & West Belfast Health & Social Services Trust.

The Newtownabbey wards are covered by

  • Newtownabbey Borough Council,
  • North Eastern Education & Library Board and
  • Home First Trust.

Contact:

Mr John Loughran
Intercomm
290 Antrim Road
Belfast
BT15 5AA
028 90352165

Membership

The partnership members include:

  • De Bono Foundation,
  • Intercomm, LINC Resource Centre,
  • Future Ways at UU,
  • Stanford Centre for Conflict and Negotiation.
  • Member groups of both Intercomm; and
  • LINC

Activities and Themes

This CEP specialises in peace-building and conflict intervention through a leadership development programme, operating from a training centre on the Antrim Road.

It is a partnership which is representative of both main traditions and incorporates work by the De Bono Institute.

The CEP has identified a key need to develop leadership and innovation to support peace-building and other community-led developments. The CEP is to deliver a detailed programme of activities as set out in their calendar of programme of events

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North Belfast Independent Advice Partnership

This is a cross community CEP servicing all of North Belfast

Geographical Area

This operates throughout the North Belfast parliamentary constituency but in particular in areas of high social and economic deprivation that lack community services and cohesion

Contacts:

Mr Ian Crozier
The Castleton Centre
30-42 York Road
Belfast BT15 3HE
Tel: 02890 288887

Maria Morgan
Wolfhill Centre
148 Ligoniel Road
BT 14 8DT
Tel: 02890 391225

Membership

The partnership has eight main partners:

  • Tar Isteach,
  • Ballysillan Community Forum,
  • The Ashton Community Trust,
  • Ligoniel Improvement Association,
  • Lower North Belfast Community Council,
  • The Vine Centre,
  • Ardoyne Association,
  • Cliftonville Community Group

Each organisation is responsible for recruitment of their staff/advice workers and play an important role in developing the CEP and in promoting involvement of other groups in the community

Activities and Themes


The North Belfast Advice Partnership is a cross community initiative that will empower communities in North Belfast by developing an advice service for local people and using the extended network of partners to plan and provide outreach services to needy groups.

The partnership plans to enhance current Advice provision by delivering additional advisory services and to tackle disadvantage by arranging follow-up outreach activities.

This partnership will increase awareness of entitlements and generate capacity building activities through providing information, training and consequently promoting confidence building.

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Rathcoole Community Empowerment Partnership

This is an area based CEP operating in the Protestant/Unionist Rathcoole district.

Contact:

Mr Victor Robinson
The Community Development Agency
Newtownabbey
Tel: 90838088

Ms. Elspeth Warke
Dunnanney Centre
The Diamond
Rathcoole
Tel: 90861941

Membership


The group has ongoing participation from several community, youth sports and church groups.

Activities and Themes

This CEP covers a weak community and wants to empower local people through a programme of community education. The CEP has operated a limited youth development project while preparing the CEP bid. Development of the CEP has not been as successful as would have been hoped. . However a programme has been agreed with 2 lead partners to deliver future programmes.

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Upper Ardoyne Community Empowerment Partnership

This CEP serves the mainly Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist area Glenbryn in North Belfast .

Contact


Brian Kingston
Partnership Co-ordinator
c/o Wheatfield Primary School
Alliance Road
Belfast
BT14 7JE
Tel: (028) 9072 9200
email: uacp@ukonline.co.uk

Geographical Area

The CEP covers

  • Ardoyne,
  • Clitfonville and
  • Ligoniel wards.

which inludes

  • Glenbryn,
  • Wheatfield,
  • Alliance and The CEP is in the Belfast City Council area;
  • covered by the Belfast Education & Library Board;
  • and within the North & West Belfast Health & Social Services Trust.

Membership


Approximately 10 member groups from across the area including a range of community and voluntary groups, local churches and the local primary school are committed to developing this partnership.

Activities and Themes

This partnership is about big-picture planning and facilitating action rather than doing small-scale activities that remain the role of individual groups. The CEP will deliver programmes which include capacity building for the committee; community development; workshops & classes - informal education opportunities; youth development - health/sport/well-being; programmes to enhance employability; cultural development; mediation/negotiation skills; support for school-based activity; and community relations training.

The CEP will work with a range of service providers to ensure effective programme delivery.

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Upper North Belfast Community Empowerment Partnership

This CEP serves the mainly Protestant/Unionist area in pockets of Upper North Belfast

Geographical Area

Upper and mid-North Belfast - Crumlin Ward (No.1 most deprived in Northern Ireland ).

Covers parts of Upper Ardoyne/Glenbryn and Ballysillan, Twaddell/Woodvale, Lower and mid-Shankill

The CEP is in the Belfast City Council area; covered by the Belfast Education & Library Board; and within the North & West Belfast Health & Social Services Trust.

Contact

Ms Ruth Moore
Upper North Belfast Community Empowerment Partnership
Oldpark Library
46 Oldpark Road
Belfast BT14 6FF
Tel: 028 90748060

Membership

Approximately 57 member groups including a range of community and voluntary groups, churches and schools are committed to developing this partnership.

Activities and Themes


The key role of this CEP is to strengthen community capacity by improving communications among local groups, developing community services and providing outreach/funding advice for community groups.

The CEP will deliver programmes which include supporting effective community group organization; a community mentoring scheme; cultural history programmes; youth development activities; and programmes to stimulate community involvement.

To maximise the impact of the proposed programmes the CEP will identify a number of statutory, community and voluntary sector partners and service providers to support programme delivery.

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