the role of community development - rural community network of cd in rural... · rural community...

The role of

Ann McGeeneyKathy Walsh

February 2013

communitydevelopment in rural peace building

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 12 What is Community Development? 33 Peace building in rural areas 104 The role of community development in rural peace building 125 Community development and rural peace building in practice 136 Conclusions and Recommendations 19

1The role of community development in rural peace building

Rural Community Network (RCN) is theleading regional, voluntary organisationfor rural communities in Northern Ireland,established by community organisations in1991. Its vision is of vibrant, articulate,inclusive and sustainable ruralcommunities across Northern Ireland.

The Rural Enabler Programme (REP) wasestablished in 2010 ‘to address issues ofsectarianism, racism, social exclusion and allother forms of rural inequality throughchallenging the status-quo, assisting, supportingand creating the space for local communitiesand rural institutions to identify the fears ofreconciliation and anti-racism work’.

It was funded through the PEACE IIIProgramme and involved a unique cross borderpartnership between Rural Community Network(as the Lead Partner), Irish Rural Link (IRL), the Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment (DARD) in Northern Ireland andthe Department of Environment, Communityand Local Government (DECLG) in theRepublic of Ireland.

The Programme was implemented by a team of Rural Enablers working in each of the sixcounties north and south of the border and oneRural Enabler working directly with thoseInstitutions which play a key role in ruralcommunities including the Orange Order, theGaelic Athletic Association (GAA), the Young

Farmers’ Clubs of Ulster and the variouschurches. Overall the Programme wasmanaged by a Programme Co-ordinator basednorth of the border and an Assistant ProgrammeCo-ordinator based in the southern bordercounties.

Each county established a Sub-regionalAdvisory Group (SAG) comprising those with astatutory remit for social inclusion and goodrelations including PEACE III and GoodRelations Officers where they existed, thePolice Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) andAn Garda Síochána. The SAGs also includedkey peace builders at this local county level.Each SAG supported the work of theProgramme through the sharing of key localinformation and resources, promotingcollaborative working among all sectors and italso provided the opportunity to influence localpolicy. Members of these groups acted asinfluencers for change and sustainability withintheir own individual contexts, as well as beyondthe life of the Rural Enabler Programme.

Paper PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to document andshare the learning arising from the RuralEnabler Programme in relation to the role ofcommunity development in rural peace building.

Introduction1

2 The role of community development in rural peace building

MethodologyThe paper was prepared based on analysis ofcommunity development policy on both sides ofthe border, coupled with a range of reportsproduced by the Rural Enabler Programmeduring the course of their experience andpractice, as well as consultations with individualRural Enablers.

The Target AudienceThere are a number of key audiences for thispaper including:

• Local community groups which are activelypromoting peace building in rural settings aswell as communities and groups who may bethinking of engaging in peace building andgood relations work locally

• National and regional organisations promotingthe adoption and implementation of peacebuilding approaches, for example, theCommunity Relations Council (CRC);Community Foundation for Northern Ireland(CFNI); the Glencree Centre for Peace andReconciliation in the Republic of Ireland; andCo-operation Ireland on a cross border basis

• Various local and regional supportorganisations/institutions including cultural,sporting and farming bodies as well as faithbased organisations

• Policy makers and programme developers – at local, regional and national levels includingkey local authority, government departmentand cross border body personnel


The 2004 Budapest Declaration: BuildingEuropean Civil Society through CommunityDevelopment (p.2) defined communitydevelopment in the following terms:

‘as a way of strengthening civil society byprioritising the action of communities, and theirperspectives in the development of social,economic and environmental policy. It seeks theempowerment of local communities, taken tomean both geographical communities andcommunities of interest or identity andcommunities organising around specific themesor policy initiatives. It strengthens the capacityof people as active citizens through theircommunity groups, organisations and networksand the capacity of institutions and agencies(public, private and non-governmental) to workin dialogue with citizens to shape and determinechange in their communities. It plays a crucialrole in supporting active democratic life bypromoting the autonomous voice of thedisadvantaged and vulnerable communities’.

In a Northern Ireland context, communitydevelopment1 has been described as:a long-term value based process which aims toaddress imbalances in power and bring aboutchange founded on social justice, equality andinclusion’.

From a Republic of Ireland perspective, theformer Combat Poverty Agency2 also definedcommunity development as a process

‘whereby those who are marginalised andexcluded are enabled to gain in self-confidence,to join with others and to participate in actions tochange their situation and to tackle theproblems that face their community’.

While the definitions of community developmentmay differ somewhat, there is generally broadagreement in relation to how it works in regardto enabling people to organise and worktogether to:

• Identify their own needs and aspirations

• Take action to exert influence on the decisionswhich affect their lives

• Improve the quality of their own lives, thecommunities in which they live and societies ofwhich they are a part

Community development can be applied in bothrural and urban contexts given that it supportsthe establishment of strong communities thatcontrol and use assets to promote social justiceand help improve the quality of community life.It also very importantly enables community andpublic agencies to work together to improve thequality of government.

This paper focuses on its application in ruralareas and with/by rural communities based onthe understanding that good communitydevelopment relates to action(s) that helppeople to recognise and develop their abilityand potential and organise themselves torespond to problems and needs which theyshare3.

What is Community Development?2

1 RCN (2012); Strategic Framework for Community Development for Northern Ireland. RCN supported by the Building Change Trust2 Motherway, B; (2006) The Role of Community Development in Tackling Poverty in Ireland – A Literature Review for the Combat Poverty Agency, Dublin3 Scottish Community Development Centre (2012); www. http://www.scdc.org.uk/who/what-is-community-development/


Values and Principles of CommunityDevelopmentAs stated earlier in this paper the Rural EnablerProgramme operated in six counties of NorthernIreland and the six counties of the border region.Given the regionality of the Programme thecommunity development process used by theRural Enablers was mindful of the separate but notentirely different definitions of communitydevelopment within each of the respective regions.

In Northern Ireland the key values and principles ofcommunity development4 are described as follows:

• Equality and anti-discrimination – practicewhich acknowledges where there is inequality anddiscrimination and rejects and challenges any formof it; supports and develops anti-oppressivepolicies and practices; respects, values, supportsand promotes the value of difference and diversity;acknowledges the diverse nature of society andchallenges the exclusion of marginalisedcommunities and minorities.

• Social justice – practice which recognises thatsocial justice incorporates environmental, political,cultural and economic justice; challengesinequalities and power differences; values diversityof experience; promotes human and civil rightsand responsibilities; challenges the underlyingcauses, and effects, of structural powerimbalances and makes the link between local,societal and global contexts all toward the longterm goal of a more equal, inclusive and non-sectarian society.

• Collective action – practice which encouragesthe active participation of people withincommunities; supports the rights ofcommunities to organise, access support andtake action; respects the rights of others whenplanning collective action; empowerscommunities to recognise and acknowledgetheir existing skills, knowledge and expertise;uses the power of the collective voice and ofcollective action and recognises the wealth ofcreative and positive resources present within

communities with a view to encouragingindividuals and their communities to organise,influence and take action.

• Community empowerment – practice whichpromotes the rights of communities to definethemselves, their priorities and agendas foraction; encourages an understanding andcommitment to the long term nature ofcommunity development practice; promotesthe rights of communities to be consulted,involved in, and influence decision making thataffects their lives; promotes accountability andtransparency; promotes co-operation as ameans of connecting and strengtheningcommunities; uses research to supportcommunities in determining needs as a basisfor influencing all with a view to instillingconfidence amongst individuals to definethemselves, their priorities and agendas foraction.

• Working and learning together/participation – practice which recognises,shares and values skills, knowledge andexperience: promotes empowerment throughbuilding on existing knowledge and skills;creates opportunities for collective learningthrough shared reflection on action;encourages reflection on own practice, valuesand beliefs: uses analysis and evaluation toinform future action; promotes learning fromthe experiences of communities locally,nationally and globally all with a view tocommunities and others collectively bringingabout change.

In support of these principles, the CommunityDevelopment National Occupational Standards(CDNOS)5 promotes the concept of a number ofcore objectives which should underpincommunity development work includingintegrity, competence, personal awareness,empathy, dependability, sensitivity and respect,discretion, openness, flexibility, commitment tochange, equality and inclusion, politicalconsciousness and environmental awareness.

4 These values and principles draw heavily on the Community Development National Occupational Standards (CSNOS) (2009) cited in A StrategicFramework for Community Development for Northern Ireland (2012) and the Federation for Community Development Learning (2009) CommunityDevelopment National Occupational Standards. Sheffield;

5 Community Development National Occupational Standards (CDNOS); (2009)


Within the Republic of Ireland community workvalues and principles have benefitted from thepublication of, “Towards Standards for QualityCommunity Work - An All Ireland Statement ofValues, Principles and Work Standards”6

The key values referenced in the standards are:

• Collective Action – Community work is basedon working with and supporting groups ofpeople. It enables them to develop knowledge,skills and confidence so that they can developan analysis, identify priority needs and issuesand address these through collective action.

• Empowerment – Community work is aboutthe empowerment of individuals andcommunities, and addressing the unequaldistribution of power. It is about working withpeople to enable them to become critical,creative, liberated, and active participants,allowing and enabling them to take morecontrol of the direction of their lives, theircommunities and their environment. It aims toeffect a sharing of power to create structuresthat provide genuine participation andinvolvement. It is a process based on mutualrespect and equal and genuine partnershipbetween all those involved to enable a sharingof talents, experiences and expertise.

• Social Justice – The active pursuit of socialjustice is an essential element of communitywork and makes an important contributiontowards a socially cohesive society.Community work is based on a belief thatevery person and every community can playan active role in creating conditions for a justand equal society where human rights arepromoted and all forms of oppression ordiscrimination are challenged. The pursuit ofsocial justice involves identifying and seekingto alleviate structural disadvantage andadvocating strategies for overcomingdisadvantage, discrimination and inequality. It

entails the promotion of policies and practicesthat are just and equitable. In effect it meansworking to promote human rights for all.

• Equality and Anti-discrimination – Inworking for equality community workers mustwork from the starting point that while peopleare not the same, they are all of equal worthand importance and are therefore equallyworthy of respect and acknowledgement.Community workers have a responsibility tochallenge the oppression and exclusion ofindividuals and groups by institutions andsociety that leads to discrimination againstpeople based on ability, age, culture, gender,marital status, socioeconomic status,nationality, skin colour, racial or ethnic group,sexual orientation, political or religious beliefs.It is particularly important that communityworkers acknowledge the particular andhistorical inequalities experienced by womenin all cultures.

• Participation – Participation is about theinvolvement of groups who experience socialexclusion, marginalisation and discriminationin decision-making, planning and action atdifferent levels, from the local to the global. Itcan be viewed as a continuum of activity thatcan start from information sharing throughcapacity building and empowerment to activeengagement and meaningful participation indemocratic processes. It recognises thatpeople have the right to participate indecisions and structures that affect their lives.In working to promote participation it is vitalthat inherent power imbalances areacknowledged and addressed. Ultimately theparticipation of marginalised anddisadvantaged communities should contributetowards bringing about social change throughappropriately informed policies and processes,to the benefit of all.

6 CWC (2010)Towards Standards for Quality Community Work - An All Ireland Statement of Values, Principles and Work Standards”


Community Development Policy (north and south) in Northern Ireland

At regional levelThe key community development policydocuments and strategies include7:

• The Regional Infrastructure SupportProgramme (RISP)8 (2012) provides funding(£2.4 million over a 30 month period) andinfrastructure support for voluntary andcommunity organisations across NorthernIreland to enable the sector to operateeffectively in both urban and rural areas. TheProgramme is sponsored by the Departmentfor Social Development and administered by aconsortium led by Northern Ireland Council forVoluntary Action (NICVA) and including RuralCommunity Network as partners. TheProgramme has identified a number ofexpected high level policy outcomes thatinclude engagement with sub regionalorganisations and local councils, as well asimproved working relationships, bettercollaboration and more effective partnershipsacross the sector.

• The Social Investment Fund (SIF)9 (2011)was set up to deliver social change in NorthernIreland. It operates across nine socialinvestment zones and is open until 2015 with atotal funding allocation of £80 million. TheSocial Investment Fund focuses specifically onsupporting communities to:- Increase employment opportunities by

addressing things such as educationalunderachievement, lack of skills, access tojobs and making it appealing for businessesto start up in areas which have suffereddeprivation

- Tackle issues such as mental and physicalhealth, use of drugs and alcohol, becoming ayoung mother, young people’s involvementin anti-social behaviour and the ability ofcommunities to work together which can allbe associated with deprivation

- Increase services in the community byimproving existing facilities, making theenvironment better and providing additionalfacilities where needed and possible

- Address dereliction in order to make areas more appealing for investment and for thoseliving there.

The nine investment zones have beenestablished with initial steering groupsrepresenting the business, political, statutoryand voluntary and community sectors in BelfastNorth, Belfast South, Belfast East, Belfast West,Derry/Londonderry, the South, the South East,the North and the West. The role of the steeringgroups is to develop and manage the areabased plan/s for their zone.

• The Community Support Programme10(2009) is a collaborative initiative (involving theDepartment for Social Development, the 26 District Councils, local community andvoluntary groups and local adviceorganisations). The purpose of the Programme is to support the development of:

- Active and organised communities, throughthe increase of public participation in civiclife; the promotion of self help andsustainability; the strengthening ofcommunity organisations, particularly thosein disadvantaged areas

- Influential communities, through theincreased ability of disadvantagedcommunities to articulate their interests, theirconcerns and their suggestions forimprovement; improved partnership workingbetween district councils, other agencies andlocal communities and more effectiveinteragency work at local level; positivechange for individuals and groups within thecommunity particularly those who areexcluded or marginalised

7 These are presented chronologically with the most recent first.8 Regional Infrastructure Support Programme (2012); http://www.nicva.org/news/risp9 Social Investment Fund (2011); http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/the-social-investment-fund10 Community Support Programme (2009); Department of Social Development,

http://www.dsdni.gov.uk/index/voluntary_and_community/funding_programmes/community_support_prog.htm


- Informed communities, through communityaccess to effective, appropriate,approachable, timely and accurate adviceand information services

- Sustainable communities, through thecreation of the conditions for social andeconomic development and promotion(within district councils and outside) of a longterm, integrated systems approach todeveloping and achieving vibrantcommunities by jointly addressing social,health, environmental, economic andcommunity relations issues.

It does this by:• Stimulating and supporting community groups

• Providing community centres, local advice andcitizens’ information services and resourcecentres

• Providing grants to community groups

• Employing community support staff in districtcouncils

Funding is allocated according to criteriaidentified in the District Council developedCommunity Support Plans.

• The Rural Development Programme(2007-2013)11The rural policy division of the Department ofAgriculture and Rural Development hasresponsibility for this Programme. At local,level it is implemented through ruraldevelopment clusters of local authorities,seven in total throughout Northern Ireland. Itspurpose is to promote the development of arange of initiatives in rural communities and italso raises awareness of the broad range ofneeds (including community development) ofrural communities across government.

11 Department of Agriculture and Rural Development – Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme (2007-2013); http://www.dardni.gov.uk/index/rural-development/nirdp2007-2013.htm

12 Programme for Cohesion, Sharing and Integration (2009); http://www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk/csi13 A Strategic Framework for Community Development in Northern Ireland (2012); http://www.ruralcommunitynetwork.org/publications/

publicationsearch.aspx1

• The draft Cohesion, Sharing andIntegration (CSI) Programme12 was launchedfor consultation purposes in September 2010led by the Office of the First and deputy FirstMinister. Key themes of Programme includedeveloping shared space, crises intervention,young people, interfaces, reducingsegregation, expression of cultural identity,racial equality, hate crime and creating securecommunities. (This Programme which remainsin draft) is proposing a delivery frameworkwithin which available resources can be moreeffectively managed and integrated to targetthe funding strategically, avoid duplication,ensure complementarity and maximise theimpact on the ground. Three levels of fundinghave been identified – 1) through DistrictCouncils, 2) thematic and 3)targeted/emergency.

The Programme supersedes A Shared Future,the previous policy governing Good Relationsin Northern Ireland.

• A Strategic Framework for CommunityDevelopment for Northern Ireland (2012)13which has been developed by RuralCommunity Network and supported by theBuilding Change Trust. This document hasbeen produced as ‘a co-ordinated attempt tohighlight the purpose, value and contribution tocommunity development practice in NorthernIreland’. It charts the evolution of communitydevelopment in Northern Ireland over the pastnumber of years at the local, sub-regional andregional levels. It reports on the contributionwhich community development has made tolocal communities in terms of theirempowerment and engagement within apeace building context. Also it highlights theimportance of community developmentpractice and principles at a strategic level inthe roll out of local and central governmentinitiatives.


At local levelThe key regional community developmentpolicies, strategies and frameworks operating inNorthern Ireland get translated into programmesat a local level through a number ofmechanisms. Whilst these community orientedprogrammes are not specifically focused onpeace building, nonetheless developing goodand sustainable relationships are key to theirsuccess. Furthermore they are implementedthrough local authority led structures andprogrammes that refer to each other in terms ofdevelopment and ultimately roll out. Theyinclude the following

• The Community Support Programme isimplemented by each of the 26 localauthorities through locally developed andimplemented plans. The community andvoluntary sector is involved in this process.

• The Rural Development Programme is rolledout through the development of local ruraldevelopment plans by the seven rural clusters.

• Local Good Relations Strategies have beendeveloped and implemented by the 26 localauthorities with funding from the CommunityRelations Unit of the Office for the FirstMinister and deputy First Minister (OFMdFM).In some instances, these strategies and actionplans (which are updated regularly) are closelylinked to the local PEACE III strategies.

• PEACE III Strategies: eight clusters (formedby the coming together of the local authorities)implement a significant element of the currentPEACE III Programme.

Community Development Policy In the Republic of Ireland

At national levelThe key national community development policydocument remains ‘The White Paper on aFramework for Supporting Voluntary Activity andfor Developing the Relationship between State

and the community and voluntary sector’published in 2000. The Department ofEnvironment, Community and LocalGovernment has lead responsibility for both theimplementation of this paper and for thedevelopment of the relationship between thestate and the community and voluntary sector.

The aim of the paper is to provide a morecohesive framework of support andencouragement for the community andvoluntary sector. It gives formal recognition tothe partnership ethos that informs much of theworking relationship between the two sectors,while recognising the differences between them.It also includes a commitment by government toprovide a range of funding measures to supportthe Community and Voluntary Sector. Thesecurrently take the form of three schemes:

• The Scheme of Community Support for OlderPeople which provides grants to locally basedcommunity and voluntary organisations for theprovision of personal alarms for older people

• Support for National Organisations Scheme

• Support for Volunteering Scheme

There is no national policy on good relations orany lead department.

• Local and Community DevelopmentProgramme14The Department of Environment, Communityand Local Government is also the leaddepartment for the Local and CommunityDevelopment Programme. Under thisProgramme, support is provided forcommunity development at local level. TheProgramme which is managed by Pobal onbehalf of the Department is implementedthrough a series of local developmentcompanies (one in each county across the sixborder counties). The publication in 2012 ofthe Putting People First Report and the LocalGovernment Alignment report respectivelysuggest that there will be changes for local

14 http://www.environ.ie/en/Community/LocalCommunityDevelopment/


development over the coming years with thedissolution of the current County/CityDevelopment Board and the creation of newSocial and Economic Committees to replacethem. Depending on how these changes areimplemented, these may or may not impact onthe role and value placed on communitydevelopment at a local level.

• Rural Development Programme15

The Department of Agriculture is responsiblefor this Programme which is beingimplemented through the amalgamatedLeader Partnership companies throughout thecountry, the focus here being on facilitatingbalanced and sustainable regionaldevelopment while tackling the issues ofpoverty and social inclusion. The main prioritywithin this Programme is on the creation ofemployment opportunities and there are alsoprovisions for village enhancement schemes,conservation of rural heritage and provision ofculture and leisure facilities where theintention is significantly to improve the qualityof life of rural areas. In the border region, thepromotion of social inclusion and targeting ofwomen, young people and minority groups isbeing addressed further through thecomposition of the local action groups wherethere may be reference to peace buildingactivities.

At local level Organisations and groups that support and, insome cases, apply a community developmentapproach to their work at local level include thelocal development companies (identifiedabove); Local Authority Community andEnterprise Sections (six); various LocalAuthority Strategic Policy Committees;Community and Voluntary Fora and; CommunityNetworks and the various locally focused FamilyResource Centres; as well as the six southernborder county based PEACE III Partnerships.There are also currently three (PEACE IIIfunded local authority) CommunityRelations/Good Relations Officers (in Cavan,

15 Rural Development Programme - http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/ruralenvironment/ruraldevelopment/strategiesandprogrammes/16 North South Ministerial Council - http://www.northsouthministerialcouncil.org17 Centre for Cross Border Studies - http://www.crossborder.ie/ 18 ICLRD - http://www.iclrd.ie/

Donegal and Monaghan respectively that applyand use a community development approach intheir work.

Cross Border DevelopmentGovernments in both jurisdictions within theirProgrammes for Government do make acommitment to north south co-operationprimarily through the North South MinisterialCouncil and the bodies for which it hasresponsibility.

The North South Ministerial Council (NSMC)16

was established under the Belfast/Good FridayAgreement (1998) to develop consultation, co-operation and action within the island of Ireland- including through implementation on an allisland and cross border basis - on matters ofmutual interest and within the competence ofthe Administrations, North and South. Itcomprises Ministers of the Northern IrelandExecutive and the Irish Government, workingtogether to take forward co-operation betweenboth parts of the island to mutual benefit.

Formally there are six north southimplementation bodies – Waterways Ireland;Food Safety Promotion Board; Trade andBusiness Development (InterTrade Ireland);Special European Union Programmes Body;The Language Body; Foyle, Carlingford andIrish Lights Commission. There are six areas ofco-operation namely Agriculture, Education,Environment, Health, Tourism and Transport.

Community development and peace building donot formally feature, arguably making it all themore challenging for these areas to progress ona cross border basis. However bodies such asthe Centre for Cross Border Studies17 and itssister organisation, the International Centre forLocal and Regional Development (ICLRD )18

have an interest in the development of theborder region which make references to the roleof community development in peace building.


Communities living in both rural and urbanareas in Northern Ireland and thesouthern border counties of Ireland haveendured a long period of sustained civilconflict, violence and political instability.Peace building is the process/es thatultimately lead to:

• An absence of violence and conflict

• Justice flourishing and people being free fromthe fear of all kinds of violence

• The peaceful co-existence of diverse socialand cultural beliefs and norms

• Economic, social and political justice

• Shared ‘democratic’ use of power and nonviolence.

Living with and living in the aftermath of conflictand unrest can make trust between people fromdifferent backgrounds (for example, religion,age and generation, community background,interests, sides of the border) fragile.Communities and individuals can be seen tohave adopted different strategies to avoid thistype of tension and misunderstanding - somechoose silence while others find ways to avoidcontact. In urban areas, for example, peacewalls have been used to separate differentcommunities while in rural, local peoplegenerally know which areas are uncontestedand which are not. It is also the case that withinsome towns and indeed villages, people fromdifferent traditions do not live together.

Elements of peace building

Breaking the silence Breaking the silence is generally one of the firstkey steps in peace building work. The silencein rural areas has been characterised19 in anumber of different ways including:

• A ‘polite silence’: where pleasantries areobserved but where there is limited furtherengagement and no communication/conversation about the impact and legacy ofthe conflict.

• Avoidance: where there is little or no contactbetween groups/communities from differentbackgrounds and cultures – this occurs mostfrequently in single identity communities andgroups where there is little opportunity forcontact with people from different background.However it can also occur in majoritycommunities where the minority is so smallthat it can be ignored leading to minimal or insome cases no contact.

• A ‘tacit culture of silence’ which can becharacterised by communities/groups onlyadvertising/promoting their events andactivities in places that are known to themthereby excluding others from participation.This tacit culture which is the result ofaccepted historical practice can be practicedby both majority and minority communities andis often presented in terms of ‘it has alwaysbeen done this way’. The historical nature ofthis tacit culture of silence can make it difficultto name, and to change. Communitydevelopment provides a useful tool in breakingthese various types of silences (which canoccur singly or in combination) by bringingpeople together to help them identify both theirneeds and their concerns.

Peace building in rural areas3

19 RCN (2012) Breaking the Silence Practice to Policy Paper


Learning to share space in rural areasLearning to share space is another importantelement of peace building particularly in asociety where people from different traditionsoften live apart with few possibilities for contactwith individuals and groups from otherbackgrounds. Research20 21 has indeeddemonstrated that there are few shared spacesin rural areas, with many facilities in rural areasassociated exclusively with one tradition or theother. The development of shared space in ruralareas is also increasingly important from aneconomic/value for money imperative where thepopulation base is low in relation to sustainingservices (including outreach communityeducation, welfare advice and health services).In this context it can again be seen thatcommunity development offers a useful processto assist people to identity their needs and takecollective action to address them.

The development and emergence ofcommunity and civic leadersTaking collective action to break the silence,and to share space, for the greater good,requires leadership from within, as well asencouragement and support from externalagencies. Community development offersactive and potentially active individuals aprocess and a route they can use to lead andfacilitate collective visioning and action.Community development benefits from supportfrom elected representatives. The presence ofelected members at community peace buildingevents is both useful and important in terms ofraising awareness and valuing communitydevelopment work locally.

20 Contested Spaces (2012) commissioned by Community Relations Council on behalf of their Rural Policy Committee21 Beyond Belfast (2010) jointly commissioned by Rural Community Network and Community Relations Counci


Conflict on the island of Ireland cost anestimated 3,50022 people their lives,leaving 35,000 injured and with manymore thousands bereaved andcommunities divided and wary ofengaging with others. The Conflict hasalso had enormous social and indeedeconomic impacts. The flag protests(sparked by a controversial decision tolimit the flying the Union flag at BelfastCity Hall) which began in December 2012provide a very real example of theeconomic costs.

By 24 January 2013, these protests have beenestimated to have cost the local Belfasteconomy £15 million (€17.7 million) and thePolice Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) atleast £7 million in an effort to control and policethe demonstrations. Community developmentoffers a useful approach in addressing thelegacy of the conflict north and south of theborder in a number of different ways.

From an economic perspectiveGiven the current focus on economic recoveryand the efficient use of increasingly scarceresources, the application of a communitydevelopment approach supporting communitiesto work together is important. There is, forexample, no scope or desire for ‘doubleresourcing’ of community facilities, especiallywhen there is commitment to support sharedspace. In other areas, there continues to be aneed to tackle anti social behaviour includingsectarianism and racism. Communitydevelopment has a role to place in ensuring thatissues are foreseen and prepared for and wherethey do arise, they are tackled quickly and not

allowed to escalate unchecked. This in turn canlead, and has led, to enhanced communityempowerment, enhanced relations and realreductions in policing and other emergencyservices costs.

From a social perspective A community development approach functionsby bringing people together from a diversity ofbackgrounds. Carefully managed, this processcan break down barriers and enhanceconnections and links with and betweencommunities. In this context, it is clear thatcommunity development has an important rolein building trust and relationships both withinand between communities (includinggeographically focused communities andcommunities of interest) as well as between thecommunity and voluntary sector and statutorybodies at both local and regional/nationallevels.

From a political perspectiveThe application of community developmentpractices and principles has a role in ensuringthat elected representatives and othercommunity leaders continue to develop theirrelationships with one another and withmembers of the wider community based on theprinciples of mutual respect and understandingof their different perspectives and roles. This isparticularly important in a Northern Irelandcontext where there is increased politicalindependence at regional level and the movetowards enhanced responsibility at the locallevel (with the associated enlarging of councilareas), both of which place a renewedsignificance on the need for the development ofstrong connections and good relationshipsbetween representative and participatorydemocracy.

The role of community developmentin rural peace building4

22 Morrissey, M, Smyth, Marie, Fay, M. T & Wong T (1999), The Cost of the Troubles Study. INCORE, Derry/Londonderry


Community development and ruralpeace building in practice5

This section highlights a number of projects which provide practical evidence of the positive rolecommunity development can play in rural peace building. Each project highlights at least one of thefive community development values and principles identified in section 1. Examples from localhistory and cultural projects, arts and sports activities, which worked with specific target groupsincluding institutions and cultural groups, young people and women illustrate these principles. TheRural Enabler approach itself also offers another useful example. The projects have been describedin generic terms in order to ensure anonymity of the groups and communities involved who continuewith the sensitive and slow work of building peace.

Example 1: Local history

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLE – EQUALITY & ANTI-DISCRIMINATIONThis project used a community development approach to facilitate the organisation and hosting ofa local history exhibition and talk in a mixed area where any portrayal of history ran the risk ofalienating at least one community or other.

The group leading the project involved were single identity (not by design) and, although extremelyknowledgeable on their subject, were new to hosting and apprehensive about the challenges andpotential risks associated with historical interpretation.

With the input and advice of the Enabler, the local history group decided to organise a discussionmeeting with members of the wider community to explore the issues and challenges more broadly.The group initially found the idea of organising this type of discussion meeting quite challengingbut recognised that it was necessary to break the silence and build new local relationships. Theinvolvement and support of the local council’s Good Relations Officer was useful in this context.

Among the topics discussed at the actual discussion meeting included schools, community groupsfrom both main traditions and local leaders. It was a challenging event for all concerned.

Following the meeting, the group sought to take on board many of the issues raised at the meetingin the planning of their exhibition and event. These included the design of the invite, the letters toschools and a welcoming extension of the invitation to attend to the wider community. All of theseactions contributed to the success of the project in terms of attendance levels, ownership and thedevelopment of enhanced relations between the two main traditions.

LEARNING The application of the value of equality and anti-discrimination led ultimately to the organisation ofa more inclusive event. Its application was clearly not without challenges but the success of theevent has created opportunities for further peace building work. The involvement of the local GoodRelations Officer in the process highlights the values of working and learning together andcollective action.


Example 2: Encouraging Community Activity

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLE – SOCIAL JUSTICEThis project brought together community, voluntary and statutory agencies with a remit forcommunity support at the local level in one venue. The venue selected (because it wasagreeable to all) was a local church hall.

The groups who got together to organise the event were very aware of the troubled history of thelocal area and the absence of good relations with the local council – at both local representativeand officer level. There were also a number of groups (including a local band) who because oftheir perceived political affiliations in the area were feared by many in the community.

Applying the principle of social justice, the organising group with the support of the Enablersought to engage with the Band. This involved meeting with their members and others andencouraging them to attend the wider community event and exhibit evidence of the work thatthey had undertaken for local and regional charities. This purpose of encouraging andsupporting them to attend was to start to build tentative relationships with this group of otherwisequite isolated local people.

LEARNING The application of the social justice principle within a community development approach ensuredthe inclusion of a diverse range of groups including a very isolated and challenging group. Theirinclusion has set the scene for the development of enhanced community relations.

Example 3: Churches engaging cross border

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLE – WORKING AND LEARNING TOGETHER / PARTICIPATION

This cross border project involved a number of church choirs coming together to take part in apublic event. Each church choir carefully selected their hymns.

This enabled sharing learning (based on an indepth exploration and discussion of the varioushymn choices) and offered opportunities for reflection on values and beliefs which promotedempowerment among all religions involved including the Roman Catholic, Methodist, Church ofIreland and Presbyterian churches from both sides of the border.

LEARNING This cross border interfaith project highlights the value of working and learning together. It began with a process of people making choices around their own contributions, then sharing it with others and having a collective opportunity to reflect on their various choices.


Example 4: Engaging young people

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLE – COLLECTIVE ACTION This project involved a rural youth group using sport as a medium to encourage other youngpeople to join.

The young people involved in the group initially developed an action plan for the sports event.They went on to very successfully organise and host what turned out to be quite a major eventincluding agreeing and developing the branding for it as well as taking part in the activities. As part of the event, they presented a showcase DVD ‘Insider? Outsider? - Speaking ForOurselves’ funded through Youth Action’s Peace Dividends.

Those attending the event got a unique opportunity to take part in a wide range of sportingactivities and to meet and play with young people from different traditions whom they had nevermet before. They were exposed to new skills and techniques whilst working alongside eachother. The sense of team was also promoted through t-shirts designed by the young people andwhich bore the logo ‘Playing for Peace’ providing those attending with something tangible withwhich to remember the event. The event was followed by a barbeque which offered thoseattending a further opportunity to share experiences and develop contacts. The event wasattended by the local Mayor in recognition of the role young people were playing in makingthings happen in their communities.

LEARNING This application of the community principle of collective action was what made this projectsuccessful with young people at the core of the decision making and action planning. Therecognition of their achievements by the Mayor was an important acknowledgment of the needfor collective action.


Example 5: The role of the arts

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLE – SOCIAL JUSTICEThis project involved a Family Resource Centre located in a disadvantaged area which iscontinuing to struggle to deal with the legacy of the conflict working to support young peopleand the wider community. The project took a staged approach in considering and dealing withthe concerns about young people in the community. These stages included:

• A community audit within which a number of young people were identified as feeling isolatedand marginalised and running the risk of becoming involved in anti-social behaviour becausethe lack of provision of any form of extra-curricular activities.

• Development of an arts project aimed at young people delivered through a series ofworkshops based on a variety of media including music, drama and art.

• Delivery of a programme for the wider community (including young people). This wasachieved through implementing an interactive show on completion of the workshops to thebroader community.

All of these various activities served to bring different sections of the community togetherenabling people to work collectively to develop and run activities in which they were interested.Most importantly, it resulted in a greater sense of belonging for the young people involved andgave them a stake in their own local community. It also enhanced good relationships both on across community and inter ethnic basis and resulted in reducing levels of racist andsectarianism behaviour.

LEARNINGThe application of the community development principle of social justice/empowerment withinthis project has ensured that young people who were in real danger of being furthermarginalised have now been included and valued. They have been provided with a very realopportunity to contribute and their inclusion has helped to enhance relationships and reducelevels of sectarian and racist behaviour which were a real concern in the local community.


Example 6: Women building relationships

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLE – WORKING AND LEARNINGTOGETHER/PARTICIPATION

The recognition of the existence of very strained relationships between neighbouring counties(across the border) exacerbated by the recent burning of an Orange Hall (used on a regularbasis by a local women’s group whose craft and tapestry work was ruined in the fire) was thecatalyst for developing a project. It led members of a local community fora to begin work torebuild and enhance cross border contacts and relationships. The group approached their RuralEnabler for support. As a result of a series of conversations, a cross border women’s projectwas identified and proposed as a method for rebuilding relationships and trust between theneighbouring areas.

The project saw the women involved organise a networking seminar where they explored issuesand themes of commonality. They featured women through the ages and the contribution theyhave made to community in rural life and social change in this cross border community. It alsoconsidered the barriers to cross border and cross community engagement and how these couldbe addressed. An added feature of the project was the introduction of outside speakers whofocused on the importance of diversity and equality.

LEARNINGThe application of the community development principle of working and learning together wasmade real through a process of collective planning, development and organisation of a peacebuilding event. It allowed communities to come together to value and acknowledge their sharedskills and experiences, breaking down the barriers that conflict and recent events had created.These are all important elements of building peace in rural areas and among rural communities.


Example 7: The Rural Enabler approach as a way of working

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES – EQUALITY AND ANTI DISCRIMINATION,SOCIAL JUSTICE, COLLECTIVE ACTION,COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT & WORKING & LEARNINGTOGETHER/PARTICIPATION

The Rural Enabler Programme based its approach to peace building firmly on the five corepractices and principles of community development. Conscious from the outset of theProgramme’s short term nature and reliance on external funding, Programme staff andmanagement sought to make links with local communities as well as statutory bodies andrepresentative democracy at the local, sub-regional and regional as well as cross border levels.This included a particular focus on work with local communities to encourage, empower andsupport them to work and learn together to develop their peace building work grounded in thecore values of community development. This facilitated communities (and decision makers atthe local and regional levels observing and supporting the work) to gain a greater understandingand appreciation of the value of community development in peace building work.

LEARNINGThe Programme, as a source of neutral, external support, had the capacity, resources andcredibility to be able to support, challenge, resource and broker relationships with and betweengroups at community level and between community and statutory levels.


Conclusions

The application of community developmentprinciples in practice indeed enables people tofollow a very useful and structured process ofworking together to identify their needs; takeaction to exert influence on the decisions whichaffect their lives; and improve their quality of lifeand ultimately the quality of wider communitylife. It also provides a mechanism by whichcommunity and public agencies can worktogether to improve the quality of government.

The experience of the Rural EnablerProgramme and the groups it has supportedhas proved (beyond doubt) that the applicationof a community development approach to ruralpeace building is useful in terms of supportingthe development of actions and relationships (inboth Northern Ireland and the southern bordercounties) that can be built upon ensuringprogress towards an ultimately peaceful andsustainable society in the longer term.

Conclusions and Recommendations6

Building peace in rural areas and communitiesis all about supporting the processes that leadto an absence of violence and conflict; anabsence of fear of violence, a flourishing ofeconomic, social and political justice, peacefulco-existence and the shared ‘democratic’ use ofpower. The principles of communitydevelopment (equality and anti-discrimination,social justice, collective action, communityempowerment and working and learningtogether) clearly resonate with this.

Key elements of peace building in rural areasrelate to breaking the silence/s (including ‘politesilence’, avoidance and a ‘tacit culture ofsilence), learning to share space and thedevelopment of community and civic leadersprepared to engage in this type of challengingwork. The application of communitydevelopment approaches, principles and valueshave a valuable role to play in the context ofrural peace building given their particular focus on:

• Building the capacity of active individualsthrough community groups, organisations andnetworks

• Building the capacity of institutions andagencies to work in dialogue with individualsto shape and determine change in theircommunities

• Promoting the voice of the disadvantaged andvulnerable communities


1. Community Development and CommunityDevelopment and Peace Building Policiesat national level

Community development policy variessignificantly north and south of the border. In Northern Ireland, community developmentpolicies and supports are delivered through a range of Programmes with a particular focus on infrastructure provision. In theRepublic of Ireland, community developmentpolicy is limited with some policies considerablyout of date.

• Policies need to be developed on the role ofcommunity development in peace building(perhaps as part of the preparations for aPEACE IV Programme) and greaterconsideration needs to be given to the creationof enhanced levels of cross border communitydevelopment interchange and policydiscussion. Relations between communitydevelopment and community relations/goodrelations policies are not clear and wouldbenefit from being made more explicit,particularly in the context of diminishingexternal resources being available to peacebuilding and in light of reform of localgovernment a continuing feature of life on both sides of the border.

2. Community Development and CommunityDevelopment and Peace Building Policiesat local level

Many organisations at local level, north andsouth of the border, apply a communitydevelopment approach in their work. There isclearly learning generated from this work thatcould usefully be shared between theseorganisations and with others. This is currentlybeing supported through initiatives by theCentre for Cross Border Studies such asinformation on what organisations exist andwhat they are doing. However it needs to befurther developed.

• Mechanisms need to be found to sharelearning at local and cross border levels.

Recommendations

3. Community Development and LocalGovernment

In Northern IrelandIn Northern Ireland, local councils haveresponsibility for administering communitydevelopment funding from the Department forSocial Development as well as Good Relationsfunding from the Office of the First and deputyFirst Minister (OFMdFM). Within some localauthorities the development and implementationof these strategies and action plans makereference to one another but a strengthening ofthe outworking of the actions within these planswould enhance this valuable work at thecommunity level, encouraging and supportingenhanced relationships. Furthermore, theimpacts of other council funding opportunities,such as the Community Festival Fund (DCAL)and the Policing & Community SafetyPartnerships (DOJ) could be further developedby ensuring that the principles and values ofcommunity development are at their core.

In the Republic of IrelandIn the border region of Ireland local councilshave a lead in the development andimplementation of Peace strategies and theiraction plans. Some councils have employedGood Relations Officers who work as part of thePeace and Reconciliation teams and within thecurrent Departments of Community andEnterprise where responsibility for communityprogrammes also lie. Within these departmentsand the successor structures as proposed in theFinal Report of the Local Government/LocalDevelopment Alignment Steering Group (March2012) there is real opportunity to developgreater collaboration.

• In the reform of local government and theresulting re-organisation of the councils andassociated structures, there is a realopportunity to formally develop cohesiveapproaches within programmes so thatcommunity development principles could beplaced at the heart of them.


4. Community Development and PeaceBuilding on a Cross Border basis

The past 20 years have seen significant externalresources invested in community-led initiativeson a cross border basis, mainly throughinitiatives promoting peace and reconciliation.There has been considerable learning from thiswork particularly in cross border neighbourhoodwork and on a thematic basis. A key resourcehas been the development of the all islandCommunity Development National OccupationalStandards.

• The work of CDNOS provides a soundfoundation from which further programmesNorth, South and Cross border could furtherdevelop, making peace building more centralrather than being on the periphery.

5. Valuing the Community DevelopmentApproach

At a time of economic contraction, it is importantthat decision makers and others are made awareof the potential and the value of communitydevelopment in terms of contributing to theeconomic, social and political fabric of society.

• Those involved in community developmentneed to find practical ways to demonstrate howits application, particularly within a rural context,can save money, make connections and buildthe relationships critical to building andsustaining peace.

6. The usefulness of community developmentprinciples in rural peace building work

This paper has provided clear examples of howcommunity development principles can make avery useful contribution to peace building in arural context.

The case studies have also illustrated how byapplying community development practices andprinciples, this has often resulted in positivechange in rural communities. This has worked ata number of levels including through communityvolunteers, paid practitioners, local councilsupport staff and elected representatives. Thereis a need to provide further analysis of this work– theoretically as well as practically.

• Individuals and organisations seeking tosupport peace building should be encouraged,facilitated, resourced and supported to applycommunity development principles in theirpeace building practice/s.

• Further work in analysing the role of communitydevelopment practices and values in ruralcommunities needs to be drawn out to, forexample, illustrate learning on addressingdivision in communities.

7. The importance of independent outreach support

Using and successfully applying a communitydevelopment approach, the Rural EnablerProgramme was able to reach out to and supporthard to engage groups including disaffectedyoung people, institutions and communities,many of which had never engaged in peacebuilding previously. This enabled these groups tolay a solid foundation for their engagement inpeace building work into the future. Other rurallybased groups which have yet to engage in peacebuilding also need to be able to access this kindof expertise and support.

• Ways need to be found to enable the provisionof independent outreach support for peacebuilding work (both locally and on a crossborder and cross community basis) based oncommunity development principles.

8. Supporting the application andimplementation of communitydevelopment approaches at a local level

At local level, it is clear that rural communities,those that support them and local decisionmakers would benefit from the provision offurther practical examples of the application ofcommunity development approaches in peacebuilding work.

• Further practical examples of the application ofcommunity development approaches in ruralpeace building work need to be developed andwidely circulated. It would be particularly usefulin this context if joint projects which involvestatutory bodies and communities workingtogether could be highlighted.

Tel: 028 8676 6670

The Special EU Programmes Body is the Managing Authority for the EuropeanUnion’s PEACE III Programme

www.ruralcommunitynetwork.org

This is the third of a series of four research reports. The others are:Churches and faith based organisationsInstitutions - their role in peace building in rural communitiesRural communities – polite avoidance and denial – rhetoric or reality?

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