Stronger Together
Building the Strength
Stronger Together was developed with the view of creating a strong supportive network, supporting an integrated community development approach to tackling racism, promoting good relations, sharing & exchanging information, experience and knowledge towards achieving rights based interdependent integration.
Who is involved?
The initiative is steered by a planning group consisting of ArtsEkta and the following organisations:
- South Tyrone Empowerment Programme: community owned organisation based in Dungannon that serves the tri-council Mid- Ulster; Southern Health and Education areas. It adopts a rights based integrationist and empowerment approach to all its work.
- Ballymena Inter-Ethnic Forum: supports 18 minority ethnic groups in greater Ballymena area providing linkage to service providers, access and opportunities to training, cultural& social activities
- Foyle Multi-Cultural Forum: multi sectoral forum comprising minority ethnic organisations in N. West and statutory providers and voluntary groups working closely with them.
- Centre for Global Education: enhances awareness at local level of global issues and through Making Connections project rises awareness in BME communities of these issues
- Chinese Welfare Association: main regional community organisation serving the Chinese community in NI.
- SEEDS: proactive diversity initiative created to address the challenges and opportunities of increased cultural and ethnic diversity in North West region of Northern Ireland
2010 Conference
In 2010, Stronger Together held its first conference with the support of OFMDFM, PSNI, Unite Against Hate and Lisburn Council. The event was held with three main aims in mind:
- To enable people in the sector to connect with each other, to feel empowered and sustained
- To help identify common purposes
- To create a space within which new possibilities could emerge
It comprised of over 130 delegates who came together from a wide range of sectors from the statutory, community, voluntary groups and to have their voice and ideas heard. Participants came from the North, South, East and West of Northern Ireland and the feedback demonstrated a huge appetite for this sort of intiative
2011 Conference
In 2011, Stronger Together held it's next conference in Cookstown with support from Community Relations Council. This event will provided an opportunity to work together on the following themes:
- Strength in Rights
- Strength in Influence
- Strength in Diversity
- Strength in Unity
