- Introduction
- Case Study 1
- Case Study 2
- Case Study 3
To be responsible for the all communications issues and the consultation process relating to the North Belfast Community Action Project. This was a joint initiative of the Office of the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister (OFMDFM) and the Department of Social Development (DSD) in response to serious interface violence. First Minister, Rt Hon David Trimble, MP MLA, Deputy First Minister, Mark Durkan MLA and Minister for Social Development, Nigel Dodds, MP MLA, who described it as:
"a vital step towards rebuilding confidence in the area".
The aim of the Project was by May 2002, to prepare a plan of short, medium and long-term actions, which would address social and community issues in North Belfast. The Project focused on producing early outcomes and practical assistance to local communities.
This was a challenging project in a challenging environment which required a sensitive approach and involved working in very close partnership with the leadership of the Project: The Rev. John Dunlop was Chair of the Project, with Monsignor Thomas Toner, of St. Peter´s Cathedral and Mr Roy Adams, Chief Executive of Building Design Partnership as Vice Chairs.
The role encompassed all areas of the public affairs and communications strategy:
- Provide Strategic Direction: We worked closely with the Project´s Senior Management Team to ensure that specific and measurable objectives were agreed at the outset. We advised on the most appropriate ways of consulting with the local communities, and developed an action plan designed to achieve optimum results within a demanding timescale. Nick Carson, acted as Team Leader throughout the duration of the Project.
- Co-ordination of all media and community relations for the Project: This included the launch of the Project and a series of editorial briefings with three national newspapers. During the consultation process we were responsible for the drafting and agreement of all press releases on behalf of the North Belfast Community Action Project, acting as point of contact for media enquiries, and setting up interviews with project members.
- The management and facilitation of the fifteen Community Consultation workshops in local communities on both sides of the political divide in North Belfast: This included assisting the project with drafting the terms of reference. These workshops were the backbone of the North Belfast Community Action Project and worked on the principle of inviting local residents from different parts of North Belfast to share their views and experiences and offer possible solutions and outcomes. We assisted in development of seven key discussion themes.
Nick Carson acted as MC for each consultation Chairing each consultation group, introducing the team, explaining the aim of the Project, splitting the attendees into sub groups, explaining how each meeting would work, summarizing the findings of each meeting, and holding open floor discussions. - The promotion and organization of the Community Consultation workshops: This involved placing ads in daily and local North Belfast papers to inform residents of the consultation meetings and collating responses. We co-ordinated the design and placement of these ads and all other marketing literature and were influential in the development of the strapline "North Belfast Have Your Say"
- Attendance at Community Consultation workshops: We liaised with individual community groups and residents associations to ensure that all sites chosen for the consultation meetings were suitable and with community leaders to drum up support for attendance at these meetings.
"Now that the Report of the Project Team is published and that phase of the Project is ended I am writing to formally thank you and your organisation for the assistance you gave to the Project.
The way in which your organisation managed and reported on the public consultation events was impressive and the service which you personally gave to advising on and facilitating contacts with the media was consistently timely and very professional."
Danny McNeill, Under Secretary and Head of Secretariat for North Belfast Community Action Project