The Civic Initiative is a new participatory structure set up in partnership with a wide-range of civic society organisations to give voice to people and communities on the issues that matter.

 

The Initiative is currently actioning a people-led examination of key socioeconomic rights under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement including housing, healthcare, education, human rights, rural access, political institutions, poverty and cultural issues. This examination is in four stages:

 

Stage 1: Regional Forums and workshops across Northern Ireland and border areas

Stage 2: Submissions from experts and wider society

Stage 3: A large-scale People’s Forum of 100 randomly selected citizens

Stage 4: Recommendations from citizens

 

Are you passionate about social justice? About your community? Would you like to share your views and experience of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement? Of Healthcare? Education? The Civic Initiative wants to hear from you. Register for one of our regional People’s Forums below – participants from border counties in the Republic of Ireland are also encouraged to register. The Civic Initiative can provide travel reimbursement.

 

Armagh: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/regional-peoples-forum-armagh-tickets-726182650857?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

Newry: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/civic-initiative-south-east-regional-forum-newry-tickets-739244408927?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

Derry: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/civic-initiative-north-west-regional-forum-tickets-733326067007?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

For more information on the topics and themes being discussed check out these videos from key experts below. There are 8 videos on key themes including poverty, human rights, education, healthcare, housing, culture, political institutions and rural access, and the videos can be accessed by clicking the top right corner.

 

The Civic Initiative is funded by the International Fund for Ireland.

 

The Initiative oversight committee includes the following members; Corrymeela, Disability Action NI, Women’s Resource and Development Agency, Community Foundation Northern Ireland, Youth Action Northern Ireland, Here NI, Migrant Centre Northern Ireland, Craicni, NICVA, North West Cultural Partnership, activist Tara Grace Connolly, and former Northern Ireland Human Rights Chief Commissioner Les Allamby as the independent chair.

 

The project is managed by Emma DeSouza, former Chair and Facilitator of the All-island Women’s Forum, with admin support provided by Disability Action, and core facilitators Danielle Roberts, and Jim O’Neill.