Good Relations

What's New?

Information about new and current programmes, including the Holocaust Memorial Day Programme (25-29 January 2021), Exploring Ards and North Down (18-22 January 2021) and the Allsorts Diversity events (October 2020-January 2021), can be found in the drop down menu at the bottom of the page.

For more information or to register your place on any of the programmes please email goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Flyer fot eh Exploring Ards and North Down programme. The image depicts a magnifying glass

About Good Relations

Good Relations promotes respect, equality and tolerance between different people who live in the same place. In society, people might have different religious beliefs, political opinions, ethnicity, age, marital status or sexual orientation.

Together: Building a United Community Strategy

Our Good Relations department published "Together: Building a United Community" Strategy which reflects the government's commitment to improving community relations and creating a more united and shared society.

The strategy explains how government, community and individuals will work together to build a united community and achieve change with the following priorities:

children and young people
our shared community
our safe community
our cultural expression

Shared Voices Programme

What is the Shared Voices programme?

The Shared Voices programme was developed with the assistance of First and Second generation ethnic volunteers and is aimed primarily at raising awareness of the diversity within our society.

What is the aim of the Shared Voices programme?

The Shared Voices programme aims to assist Good Relations and work towards making Ards and North Down Borough a shared and safe place for all.

Who is the programme for?

The programme is aimed primarily at for young people from P5 upwards primarily in a school environment and during 30 minute periods but can be adapted to be delivered within a community setting, to smaller groups and to different age groups. Times can be adjusted to what is available.

How can the Shared Voices programme help me?

This programme has been developed to raise awareness of the diversity in our society. The purpose of this programme is to challenge preconceived perceptions and myths that wider society may have towards ethnic minority groups. The programme will address these preconceptions through facts, figures, real life stories and interactive activities.

If you would like to deliver the Shared Voices programme in your school or community group we have developed a toolkit to enable you. The toolkit is available to download here. If you require assistance please email us goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk or call the team and we would be happy to help.

Information about Current and Past programmes

Holocaust Memorial Day Programme (25-29 January 2021)

To mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2021, the Good Relations team is hosting a series of online talks about the atrocities of the Holocaust and other major genocides.

Monday 25th January – Rwanda
Tuesday 26th January – The Holocaust
Wednesday 27th January – Srebrenica/Bosnia
Thursday 28th January – Darfur
Friday 29th January - Cambodia

Times are 7.00pm-8.30pm and the talks will be delivered via Zoom

If you wish to register for the programme please email Goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

The theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 is Be the Light in the darkness. It encourages everyone to reflect on the depths humanity can sink to, but also the ways individuals and communities resisted that darkness to ‘be the light’ before, during and after genocide.

* Due to the areas of discussion, this programme is not considered suitable for children under 16 years of age.

In addition to this programme of talks, Ards Arts Centre, Newtownards and McKee Clock Bangor will be lit up to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day 2021 on Wednesday 27 January.

Exploring Ards and North Down, and what makes us unique (18-22 January 2021)

Good Relations invite you to explore online some of the shared history of the Borough of Ards and North Down with Blue badge guide Lolly Spence and NI Screen film archives.

Each day from 10.00am to 11.30am we will visit a different town or village and uncover layers of history from before Christianity to the arrival of Ulster-Scots, the Troubles and modern events.

Donaghadee – Monday 18th January
Comber – Tuesday 19th January
Portaferry – Wednesday 20th January
Newtownards – Thursday 21st January
Bangor – Friday 22nd January

Programmes will be delivered on ZOOM.

To register please email goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

SAME / Difference – To See Ourselves Creative Workshops (February/March 2021)

A series of creative writing & photography workshops exploring the themes of identity, cultural awareness and expressing ourselves.

Delivered on Tuesday mornings and Thursday evenings on ZOOM.

Creative Writing – Tuesdays 10.30am – 12.30pm. 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd Feb & 3rd March.

Photography – Thursdays 7.30pm – 8.30pm. 4th, 11th,18th, 25th Feb & 4th March.

Showcase event on 11th March 2021 – Online celebratory event to share the writing and images generated by participants.

Workshops are free, participants are required to attend both aspects of the programme where possible.

To register please email: goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

To find out more download the SAME / Difference - To See Ourselves poster

How is COVID19 affecting different generations?

Good Relations is running a new programme focusing on how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting different generations.

If you are a grandparent with a grandchild aged between 12 and 14 years old, and would be willing to answer a few questions online please contact goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

"It Takes Allsorts!" - Diversity Events October 2020 - January 2021

In October we will be starting our series of All Sorts diversity events.

This year, they will be run virtually over four sessions and will feature speakers covering a range of topics that affect our community.

All sessions will take place from 12noon to 1pm.

Monday 19 October 2020 - Mental Health
Tuesday 17 November 2020 - Race
Wednesday 9 December 2020 - Dementia
Thursday 14 January 2021 - The partition of Ireland and the establishment of Northern Ireland during 1919-21

The sessions are open to the public and if you would to join us, please register at goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk with details of the session/s you would like to attend.

Stronger Together EU Settlement Scheme Support Project

June 2021 is the deadline for applications to the EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS). EU/EEA citizens living in UK must apply to the Scheme to secure their immigration status post-Brexit and protect their rights here.

The Stronger Together Consortium has been funded by the Home Office to provide help and support to vulnerable EU citizens with this process since April 2019. To date, the Consortium has assisted 25,000 people in making an application out of a total of 58,600 applications made in Northern Ireland up to April 2020. However many, including those most vulnerable, have not yet applied. Find out more at:

https://www.strongertogetherni.org/immigration/eu-settlement-scheme-support-project/

Information about the Settlement Scheme is available HERE in EU languages

Downloadable information and publicity materials to raise awareness about the Scheme and ‘how to’ guides are available in English HERE

Stronger Together EUSS partner organisations work across Northern Ireland. They provide free bilingual and local support, as well as specialised immigration advice within established and trusted ethnic minority support organisations in applying to the Scheme. They also provide assistance in accessing other public & community services.

Contact on 02887750211 from Monday to Friday, emailing euss@strongertogetherni.org, info@strongertogetherni.org or by contacting individual partners (details for ANDBC area below)

YMCA NorthDown

10-12 High Street, Bangor, County Down BT20 5AY
Area covered: Bangor, Newtownards, Downpatrick & Lisburn

Languages: Latvian, Russian, Polish

julija@northdownymca.org and kinga@northdownymca.org

Ph: 028 9145 4290

World of Words - exploring myths and legends from different cultures - December 2020

‘World of Words’ is a new online diversity programme using the medium of storytelling to explore traditional folklore myths and legends from different cultures, the lessons they can teach and the global similarities of the stories we tell.

The programme will be delivered on ZOOM and run from Monday 7th – Friday 11th December daily at 10.30am.

If you would like to register for the programme please email goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk

Virtual Living History - a look at migration to and from Ireland, past and present (Oct-Dec 2020)

The Good Relations team invites you participate in its latest online programme: ‘Virtual Living History’

Virtual tours and speakers will guide you through an 8 week programme on migration to and from Ireland, past and present.

Each online session will be followed by facilitated discussion on how migration has affected our society today.

Programme is available on:

Tuesday 6th, 13th 20th October, 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th November and 1st December 10am – 12.30pm

Thursday 8th, 15th, 22nd October, 5th 12th, 19th, 26th November and 3rd December 6.30pm – 9.00pm

As places are limited it is advisable to register for the 8 online sessions.

Please email goodrelations@ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk with your chosen day.

Information for signing in to Zoom will be sent closer to the time.

Good Relations Week - September 2020

To celebrate Good Relations Week 2020 we have made this compilation of some of the programmes run by the Good Relations team in Ards and North Down over the past few years. Watch it on YouTube at https://youtu.be/5ak_9tNR1q4

We hope you like it: everything is GRand!

Find more online events and digital content showcasing 30 years of peace building and cultural diversity in Northern Ireland at www.goodrelationsweek.com from 14th to 21st September 2020

Online Event Series - Life for Women 100 Years Ago (August 2020)

Starting in August 2020, a number of weekly online workshops will explore what life was like for women on the Island of Ireland 100 years ago.

Facilitated by Finola Hunt of Education Matters, each 2 hour workshop (with 30 minute break) will introduce participants to the social and economic conditions for women, women’s involvement in the suffrage movement, women’s involvement in political issues and key characters from that period.