A New Good Relations Framework - Call For Views

Overview

Good relations (community relations) affect everyone in society. When community relations are poor, they can contribute to division, segregation, prejudice, hate crime, sectarianism, racism, contested spaces and tensions around cultural expression.

These issues can also be linked to inequality, deprivation and poverty. They can affect everyday life, including education, housing, safety, access to services and opportunities to take part fully in society.

The current NI Executive Good Relations Strategy, Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC), was published in 2013. T:BUC has delivered many positive impacts in communities across the country, though challenges remain.

Our society has changed significantly since 2013. This has brought new issues to be addressed. These include online harms, growing economic pressures, the impact of global events, and the need to build cohesion across a wider and more diverse society with evolving identities.

A new Good Relations Framework is now needed to build on the progress made through T:BUC and to set a renewed strategic direction that meets the needs of society today. This framework should impact every citizen and support building cohesion between all communities to further progress peace and reconciliation and deliver a truly shared society for all.

Why your views matter

We want to hear your views and experiences on what issues you feel impact on community relations here and how we should amend our approach to addressing these issues. Your insights will help shape a framework that reflects lived experience and meets current good relations needs.

We especially want to hear from people and organisations with experience of building good relations, including those delivering activity directly within local communities. We also want to hear from those that may not currently engage with good relations programmes, to understand why and to inform what we can do better.

This Call for Views focuses on how we can:

• deliver better outcomes for children and young people
• engage all communities in good relations
• build capacity within communities
• make funding processes more accessible
• celebrate inclusive cultural expression

If you would like the Call for Views in an alternative format, please contact us: GoodRelations.Consultation@executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk