Spellar Confirms Commitment To Proposed Pilot Community Conventions

17 October 2003
SPELLAR CONFIRMS COMMITMENT TO PROPOSED PILOT COMMUNITY CONVENTIONS
John Spellar, MP, Minister for Social Development, today confirmed Government’s commitment to the proposed pilot community conventions for Protestant working class communities

Speaking about the proposed pilot community conventions, Mr. Spellar said: "This Government’s commitment to supporting and developing local communities has been made clear through the many initiatives and actions in the period since suspension of the devolved institutions.

"Earlier this year my predecessor, Des Browne, made clear the Government’s determination to help communities feeling marginalized and disadvantaged to overcome their particular problems and reap the benefits from the wider political and social improvements through the setting up of the Local Community Fund and through a process of transformation staring with a series of pilot community conventions.

"The community convention proposal came from elected representatives and community leaders in Protestant working class communities and reflects the positive community impact of the Shankill Community Convention held in May last year.
"Essential to the process of transformation is the development at local level of skills and leadership to help local communities become more confident and recognise the many opportunities open to them in making a practical difference and improvements in their communities.

"Since the announcement of support for the pilot community conventions in June this year the Department for Social Development has worked closely with those same community leaders to develop the community convention idea. Together they have commissioned specific work looking closely at what will be needed to support a number of pilots across different parts of the Province. This work is almost complete and once the details and findings have been considered and the way forward agreed with the community representatives and the communities concerned work will get underway to put the conventions in place with Government support."

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