Partnership Aims & Objectives

North Belfast Partnership - Aims and Objectives 2004 -2008

The Partnership Strategy has identified a number of discrete aims and objectives and identifies specific priorities and activities that the Partnership will undertake to achieve its vision for improving social and economic regeneration in the north of the city.

The strategic vision of the Partnership is that:

"The people and communities of North Belfast will live together and work together to make North Belfast a place that people and communities will want to continue to work and live in."

The five priority areas of development that the Partnership will concentrate on over the lifetime of the strategy are:

• Community Relations
• Community Development
• Social Development
• Economic Development
• Physical and Social Resources

These core development strands reflect a range of socio-economic issues, identified by stakeholders as strategically important for supporting regeneration in North Belfast. Development work undertaken by the Partnership will take account of existing and emerging stakeholder strategies and where possible create synergy to maximise the positive impact of such work on the lives of local people and the communities in which they live.

Our strategic mission is that:

"North Belfast Partnership will bring people and government together to make North Belfast a place that people and communities will want to live and work in."

North Belfast Partnership will incorporate the following principles and values into all aspects of its establishment, structures and operations:

• Social exclusion and targeting social need - All Partnership resources and services will be targeted at people and areas in the greatest need, acknowledging that deprivation and disadvantage are manifested differently within different communities - and therefore require variable forms of intervention
• Equity - Partnership strategies and programmes will be identified, designed and delivered in manners which maximise fair and appropriate access to deployment of such strategies and programmes
• Equality - The citizens of North Belfast have the right of equal opportunity to all public service provision. Any obstacles to equal access of Partnership services should be identified, acknowledged and addressed affirmatively
• Quality - All service establishment and provision in North Belfast should be at a level and nature at least equal to elsewhere in Northern Ireland. Accordingly, North Belfast will ensure that its services meet these same quality standards
• Diversity - All Partnership strategies and programmes will respect the diverse nature of North Belfast reflected in different personal and family circumstances within different ethnic, cultural and community backgrounds. Accordingly, all Partnership interventions will address need through balanced community capacity and government sensitised engagement
• Inclusiveness and Partnership - The diversity of all North Belfast communities and people will develop into a strength rather than a weakness only through the promotion of inclusiveness and "partnership" in the planning and delivery of strategic programmes which are locally accountable, governmentally endorsed, and collaboratively delivered
• Community Development - All Partnership strategies and programmes will be designed, managed and delivered within the principles and practice of community development - empowering people to transform their own communities
• Subsidiarity - The Partnership will seek to ensure that all key governmental decisions on North Belfast are made with the fullest possible participation, knowledge and influence of local people - and that all practical powers and measures are devolved accordingly.

These principles and values cut across all aspects of the Partnership's development work in each of the priority areas as detailed above and will also aid the Partnership's facilitation of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy, as it helps to establish four neighbourhood renewal partnerships in the north of the city and addresses residual "areas at risk" and cross-community needs and action.

The Partnership strives to be an efficient and effective organisation in all that we do. We are currently reviewing our corporate governance and control aspect of our work to ensure best value in all that we do.

Click the links to read the Partnership's Strategy in full or a summary of the objectives.