Mount Vernon Community Development Forum has secured £5000 from Urban II Community Chest Awards to help create a strategy and vision for the area.
Mount Vernon, a working class loyalist area in North Belfast, is often perceived by outsiders and media, as a stronghold of paramilitary and criminal activity. The people of Mount Vernon want to change this image and so members of the Mount Vernon Community Development Forum have embarked on a project to create a strategy and vision for the area. This involves encouraging local people to have greater ownership and responsibility for their area by setting out priorities for development for the next five years, and also engaging service providers, the voluntary sector and funders in high quality delivery. The Urban II award funded Phase 1 of this 3-phase project – “Building The Capacity Of The People Of Mount Vernon To Develop, Manage And Successfully Deliver The Project”.
A Strategy sub-group of Mount Vernon Community Development Forum was established and worked with consultants Eddie Bannon (Stakeholder Development) and Gerri Moriarty to design, fundraise and implement the process of creating a strategy
Artists worked with existing groups to develop ideas, either directly, through drama, photography and creative writing or indirectly through interviews taken as groups where developing craft skills. Northern Vision worked to video the entire process, broadcast it on their community television channel and train residents in interviewing techniques.
The Community Forum organised a “Big Weekend”, at the end of April, which included a mix of entertainment (Question of Sport, Tea Dance, Ready, Steady Cook), workshops (dance, drumming, outdoor visual arts installation), a Big Brother style roving video interview unit and an exhibition with the aim of attracting more residents to participate and provide views and ideas.
Stakeholder Development then used a strategy mapping process with focus groups and individuals to translate ideas into strategic actions and deliverable outcomes. The maps are supported by a wealth of written comments and suggestions, all recorded in written or video form. Strategy Maps have been created for Young People, Families, Community Spirit, Education, Employment, the Environment, Health and Arts, Sports and Culture. Combined, these maps form the strategy for Mount Vernon. Well over 250 people, from under 8s to over 80s contributed to the strategy and more residents will be involved as the plan unfolds.
Billy Hutchinson, Community Development worker in Mount Vernon, is excited about the project:
“The residents of Mount Vernon found the experience very rewarding and are now looking forward to working in partnership with others to deliver better services.”
In many ways, the hard work actually starts now. Providers and organisations are potential partners in helping to deliver this strategy. Mount Vernon hopes it will have the benefit from their advice and active support in making the vision a reality.
For further information on the vision of Mount Vernon, please contact Billy Hutchinson on 028 90775307.
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