Participants sought for new Fermanagh and Omagh PEACE IV Partnership programme 'Community Lives'

by Gráinne Connolly

Fermanagh and Omagh PEACE IV Partnership is seeking participants for a new programme, “Community Lives”.

It's one of 16 projects identified in the Fermanagh and Omagh PEACE IV Local Action Plan to benefit from a total funding package of £2.8m to deliver projects across three key strands; Shared Spaces and Services, Children and Young People and Building Positive Relations at a local level.  

The Community Lives programme aims to capture local community stories to help dispel myths and increase understanding of our shared history. 

Participants will be afforded the opportunity to have their voice heard and develop their visions for the future.

The programme will concentrate on the Strathroy, Gortview and Hospital Road and surrounding areas in Omagh and in the Kilmacormick, Coleshill and surrounding areas in Enniskillen.

It'll be delivered by facilitators from Verbal Arts, focusing on three interrelated strands; Capturing the History, Mapping the Present and Imagining the Future. 

The first strand "Capturing the History" involves community-based research, reminiscence work and inter-generational work with residents and former residents of the areas to record and represent the living history. 

Participants will have the opportunity to produce publications and online materials, as well as work with a professional photographer to produce an exhibition of work which will be displayed in venues in Enniskillen and Omagh.  
 

The “Mapping the Present” strand will involve working with community and youth groups across the various areas and bringing them together through the development of skills in film making, photography and mixed-media. 

Participants will have the opportunity to create short digital stories highlighting the challenges young people face in today’s society.

The remaining strand, “Imagining the Future,” will combine the work from the first two strands through a series of sessions which will afford the participants the opportunity to develop their visions for the future. 
 

There is still time to get involved in the Community Lives programme. Capturing the History begins with Reading Rooms, an opportunity to read or listen to a short story or poem followed by a discussion with a cup of tea or coffee provided.
 

There is no need to pre-book a space, feel free to drop in on the following dates: 

Strathroy Community Centre, Omagh: Wednesday 2 May 11.30 am - 12.30 pm

Hospital Road Community Centre, Omagh: Thursday 3 May 2 pm - 3 pm

Devenish Partnership, Enniskillen: Thursday 3 May 11 am – 12 noon

West End Centre, Enniskillen: Thursday 3 May 3 pm – 4 pm