Michael Avila
Community Voices is an interview series where Michael Avila and Ani Kanakaki speak to a range of folks from the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland about the work they’re doing to bring about positive change. The series, formally known as #AtsUsNai, is produced in partnership with AvilaMedia and funded by the Community Relations Council‘s Media Grant Scheme. Their latest interview is withthemselves to conclude the project.
We want to thank the Community Relations Council for this excellent opportunity to showcase some of the individuals and organisations helping Northern Ireland’s communities move forward. We still have a long way to go, but throughout the series we have learned a few things about what makes for successful good relations and reconciliation work.
You will have the luxury from hearing from both of us from the comfort of our living rooms as we reflect on some of the themes that have emerged from the interview series.
Transparency between community and civic sectors
Michael Avila (MA): One of the issues that was brought up quite regularly throughout the series was a lack of awareness of the needs in the grassroots by politicians and statutory bodies. For communities to be properly resourced, both in social and material terms, communication has to be strong between grassroots community workers and public bodies, otherwise issues tend to exasperate.
Ani Kanakaki (AK): Different understandings and visions can often bring new ideas and approaches to the table. The real issue here is that often the table is not the same. And when that’s the case, different needs are not met, leading to frustration and disappointment in the grassroots. As Anne Carr mentioned, our civic society needs to be more inclusive and we need to empower our communities. Perhaps it is time now to take the next step towards a Citizens’ Assembly?
Working in partnership
MA: If there is any single takeaway from the project, it is that working collaboratively and combining expertise not only makes for better projects, but also cuts down on costs. There is a trend sometimes common in the community sector of organisations being too protective of their work and resources, which is counterintuitive to the concept of community and the relations they ought to be fostering. If there’s any advice we could give, is stay open and honest and work together to continue to build a better society.
AK: Strong partnerships are transparent, inclusive and ethos driven. From my perspective, it’s the strength of the different skills, experience and resources that people offer – but, even more than that – it’s the inclusivity and the passion people are bringing to the table as well. This acknowledgement that the mission is bigger than any one individual, fostered within a partnership, can be a very powerful element, as it can unlock more potential and transform everyday work into something even more powerful.
Work after peace agreements
MA: We learned through both Anne Carr and Quintin Oliver that the work after peace accords are struck is as, or even more, vital than the work that led up to it. It has been shown that just about every peace agreement that didn’t have working mechanisms in the years following the agreement ultimately failed. The Good Friday/Belfast Agreement is far from perfect, but the diligence of community workers in the grassroots has been a large reason to why Northern Ireland hasn’t reverted back to protracted conflict.
AK: I will agree with Quintin. The GFA is a great piece of work with so much potential and it covers almost everything. 20 years ago the Agreement was seen maybe the only way to peace, but not necessarily as the compass it has become for society. I believe we should re-visit the GFA and this time read it from the perspective of the last twenty years of peace and allow it to further transform us for the better.
Authenticity is vital
MA: Another big ‘takeaway’ from the project was how much authenticity matters. Whether you are hosting workshops dedicated to integrating migrant communities or facilitating mediation between opposing parties, if authentic dialogue isn’t fostered, effectiveness drops and trust breaks down. Communities know when something isn’t authentic and isn’t addressing their specific needs.
For example, we learned that the needs of rural communities often differ greatly from urban communities. Also, each community has its own approach and personality, and by not taking the time to understand this and model projects that suit them, it will be difficult to foster any sort of positive transformation. It may be cliché, but it pays to be ‘real’.
AK: Authenticity is vital and it’s something that comes from grassroots up and not the other way around. It’s not just about approaching or listening to the issues and the needs of the communities, it’s also about our communities becoming empowered to identify the issues they’re facing as much as the solutions to those issues. We need to address the issues they identify, not tell them what they should be concerned with. I hope that our project managed to highlight the authenticity and the passion of our interviewees to continue to empower people in the grassroots and give them a strong voice.
Single identity work is important
MA: While we hear the term ‘cross-community’ thrown around often, single identity – working and strengthening one’s knowledge of their own community and background – is just as important. This is probably modelled best by Rev Dr Gary Mason, Charmain Jones and Linda Ervine, who work within their own communal backgrounds, yet challenge narratives and the traditional views of identity and culture, while expanding, enriching and instilling confidence in what it means to be members of those communities. Hearing constructive critiques from someone within your own community is sometimes easier to hear and more relatable than someone from outside your community or culture.
AK: Again, I totally agree. We are living in a society in transition and any conversation should be handled with respect and the acknowledgment of the trauma both communities are carrying. Understanding our own identity is the first step to understanding each other. Criticism is important, but equally as important is being sensitive to the past and to each other. Therefore, addressing the past should start within one’s own community, otherwise we could end up in a long blame game that is counter-productive.
Mediation is a great tool
MA: Mediation, as described by Mary Montague, is a great alternative to traditional justice. It has been a tool used in the accomplishing of the Good Friday Agreement itself, but it also serves as a tool in the grassroots, providing people a way to make amends without prosecution or arrest. It also empowers communities to solve ongoing issues in their own way while keeping the community intact and not causing further division.
AK: Mediation is a way of life. Peace and reconciliation should be a choice. NI’s communities have proven their resilience and now it’s time to become sustainable by developing the tools to practice peace. Mediation is one of these tools to continue to help get us there.
‘Indirect’ approach to reconciliation
MA: I think it’s often easy for us to view transformation as someone telling us exactly what to do to better ourselves and our relationships. However, this isn’t always the best approach. We learned through Maciek Bator and Michael Boyd that having an indirect approach can be very impactful.
Maciek uses the lens of ‘shared history’ to transform relationships between locals and Poles. However, because ‘For Your Freedom & Ours’ projects centre on a different culture’s reconciliation process (Poland’s in the aftermath of WWII), this actually has an indirect positive effect on the reconciliation process in NI, too, where people get to learn about how other cultures have moved forward in their own contexts.
Michael Boyd utilises sport to foster better relations, break down barriers and transform the image of NI football. The use of a medium like sport, or additionally things like the arts and music, can be an excellent ‘indirect’ ways to build commonality. It’s often easier to achieve transformation through a medium than directly telling someone how to think or act.
AK: It’s impressive what ‘indirect’ approaches can achieve. Maciek through his project has managed to open a wider conversation about peace, inclusivity and integration. Michael is one of the people that transformed NI football into the pride of Northern Ireland that all can enjoy. This approach can be built upon to include many more creative strategies across multiple fields, subject matters and aspects of history that could help continue reconciliation as we move forward.
Some communities still left behind
MA: Unfortunately, some communities are still under-represented. Interestingly, men are still a section of society that have not been as involved in community work as their female counterparts, especially in rural areas. It has been argued that men, especially of older generations, have not progressed along NI’s peace process as much as other members of society.
According to Malachai O’Hara, basic services to members of the LGBTQ community, especially Trans people, lags behind greater society.
Integration is still difficult for many migrant communities. However, with Northern Ireland becoming more diverse by the year, things have gotten a bit easier. The number of issues faced by refugees and asylum seekers still present many challenges.
Socioeconomic deprivation is still rampant in many of Northern Ireland’s working class and rural communities, which affects all the aforementioned subgroups, too. This is the biggest barrier for society moving forward today.
AK: We need to acknowledge that some great things are happening within our communities. As Becky and Connor from the Another World Belfast highlighted, the generosity and kindness people share shows what people here are made of. It has shown community leaders developing creative ways to address the socioeconomic issues that plague many of our communities.
The purpose of this project has been to highlight inspiring and impactful work. From the beginning, our aim was to celebrate the positives and to create a platform that will open a constructive conversation. From Malachai, who raised the issues the LGBTQ+ community is facing, to Anne Carr who spoke about the challenges for women in peacebuilding, we can see the need to become more inclusive, broaden the agenda and create space at the table for more people.
Sharing
MA: This may sound like a primary school example, but it’s true. Whether that’s shared history, heritage, education or creating safe and shared spaces for people to enjoy inclusively, sharing is vital.
The most common theme throughout the series was the concept of ‘shared history’ and ‘shared heritage’. Because the narrative in NI is that each communities’ histories and sense of identity are different, this has been a roadblock to fostering better relations. However, when people engage in shared history, heritage and language projects, they begin to see how much they have in common and these walls begin to crumble. This is a vital way of educating people about different cultures and should be something schools start thinking about implementing into their curriculums.
AK: Our communities share the same trauma, but they also share the same resilience and kindness. Of course, there is always more to learn, but we are very grateful for the opportunity to share some of the good news that is permeating throughout Northern Ireland today.
Time spent abroad
And now, as interviewers, we reflect on our own positions. For both of us, foreigners in our own right, we jointly have this to say:
The benefits of travel works both ways – while community leaders from here benefit from understanding how good relations and reconciliation is fostered in other countries, it’s also an opportunity for local leaders to export what has worked in Northern Ireland elsewhere. This capacity building across borders ensures that we can grow as a global community together and continue to look after each other, while further breaking down both the physical and mental barriers that divide. Most of all, travel allows us to see the world through a different view, which is vital when attempting to transform communities locally.
As people who have lived most of our lives abroad and have come to call Northern Ireland home, we are happy to share with you our perspective on what makes this place – and its people – truly special, and we look forward to where the journey takes us next.
Conclusion
That’s a just a small fraction of what makes for good community work. We know that all of our interviewees will stay dedicated to the cause of creating a better tomorrow and we hope all of us can join them in their journeys in any small but meaningful way.
We hope this project has brought you some good news in this difficult time. We hope that it serves as a beacon of hope as we move through this current crisis and continue to shape a better future for Northern Ireland moving forward.
Most of all, we want to thank you for following along with us and participating in the project!
Well, ‘ats us’ for ‘nai’, but we will see you out in the community again soon enough!
AvilaMedia is a social enterprise running community and research projects across Northern Ireland. If you’re interested in being interviewed for the #AtsUsNai project, you can get in contact with AvilaMedia here. AvilaMedia is a social enterprise running community and research projects across Northern Ireland. If you’re interested in being interviewed for the #AtsUsNai project, you can get in contact with AvilaMedia here.
