Communities in
Partnership Programme
In 2023 Community Finance Ireland in association with Rural Community Network and supported by the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) delivered a support programme to aid the coming together of communities who straddle the border regions, seeking to develop social enterprise. 10 communities from NI and ROI attended a series of residentials, workshops and mentoring sessions.
The participants opened their minds to working collaboratively on a cross-border, cross-community basis to aid the development of social enterprises or community projects, working in varying areas of deprivation and legacy issues arising from the Troubles.
This unique pilot’s primary role was to support the ongoing peace and reconciliation on the island through the medium of social enterprise development.
With Orange Halls and GAA clubs working side by side the programme demonstrated that whilst culturally there may be differences, there was far more in common than realised. You can hear firsthand from CFI CEO Donal Traynor, Chair IFI Paddy Harte and some of the participants on how this project came about and their experiences and the benefits of being involved in the video above.
