How is the Community Support Plan delivered?

Our Community Support Plan is managed and delivered by staff from our Community Services section. They look after five main areas, based upon themes outlined in the plan. These are:

Community facilities

Staff in this area provide access to community centres across Belfast where people can gather, meet, participate and share information. These include:

22 community centres
six play centres
an outreach support office for the Traveller community

We also look after six council-owned, but community-managed, centres and provide support to the community sector across Belfast, either through our grant programmes or by providing access to advice and information.

Our staff work closely with colleagues in our Area Support team to ensure that our centres are used for core community development work.

Area support

Our Area Support team work with community groups to improve neighbourhoods so people feel more confident about getting involved in their local community. They work with residents to help them make informed decisions about their areas and, in doing so, improve the conditions and quality of life within communities.

Our staff also deliver a range of funding opportunities, which include:

Advice services - this includes core funding to cover revenue and other operational costs, as well as supplementary funding, together with the Department for Social Development, for advice outreach costs
Capacity Building grants
financial support towards the running costs of community buildings
community development projects
grants for play schemes for children and young people aged five and 14
Community Chest grants.

We also support the delivery of local Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership action plans.

Community resources

Staff from our Community Resources team identify better ways to meet local needs. They take the lead in developing activities and resources across Belfast which support our wider community work. This includes providing advice and information, support for volunteers and delivering grant aid.

They also help to make sure we meet the needs of particular sections of the community, such as older people and ethnic minorities.

Children and young people

Our Children and Young People's Unit looks after play development opportunities for children and young people, as well as managing our Youth Forum

They make sure we follow best practice in relation to child protection policy. They are also currently developing a strategy which will outline how we meet the needs of all young people in Belfast.

Traveller community

Our Travellers' Liaison Officer works with people from the Traveller community to support them in taking informed decisions about matters which affect them. He works across the council to deliver and support services which improve quality of life for all members of that community.

The unit provides an advice service and runs a successful outreach office on Glen Road, Belfast. In partnership with An Munia Tober, the unit also promotes a Traveller awareness and anti-racism training programme.