Welcome to the CRC interview series where we profile various peace builders and good relations workers across Northern Ireland. This week we speak to Gerard Deane, Director of Holywell Trust, who are core funded by the Community Relations Council.
About Holywell Trust
Holywell Trust, based in Derry/Londonderry, works to support local people through a range of programmes, initiatives and partnerships. They also produce a podcast series Forward Together to explore issues such as Brexit and the impact of the conflict on local people.
Name: Gerard Deane
Position: Director, Holywell Trust
Why is Community Relations important?
I am convinced that supporting the people to build stronger relationships and to see that a shared and integrated society makes sense for everyone is key to building a strong future for our community. I also believe that we need to hold challenging and difficult conversations in a respectful manner and, that when we entrust the community to arrive at solutions to issues that separate us, we will radically and positively, change Northern Ireland.
Why did you get into peacebuilding and community relations?
I got into peacebuilding and community relations work because I believe that each of us has a role to play in building strong relationships in society and I wanted to play my part in encouraging those who we do not often hear from to have a voice. I am also committed to building relationships and connections across traditional divides, to creating natural connections based on common interests and values, and working towards building a society that we can all be proud of.
I have always been aware of the importance of community activism as a vehicle for positive change and remain convinced that communities must be at the heart of decision-making on issues that affect them.
Tell us a little bit about your background?
I have been working to promote good relations since 1994 when I helped co-ordinate a visit of Israelis and Palestinians to Ireland. I went on to work on a number of different projects – Journeys of Coexistence (a project that delivered local, regional, national and international journeys to build relationships between our two main communities), Right to Hope (a Northern Ireland and border-counties-wide project that used arts and creative processes to engage young people), North West Community Network, Holywell Consultancy and, since 2004, with Holywell Trust.
What’s one of your best experiences?
One of the most important experiences that I have had has been the development of our DiverseCity Community Partnership – a collective of eight organisation from Derry/Londonderry city who are committed to working together to promote community relations. The culmination, or most visible reflection of our partnership work, is our beautiful shared building at the heart of the city. Collecting the keys to the building in December 2013 was a proud moment, which we have built on over the past six years. Thousands of people access our facilities each year and we are currently home to 18 organisations. We strive to model the shared society that we want to live in through our work every day.
If you had a magic wand, what would you do differently?
Directly in relation to the delivery of community relations work, in the 26 years that I have been working in this field I’ve noticed a few changes to the sector. The main change is that the community and voluntary sector has never been as important but has also never been as pressured, busy and under resourced. In the past, there was more time and opportunity for reflection and the deepening of relationships. This time has become harder to find as the challenge of securing resources and reporting on delivery takes an increasing amount of time.
If there was one thing that I could change about funders’ approaches to Good Relations work, and by extension our programmes, is the need for multi-annual programmes and funding. It is challenging delivering programmes that aim to build relationships that are delivered on a year-to-year basis with no guarantee of resources from one year to the next. It is heartening to see the commitment towards this in the recently published New Decade, New Approach deal.
What advice would you give to other people in your field?
Key to the success of Holywell since the establishment of Holywell Trust in 1988 is the fact that we place people at the heart of our programmes. The people that we work with help to define the programmes that we deliver. Placing people at the heart of all that you do will ensure that your work always remains relevant.
In addition, I always encourage people involved in this work to develop and build their support networks. It is essential to have guidance and support when dealing with difficult issues.
Tell us about your Forward Together podcast series.
We are into the second series of the Forward Together podcast which we deliver with the support of journalist Paul Gosling. In this series we have interviewed 18 well-known people, experts in their fields, on a range of issues from integrated education and shared housing to policing and dealing with the past. These are “deep dive” conversations designed to stimulate thought and debate. Our podcasts are released weekly and are accompanied by an article on the Slugger O’Toole website and are available through Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and others.
Both series have been supported through the CRC Media Grant which has been crucial in allowing us to develop the skills and reputation to deliver a high-quality product. The Media Grant has allowed us to bring these challenging conversations forward with the intention of creating discussion on potentially divisive and difficult issues in a non-threatening way.
How has CRC been involved in your work?
The Community Relations Council has been a supporter of the work of Holywell Trust since the early nineties. We have always enjoyed a close working relationship and have had representation on the CRC board at different points over the years.
The practical support and advice from the CRC team has always been just a phone call away. It is great that the CRC have started up the practitioners’ forums – it is always really useful to hear about the work of others in the community relations field and the mutual support that this creates is really valued.
Further Information
Holywell trust is core funded by the Community Relations Council. Learn more about our core funding scheme.
Read more about Holywell Trust projects: