Northern communities need support to solve problems, says UK minister

If communities across Northern Ireland are to have the confidence and skills to identify their needs and solve their problems they need the support, encouragement and resources to do so, British Social Development Minister Nigel Dodds said today.

Speaking at a major conference on Weak Community Infrastructure in Belfast the British minister said: ‘‘A community without influence is a community without a future.

‘‘Strong vibrant, confident communities are the foundation upon which we will build economic and physical regeneration, improved schools, better health and a decent quality of life.’’

The conference, at the headquarters of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action, examined how community groups could build a stronger sense of purpose as well as a greater influence on their local areas.

Mr Dodds said the British government wanted to remove obstacles that burdened communities and made it difficult for them to access the help and support they needed.

‘‘Our interest is in building strong, influential communities who have the confidence and the skill to solve their own problems and the ability to influence the policies that affect them,’’ he said.

Some communities were much better able than others to do that, he said. There was a responsibility to learn from them and to put in place a concerted programme of action which would help build, not burden, communities.

The conference was held at an opportune time to help influence the activities of a number of funding and support programmes, including the new EU programmes, said the minister.

District councils were drawing together their Community Support Plans, and Local Strategy Partnerships were also planning their local priorities.

‘‘It will help to inform the North Belfast Community Action Project I announced on Monday last and it will inform a new cross Departmental Outreach Programme that my department is taking forward.’’

More than 100 delegates from community groups, councils, funding bodies, British government departments and Local Strategy Partnerships attended the day long conference.