Community Foundations from around the world come together in Belfast to tackle social injustice and #ShiftThePower

Community foundations from across the world are in Belfast this week to learn how to tackle some of the social injustices and burning issues that confront their communities including homelessness, gender based violence, youth unemployment and environmental destruction.

During the three-day gathering, hosted by the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland (CFNI) and the GFCF, the delegates are seeing how community groups faced with division and conflict in Belfast, have sought to build trust and identify the best ways to bring people together. The delegates will also have a chance to share their own experiences and learn from others. Those visiting Belfast include the London Community Foundationwhich recently co-ordinated an emergency relief response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

Andrew McCracken, Chief Executive of CFNI said: “We are delighted to be engaging with community foundations from around the world in Belfast this week. This is a fantastic opportunity to share stories and examples of the type of work we are doing to connect people who care to causes that matter whilst developing innovative approaches to complex issues and dynamics within local communities.”

Jenny Hodgson, GFCF Executive Director, said: “Communities around the world are facing similar challenges from global economic uncertainty, to the rise in right wing populism, to increased movement of refugees and people displaced that have put strain on local populations. Yet experience teaches us that we can create sustainable solutions that ease the burden on communities by investing and working with local organizations that understand the context, have already established trust and networks, and seek to build on local agency.”

About the visiting community foundations

In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the London Community Foundation for example, demonstrated how trust and relationships within the community are critical to providing immediate relief as well as addressing the long term challenge to rebuild lives. The foundation will share how they plan to work with the residents of Grenfell Tower to overcome the systematic disempowerment they had experienced prior to the collapse. In addition to the immediate relief they have provided, they plan to involve residents in the design of how money should be spent and what priorities will be collectively important.

The Community Foundation of Greater Flint (CFGF) based in Michigan, USA, will highlight how the community engagement and grants to local groups have helped to tackle the terrible impact of the water crisis that started in 2014 and left most of Flint without safe water. Due to insufficient water treatment, over 100,000 residents were potentially exposed to high levels of lead in the drinking water.