26 January, 2022

COMMUNITIES IN TRANSITION (CIT)

Communities in Transition (CIT) is funded by The Executive Office NI (TEO), in partnership with Co-operation Ireland (CI), and supports eight areas in Northern Ireland where there has been a history of paramilitary activity and coercive control.

Background

The eight CIT sites are:

1. Antiville and Kilwaughter in Larne together with Northland and Castlemara in Carrickfergus
2. Brandywell and Creggan in Derry/Londonderry
3. Clandeboye, Conlig (including Kilcooley) in North Down
4. Drumgask and Kilwilkie in Lurgan
5. Lower Falls, Twinbrook, Poleglass, Upper Springfield, Turf Lodge and Ballymurphy in West Belfast
6. New Lodge and Greater Ardoyne in North Belfast
7. Shankill (upper and lower, including Woodvale) in West Belfast
8. The Mount – Super Output Area (SOA) and Ballymacarrett (2 & 3) in East Belfast.

Over thirty CIT projects have now been funded across the eight areas within the following categories:

1. Area Regeneration
2. Capacity Building
3. Community Safety and Policing
4. Environment and Culture
5. Health and Wellbeing
6. Personal Transition
7. Restorative Practice
8. Young People.

Methodology

Professor Dominic Bryan and Dr Brendan Sturgeon, of Queen’s University Belfast, lead an evaluation of CIT and its related projects, on behalf of TEO and in partnership with CI. The rolling assessment has included the collection of data in line with each project’s bespoke Outcomes Based Accountability (OBA) framework and via Baseline and Exit Surveys (among other points of enquiry).

In addition to conducting evaluation work on the stated sites and themes on behalf of the programme, Prof Bryan and Dr Sturgeon also conduct research on relevant topics that aim to influence the delivery of the CIT programme and shape its conceptual framing.

Duration

January 2020 to September 2024.