Mental Health Group Monitors Participation

“Government representatives ‘spoke in double dutch;’ we felt ‘talked down to’ because of the language they used”

In August 2008, the Minister for Health Michael McGimpsey agreed to implement a ‘Card Before You Leave’ (CBYL) appointment system for mental health patients in response to the campaign of the PIPS/Greater Shankill Bereaved Families Rights Group. However, the group’s efforts have not stopped there. Human rights standards require the participation of those affected in the ‘design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation’.  The group believe that service user participation is vital in the implementation of the CBYL system to ensure that the benefits are felt by the most deprived communities.  They currently sit on the Implementation Board which is charged with co-ordinating the CBYL appointments system across Northern Ireland. In order to ensure their participation in this group is active and meaningful, as required under human rights law, they have developed a set of human rights process indicators.

Download a copy of the group's booklet on participation including their indicators.  Watch the video on our YouTube station here .

Children from Lower Shankill 'Walking on Broken Glass'

A group of young people from the Lower Shankill have released a damning report and YouTube video, highlighting the dangers that broken glass poses to young people who wish to play in the available open spaces.  The report calls on Belfast City Council and NI Housing Executive to address the broken glass as a matter of urgency and implement a weekly cleaning system.  Through correspondence with DSD, Northern Ireland Housing Executive and Belfast City Council, repeated assurances were given that the broken glass would be cleaned up. However, evidence monitored by the group shows that little has been done and the issue remains unaddressed. 

Click link for video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KWupqrjfF4

Download the group's fact sheet  'A Time to Clean': Broken Glass in the Lower Shankill.

Lower Shankill to Rally Minister for Real Community Participation in Regeneration Plans

Residents, community organisations, churches and businesses from the Lower Shankill staged a rally on 10th July 2009 outside the Department for Social Development’s (DSD) offices.

The group resubmitted a request to the Minister for Social Development, urgently calling for the regeneration process for their community to be paused until residents and community stakeholders can meaningfully take part in public decisions about problems that need to be addressed and which plans are developed.

Download a copy of the coalition's press release here.  Watch TV coverage of the rally here .

North Belfast Residents to Highlight Local Failures on the Global Stage

On 6th April 2009, PPR submitted their response to the UK's submission to the UN Committee on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights.  The report highlights the work of PPR's four groups and raises questions about the UK government's work to realise economic and social rights in North Belfast, Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom. Representatives from the 4 groups are visiting the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland this week to highlight the failure of government to realise the right to health, housing and play in their community.

Throughout the trip, they will be posting videos, interviews with other attendees, information about the process, and their own thoughts on their blog called “North Belfast Goes to the UN”.

Be sure to watch the trailer for their visit!  Visit the blog today at http://nbelfast.blogspot.com/ They will be posting updates each day throughout this week.

You can also download a copy of the report here.