Individuals and organisations are being invited to have their say on the Communities in Transition (CIT) Project at a series of local discussion events.

CIT is one of 38 actions being delivered as part of the overall Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime project. It has been supporting ambitious initiatives designed to affect positive change across eight areas in Belfast, North Down, East Antrim, Lurgan and Derry/Londonderry since 2019.

With Communities in Transition approaching the end of phase two delivery in March 2024, the CIT Project team would like to hear people’s views on what has been delivered, how it has been delivered and what issues remain in their local area.

As a key part of that consultation process, community representatives, community and voluntary organisations and residents in each CIT area are being invited to attend an informal discussion event to have their say.

The first event will take place in the Shankill area of Belfast on Monday 11 September in the Spectrum Centre, Shankill Road at 6pm.

Other informal discussions will take place in:

West Belfast (Lower Falls, Twinbrook, Poleglass, Upper Springfield, Turf Lodge and Ballymurphy) – Tuesday 12 September, St Comgall’s Community Hub, Divis Street, 6pm

North Down (Kilcooley & Rathgill) – Thursday 14 September, Alderman George Green Community Centre, Address: 1 Rathgill Parade, Bangor, BT19, 6pm

Derry/Londonderry (Brandywell and Creggan) – Tuesday 26 September, Holywell Trust, Bishop Street, 6pm

Lurgan (Drumgask and Kilwilkie) – Monday 2 October, Mount Zion House, Edward Street, 6pm

Carrickfergus and Larne (Antiville and Kilwaughter in Larne, Northland and Castlemara in Carrickfergus) – Tuesday 3 October, YMCA, Greenland Community Centre, Old Glenarm Road, Larne, 6pm

North Belfast (New Lodge and Ardoyne) – Thursday 19 October, Girdwood Community Hub, Girdwood Avenue, 6pm

East Belfast (The Mount and Ballymacarrett) – Tuesday 24 October, East Belfast Community Development Agency, Templemore Avenue, 6pm

Urging people to attend their local discussion, a spokesperson for The Executive Office said:

“This is an opportunity for all interested parties to have their say on how CIT has delivered in terms of increasing community resilience to paramilitarism, criminality and coercive control. The views of individuals, groups and organisations in CIT areas will be key to any plans if the Communities in Transition Project is to continue beyond March 2024.”

Anyone unable to attend their local discussion event is welcome to submit their views by email to [email protected]