The ‘Empower Project’ operates in one of the largest Catholic, Nationalist and Republican (CNR) areas of Derry-Londonderry where groups who are opposed to the Peace Process can often set the agenda, solve disputes, and even serve community justice to those individuals deemed to be involved in anti-social behaviour.

However, there is an alternative, according to Empower Project co-ordinator, Julieann Campbell. Working with residents and groups, she believes they can create an environment where issues are dealt with through non-violent means. Managed by the Creggan Neighbourhood Partnership (CNP), and launched only last summer, it is one of the newest Peace Impact Programme (PIP) initiatives to receive financial support from the International Fund for Ireland (IFI). 

Similar to Creggan Enterprise Limited (CEL) which has been successfully funded by the IFI for many years, Creggan Neighbourhood Partnership is now also getting the opportunity to take part in peacebuilding and reconciliation activities, from which positive leadership, a sense of empowerment, and a much-needed boost in community spirit often stems. This is especially true as the Empower Project works in an area that has, for many years now, experienced high levels of economic and social deprivation due to the Peace Process having delivered few tangible benefits. 

“Although vibrant and tight-knit, Creggan is an area of significant poverty and deprivation,” says Julieann. “It consistently ranks among the North’s top 10 per cent of multi disadvantaged areas for economic deprivation, education, skills, employment, and health. This creates an environment where groups opposed to the Peace Process thrive. For all these reasons, the Empower Project is much needed, and can help residents take on more active roles in their community. Empower delivers three key elements: Empowering Women; Community Cohesion; and Mediation and Negotiation. It offers a safe space where no person or group feels marginalised, and where residents feel supported and welcome. “PIP is extremely important for marginalised areas like the Creggan, where traditional methods of peacebuilding can be more difficult due to widespread poverty and deprivation coupled with the influence of groups and their ‘community justice’. 

While many choose to look away and ignore contentious issues in such areas, PIP delves deeper and explores solutions. There is a lot of difficult work ahead if we are to positively impact these communities and offer alternatives to the current status quo.” Julieann and her team have made positive progress despite the political disconnect that exists that often sees co-ordinated house raids and arrests by the PSNI; stop and searches involving young people; and illegal parades that tend to be followed by planned riots.

The project already has a growing core group of women – considered the backbone of any community – with almost fifty participating in activities, events, courses, and training classes to better equip them with skills and confidence so they can take on more active leadership roles. Early courses – as suggested by participants – have included learning self-defence as well as a bespoke half-day Assertiveness Workshop that looks to increase self-esteem and self-confidence, improve communication skills, and earn greater respect from those in the Creggan and immediate area.

A workshop on researching family trees and a panel discussion where bereaved relatives critiqued the British government’s legacy plans was also delivered as part of Derry Féile, and an audience with eminent British human rights lawyer Michael Mansfield KC where he spoke about his latest book. 

For Good Relations Week, Empower collaborated with The Junction in Derry-Londonderry for a course called ‘Empowering Women and Challenging the Status Quo’, and plans to develop a local history project that will culminate in a new mural depicting the historic roles of Creggan women on Creggan Neighbourhood Partnership’s Central Drive offices. “The biggest challenge in our first quarter was establishing the project and making our presence known to the wider community,” reveals Julieann. “This includes identifying and engaging a core group of women who otherwise might rarely participate in such programmes – that was important to us. Beyond that, we acknowledge there are going to be challenges around building enough trust and rapport with dissenting groups that exist in the area. We know this is a slow process, but there is a genuine willingness among these groups to work with us and trust us. Perseverance is key if we are to have lasting impact. We feel a sense of achievement in having established – and formally launched – the project in August 2024, with some fantastic support from the community, project participants, the local press, and key stakeholders.

There is already an observable difference in how we – and the Empower Project – are viewed within the community as we meet various groups and individuals.” Progress around mediation and negotiation, where Empower works with – and between – groups and individuals in Creggan to mediate and do a deep dive into alternatives to violence, is also gaining traction, with cases being resolved on an ongoing basis. Julieann points out that this aspect is understandably more sensitive, and that discretion is central once again to establishing trust and maximising results with local people.

“Creggan has historically been a stronghold of Republican groups such as the IRA, the INLA, PIRA, the Real IRA and Óglaigh na hÉireann (ONH),” she says. “The 1998 Good Friday Agreement had little impact in Creggan besides the release of its political prisoners. Much of this project’s success depends upon the willingness of its participants and the support of the wider Creggan community. Thankfully, we have been warmly received so far – our neutrality is a huge factor in terms of getting groups to trust us and work with us. This will increase as the project progresses.” 

Although the journey ahead may have twists and turns and hit the occasional bump in the road, Julieann believes having adequate funds thanks to the IFI’s Peace Impact Programme means that tangible change that will benefit those in the Creggan is on the horizon. “To me, success would be most noticeable as a genuine increase in community cohesion and how groups who have seen no advantage from the peace process interact with and respond to the wider community,” she adds. “With the right resources now in place, I feel we can work with groups to lessen the need for violence. There is already consensus among these groups that the project and its staff can be trusted to remain neutral in such a politically charged area.”