Valuing versus doing: attitudes toward and behaviors connected to collaboration in cross-community youth work

Abstract

Following decades of social, political and armed conflict, much of Northern Ireland continues to live, socialize and attend schools in separate areas. Within community development circles, collaboration has assumed positive salience as a response to promoting community relations and this is particularly the case among those that engage in cross-community work that serves to bring together the “two communities” (Catholic/Nationalist/Republican and Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist). This article explores the relationship between adult cross-community youth leaders’ attitudes toward collaboration in the funding acquisition process and how actively they pursue such collaborations. Ideologically, respondents interpreted collaboration in positive terms but offered a range of reservations toward the practice. Over three quarters of respondents declared collaboration in funding applications to be “very important” or “important” yet two thirds of respondents reported they did not actively seek out such collaborations. This article offers insights and recommendations on some of the challenges relating to obtaining resources for cross-community programs.

Keywords:

• collaboration
• community development
• cross-community youth work
• North Belfast

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank all participants who contributed to the overall study. Without their guidance, support and time, this study would not have been possible. The author also wishes to express appreciation to Queen’s University Belfast for supporting this research through a fully-funded studentship (2010–2013).