History of Social Housing

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Newry, Mourne & Down District Council, Newry & Mourne Museum and filmmaker Kevin Cameron on a fascinating Peace Plus funded project exploring the history of social housing.

We recently facilitated an information evening in Ballybot House, inviting a range of community organisations and interested individuals along to meet with Kevin and get to hear more about the project first hand.

There are still plenty of opportunities to get involved so please get in contact to find out more or to express an interest in getting involved.

As part of the ongoing Community Development support across the Neighbourhood Renewal areas in Newry, the team has been delivering a wide range of assistance to strengthen local community organisations and increase active civic participation.

1. Funding Applications and Capacity Building

The team has been working closely with community groups to prepare and submit various funding applications. This includes the major programmes recently launched by Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, particularly those supporting festivals, summer schemes, and other community-led initiatives. Support has also been provided for additional funding streams from a number of external sources. This work helps ensure that groups can continue delivering activities, events and services that meet local needs.

2. Governance, Compliance and AGM Support

With AGM season underway, the team is offering hands-on support to ensure community groups meet their governance and reporting requirements. This includes:

Processing and preparing end-of-year accounts

Drafting and finalising trustee reports

Supporting committees with strategic planning for the incoming year

These supports help groups operate effectively, remain compliant, and plan confidently for future development.

3. Encouraging Active Community Involvement

A key focus for our work is encouraging wider community participation in local associations. AGMs offer residents a vital opportunity to learn about ongoing work, influence decisions, and play an active role in shaping their area.

To strengthen community engagement, the team is assisting groups to:

· Promote their AGMs locally and online

· Highlight the importance of getting involved in community decision-making

· Raise awareness of the impact community associations have in their neighbourhood

Active involvement from local residents ensures that community priorities reflect genuine needs and aspirations.

4. Strengthening Committees Through Clear Roles and a Shared Vision

Community associations rely on volunteers who work in clear, supported roles such as Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and committee members. The team is helping groups:

· Clarify responsibilities for each role

· Offer guidance and training to build confidence

· Develop a strong, shared vision that sets out future goals

This structured approach helps create committees that are effective, sustainable, and aligned with the long-term development of their community.

Overall Impact

Through a blend of governance support, funding assistance, community engagement, and strategic planning, the team is helping maintain strong, resilient community associations that are well-equipped for the year ahead.

As a Charity Commission NI Helper Group, we can support organisations with:

• v  Charity Registration

• v  Annual Monitoring Returns

• v  Making changes

• v  Understanding charity regulation

The Confederation of Community Groups were thrilled to recently host a Good Morning Volunteer Training and Celebration Event at Brownlow Castle.  This was an important day for everyone involved with the Good Morning service as it provided us with the opportunity to bring many of our volunteers together for some teambuilding and training activities, alongside a tasty meal served in what was Lord Brownlow’s drawing room.

On the day, our volunteers were treated to a morning of different physical activities, including gentle exercise, dance & movement, which included many laughs as we all tried to master the hokey cokey, followed by a fierce boccia competition.  Our afternoon session was something totally different as we welcomed Wheelworks who provided a digital portrait masterclass and the chance to experiment with augmented reality through the VR headsets.

The feedback from all the volunteers was overwhelmingly positive and we would like to thank them for not only attending on this day but for giving their time freely throughout the year to ensure that the Good Morning telephone support service continues to provide vital support to close to 500 older, isolated residents living across Newry & Mourne and Armagh Banbridge & Craigavon.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to both Arbour and Radius Housing Associations for the funding provided to allow us to offer our volunteers a range of different training opportunities and a Volunteer Away Day.

If you would like to find out more information about referring anyone aged 60+ on to the Good Morning service, or you are interested in joining our team of volunteers then please get in contact with one of our programme coordinators at Ballybot House, Newry, on 028 3026 1022 or email them:

Pat Quinn:  pquinn@ccgnewry.org

Conor Keenan:   ckeenan@ccgnewy.org