Praise for HAIP in bringing communities together
A unique good relations project being partly delivered by Apex Housing Association has been praised in the project’s interim evaluation report published last week.
The Housing Associations Integration Project (HAIP) is a unique three-year initiative aimed at building good relations across social housing schemes in 40 areas in Northern Ireland and eligible border counties of Republic of Ireland. Delivered by four of Northern Ireland’s largest housing associations (Apex, Clanmil, Choice and Radius), TIDES Training and the Irish Council for Social Housing, it is the first initiative of its kind to cover Northern Ireland and the border counties.
Launched in July 2018, the €1.1m project, which is funded by the EU’s Peace IV Programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), brings together social housing residents from a range of religious and cultural backgrounds to share experiences, learn about differences and embrace diversity in the communities in which they live.
Last week the HAIP published its interim independent evaluation which shows the partnership is delivering on its targets. The report highlights that 1200 tenants across 40 housing schemes have participated in community building events helping to bring communities together. A further 253 tenants have completed capacity building workshops enabling tenants to acquire new skills, knowledge and confidence. It further states that HAIP “has produced some very good approaches to good relations work and identified some important lessons that can be drawn upon”.
Eamon Melaugh, a tenant with Apex Housing Association, stated:
Having participated on this project, I completely relate to the aims of the Housing Associations Integration Project and I’m delighted to see that the team will be working with residents across Northern Ireland and the border counties. Housing Associations have taken sectarianism out of housing. They are working to build a better society and I feel this initiative will have a huge impact on helping to bring communities together. It is important to be able to live and work well within any community.
For more information about the Housing Associations Integration Project, please contact Emer McElhinney Tel: 028 71304800 or emer.mcelhinney@apex.org.uk.
Match-funding for the project has been provided by the Executive Office in Northern Ireland and the Department for Rural and Community Development in Ireland. The partnership is managed and coordinated by the NI Federation of Housing Associations (NIFHA).
Housing Associations Integration Project (HAIP) Video
