£100k awarded to empower Northern Ireland community representatives to make their voices heard
The UK Government has awarded £100,000 to a Belfast-based charity to train community representatives, particularly women, in advocacy and policy engagement to influence decision-making in Northern Ireland.
The UK Government’s Engagement for Change Fund will provide £100,000 over three years to the Women’s Resource and Development Agency (WRDA) to support community and voluntary groups in Northern Ireland. The funding aims to enhance participants’ skills in policy-making, advocacy, media engagement, and data use to strengthen their influence in public forums. The programme prioritises women’s participation in decision-making spaces, addressing underrepresentation in democratic processes. WRDA will deliver training tailored to grassroots organisations, including those new to advocacy work.
Baroness Ruth Anderson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office, announced the award during a visit to Belfast. She stated that the funding will help community representatives develop the skills and confidence to advocate for their communities, with a specific focus on supporting women. The UK Government’s Civil Society Covenant commitments underpin the fund’s goal of promoting participation and inclusion in democratic decision-making.
WRDA expressed enthusiasm for the funding, highlighting its programme ‘Grow, Lead, Change’ as an opportunity to empower the voluntary sector and grassroots women’s organisations. The charity aims to work with groups that have limited prior experience in advocacy, anticipating transformative outcomes for participants and their communities. The initiative builds on existing programmes, including the £500,000 Connect Fund and the forthcoming £1 million Community Partnership Fund, both designed to strengthen Northern Ireland’s voluntary sector.
The Engagement for Change Fund reflects the UK Government’s commitment to removing barriers to democratic participation in Northern Ireland. By equipping community representatives with the tools to engage in policy discussions, the programme seeks to ensure that diverse voices are represented in decisions affecting local communities. The fund aligns with broader efforts to foster inclusive democracy and civic engagement across the region.