Thirteen years after the Good Friday agreement, which almost ended sectarian violence, Northern Ireland no longer makes the front page. While up the hill in Stormont Castle, peace talks are coming to an end, making power sharing in the North a realistic option, the people of North Belfast are left with the legacy of ‘The Troubles’. Unemployment, poverty and poor health reign the area of New Lodge. “But”, says Paul Roberts, executive officer of the Ashton Centre, “There is also strong sense of community and hope for the future.”
The coffee table at the entrance of Ashton Centre is filled with brochures: “Do you believe in North Belfast? Are you unemployed and willing to return to work?” Employability is the Centre’s main goal. “Many people in the area have got no qualifications”, says Paul Roberts. “This is a direct result of The Troubles. The conflict has left both the republican and loyalist communities devastated. Traditionally, education was considered a way out among Catholic working class. Not in New Lodge. Catholics have been discriminated against on the labour market for so long that many of them think: ‘Why bother?’”
Today the centre works closely with the local schools in both communities to promote the importance of education.In the ‘job club’, Kirsty McAuley explains the Labour Market Intermediary Program (LMI), funded by the Department for Employment and Learning : “First we assess the needs of people that come to us. They may have to develop their reading and writing, or lack basic self-esteem. We also provide computer classes and courses in accounting or payroll administration.” From April 2005 to March 2006 out of 649 people, 142 found a job through LMI, a further 343 people received training that will help them to progress to employment.
Una Gavigan is liaison officer for the local companies. “Some time ago, we started a project with a security company. We discussed what positions were available, which skills were required and how we could train our people to fill those positions. We agreed that if we provided the training, the company would guarantee a job for whoever completed the course.” In collaboration with a Belfast retail company Ashton provided sales training and guaranteed job interviews for participants completing the course. In the year April 2005 – March 2006, 37 people attended pre-employment courses with Woolworth, Halifax and the Merchant Hotel with 15 people being offered jobs and 23 company visits arranged with potential employers.
Jack Forgie focuses on the long-term unemployed who have got some history of employment. “It is extremely difficult to find work when you’ve got a gap of several years in your CV. No employer will take the risk of taking you on. Thanks to our partnership with local enterprises and European funding, we can provide an unemployed person with a salary for a period of nine months, during which they can develop their employment skills where it matters: in the workplace. Hopefully the employer will keep the person on, but in each case our participant will have improved his skills, which will help him on his way to a permanent job.” Forgie’s project has started only recently, but he is optimistic about future results.
The Ashton Centre itself is one of the major employers in New Lodge. It has got 72 people on payroll. The majority of them, Roberts included, are New Lodge locals. Ashton houses several small businesses as well as a day care centre, for 90 children between the ages of 6 months and 12 years. “Our childcare facilities enable parents to go to work, or come to class and know that their child is well looked after”, says Roberts.
Even though both communities use the Centre, integration is still one bridge too far. “People don’t trust each other”, says Roberts. “When we give courses we go into the respective areas, so both groups won’t have to meet. We have got a few cross-community projects, but I think it is too early to expect much more. An 800-year-old conflict is not solved overnight. For now we are happy that people can live in peace and that we can contribute to a better living standard for both communities.”
The Aston Centre has proved to be a great success. Slowly but certainly unemployment rates are dropping. “But most importantly”, says Roberts, “people are more optimistic about their future and willing to invest in their area”. To meet the overwhelming demand, a second centre is due to open next year.
Published May 2007
Photo: (c) Ashton Centre
