Your Opportunity to Impact Positively in County Sligo …
Sligo County Council is establishing a PEACEPLUS Partnership Board for the PEACEPLUS Programme 2022-2027. The PEACEPLUS Partnership will oversee the design and implementation of a PEACEPLUS Action Plan for our County. We are seeking nominations for social partners from the PPN for the new PEACEPLUS Partnership Board.
This Briefing Note has been developed to:
- Let you know about the Peace Plus Programme
- Set out the responsibilities of a PEACEPLUS Partnership member should you be interested in that role
- Establish your commitment should you put yourself forward for one of the four Social Partner Board positions
- Let you know where you can find out more information about the Peace Programme to help you to decide whether to apply
PEACE PLUS Programme 2021 – 2027
This project will be funded by the European Union’s PEACEPLUS Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body
The PEACE Plus Programme is a unique cross-border initiative, financed through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) of the European Union and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It has been designed to support peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. In addition to supporting peace and reconciliation, the ERDF also contributes to the promotion of social and economic stability, in particular through actions to promote cohesion between communities.
The eligible area for the PEACEPlus Programme for 2021-2027 is Northern Ireland and the Border Counties of Ireland (Donegal, Cavan, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo). Cross-border co-operation is encouraged within all projects seeking funding under the PEACE PLUS Programme.
The overall objective of the PEACEPLUS Programme will be to build Peace and Prosperity and ensure that this Programme will leave a lasting and tangible legacy across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The Programme’s strategy is to continue to take the opportunities and address the needs arising from the peace process in order to boost economic growth and stimulate social and economic regeneration and secondly, to promote social inclusion, particularly for those at the margins of economic and social life.
The Programme will help to address many long-standing social and economic challenges which have, and continue to impact on communities, particularly those in rural border areas, as well as ongoing challenges that exist in urban settings.
Programme Overview
The following schematic outlines the 6 key Thematic areas of the Peace Plus Programme with an overall budget in the region of €1.1B available. Theme 1 Building Peaceful and Thriving Communities with a total budget of €250m for the eligible area contains the requirement to establish a new PEACEPLUS Partnership in each local authority area.
Further information about the impact of Peace funding is available through video case studies of projects funded through Peace Four (the previous Peace Programme) in County Sligo:
https://www.sligoppn.com/peaceplus/
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SligoPEACEPLUS
At a County wide level the PEACEPLUS Programme will be led and directed by a partnership made up of the following
- Pillar One – Elected Members of the Council: (4 Members)
- Pillar Two – Relevant Statutory Bodies to be sought through expressions of interest from LCDC (4 Members).
- Pillar Three – Social Partners – Geographical Community Development Representatives/civic society to be sought through prescribed Social Partners of LCDC plus Local Development Company (4 Members).
- Pillar Four – Social Partners PEACE Plus Target Groups Equality/Under-represented groups (4 No. Members). The Sligo Public Participation Network (PPN) is selecting four members to represent Pillar Four
What Would Be Your Responsibility …?
The sixteen PEACEPLUS Partnership members will have an overall governance and oversight role. Fundamentally, their responsibility will include:
- Ensuring that the people of Sligo are centrally involved in influencing how PEACEPLUS funding is used
- Directing and influencing a consultation and community engagement process to ensure that level of involvement
- Reviewing and analysing feedback and establish priorities and potential actions
- Serving on assessment panels to make decisions about what projects and programmes should be funded
What Level of Commitment Is Required…?
Typically your commitment to the Sligo PEACEPLUS Partnership on an annual basis will be:
- Approximately six partnership meetings per annum (approximately 2 hours per meeting)
- Participation in training sessions( two x 2 hours)
- Participate on assessment panels for grant applications (1 day per annum)
The role is a voluntary, unpaid role that will require time commitment. Travel expenses will be paid where required. All Partnership Board members will receive training to support them to carry out this important voluntary role.
How Can I Put My Name Forward…?
Links to the online nomination form will be sent to all PPN member groups. Any groups who have trouble completing the nomination form online can contact the Sligo PPN office directly on 071 91 14430 or ppn@sligococo.ie
Closing date for nominations is: 11th November, 12pm
An Overview of the EU PEACEPLUS Programme can be found here.
An animated video giving an overview of the draft content of the PEACE PLUS Programme (2021-2027) can be viewed below