O’Neill and Sugden continue to champion the needs of all victims of domestic and sexual violence

Minister of Health Michelle O’Neill and Justice Minister Claire Sugden have co-chaired the Inter-Ministerial Group on Domestic and Sexual Violence which met today to re-affirm the Executive’s commitment to tackling domestic and sexual violence and abuse.

 

Health Minister Michelle O’Neill commented: “I welcome the convening of the Inter-Ministerial Group on Domestic and Sexual Violence and I am pleased to co-chair this Group with the Justice Minister.”

 

“We all know domestic and sexual violence and abuse can affect anyone in this society, and yet it still tends to be an unspoken, or even a taboo subject.  This violence and abuse not only impacts the victim but can also ripple out to the wider family circle and friends.

 

“A societal change is required and I know this will not be achieved by government working in isolation.  I encourage all stakeholders to partner with government in this task to ensure victims are supported and protected and perpetrators are held to account.” 

 

Minister Sugden commented: “I too very much welcome today’s Inter-Ministerial meeting and the opportunity it provides to engage with Executive colleagues as part of government’s ongoing efforts to address domestic and sexual violence in Northern Ireland.”

 

“The five strands of the ‘Stopping Domestic and Sexual Violence and Abuse’ Strategy provide a platform upon which the Executive will tackle the multi-faceted nature of these issues in a systematic and holistic way. 

 

“As Justice Minister, I want to ensure victims are empowered to report these crimes and ensure that they receive the support they need when they take that first brave step.  I also want to send out a clear and resounding message that these crimes are abhorrent and unacceptable and that is why I have committed to legislating for a new domestic abuse offence in Northern Ireland.”

 

The group was convened to coincide with the international ‘16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign’, which runs from 25 November to 10 December 2016.

 

The ’16 Days’ international campaign serves as a catalyst to galvanise action to end violence against women and girls encourage discussion about these important matters.  The more open these discussions are throughout society, the more likely it will be that victims are encouraged to disclose and seek the support and protection they deserve.  

 

The government funds a 24 hour domestic and sexual violence helpline with highly trained staff and volunteers who support victims to enable disclosure and signpost them to appropriate follow-on services.

 

The manager of the helpline delivered a presentation to the group focusing on the advice, information and support made available to victims and their families.

 

The Ministers commended the helpline staff and volunteers who provide victims and their families with immediate support and signposting to appropriate follow-on services.

 

 

 

 

EXECUTIVE OFFICE BRIEFING NOTE

THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE

17 November 2016

EXECUTIVE OFFICE BRIEFING NOTE

Detailed below is an Executive Office briefing note on the Social Investment Fund (SIF).

1) The Social Investment Fund (SIF) is an innovative Government programme to tackle deprivation.  A total of £80m has been allocated to SIF projects across the province. These schemes are already making a positive difference.

2) They include 50 capital projects worth over £44million and 19 revenue projects worth £35million. The capital projects will make vital improvements to 115 premises across the local areas. The revenue projects focus primarily on employment/training support, early intervention services and educational support with others incorporating mental health services, social economy support, transport, fuel poverty and community capacity.

3)  Over £18.3million is being invested in projects to support people back into employment.  While none of the projects are completed yet, over 150 people have already secured full time jobs and credit their success directly to the SIF projects. 

One participant has spoken about how her children felt like they had a different mother since she has been on a placement.  Another person, now employed, was previously unemployed for 26 years, and said: ‘I would never have had the confidence to look for work, go for interviews or do up a CV without the support from the programme."
4)  The agreed model for delivery of SIF, implemented across all SIF zones, has been based around Steering Groups involving community/voluntary representatives and local political representatives. Opportunities were given to community/voluntary groups to apply for Steering Group membership, with the appointments made by OFMDFM (now the Executive Office).

5) The agreed model was decided upon after a public consultation process and details of how it would operate were fully disclosed and explained as SIF was taken forward.

6) The five main Assembly parties all took up places on SIF Steering Groups. The overriding political criticism of SIF has not been about the process but about the time taken to distribute funding.

7) The Steering Groups' role was to identify the most pressing needs in their areas and develop projects to help address them. OFMDFM then approved the projects. This model was adjudged to be better than a top-down approach where civil servants would have decided what was best for neighbourhoods.

8) As was explained all along, the lead partners for taking these projects forward were drawn from the Steering Groups. This helped ensure continued ownership of the projects by those who had originated them. The lead partners were chosen by a process of consensus within each steering group.

9) These lead partners receive some funding for their role in overseeing the individual projects. But the great majority of the funding for SIF projects is being passed to publicly procured delivery partners to actually deliver the projects.

10) Charter NI was one of the community/voluntary groups on the East Belfast steering group selected for specific lead partner roles – in Charter NI’s case for an employability initiative.

11) Reports that Charter NI has been given or is controlling £1.7 million of Social Investment Fund (SIF) money are creating a false impression.

The £1.7m allocation is for the employability initiative. Some £1.5 million of this funding is going directly to fund training, secure job placements and business start ups for hundreds of unemployed and underemployed people.  This is being delivered by GEMS NI. 

12) As Charter NI’s website explains, it has received grant-aid from a number of public bodies aside from TEO.  As part of the normal SIF process, TEO/OFMDFM carried out a check on the governance and financial management arrangements of Charter NI, to ensure its capability to manage public money.

This included a site visit, a review of the organisational structure including confirmation that a board is in place; there are appropriate management structures; a review of the financial and governance processes to ensure the necessary policies and procedures are in place and implemented to effectively manage and account for funding.  On site verification and governance checks will be ongoing throughout the duration of the project.

13) The employability scheme is in the process of being established by Gems NI. Calls from Opposition MLAs for the funding to be halted would halt this work, and jeopardise the planned support for unemployed people.

14) Demands to halt funding need to have a sound legal basis. Governments cannot withdraw funding simply on the basis of media allegations; or because politicians don’t like the outcome of disciplinary or personnel processes within organisations. It also appears to be being suggested that funding of the community sector or appointments linked to any public money should be subject to vetting processes based on police intelligence. Is this what Opposition parties are actually advocating?