Tar Isteach North Belfast

 North Belfast was severely and disproportionately affected by the political conflict in the North of Ireland.  It also continues to be effected by its history of community division and inter-community tensions.  The area is a patchwork of small communities, often separated by walls and ‘peacelines’ where sporadic interface violence can still disrupt the lives of ordinary people and their families.  People here have an intense sense of belonging and community.  Today, the majority of people living in this patchwork landscape of communities from different national, religious, economic and social backgrounds are attempting to deal with the legacy of the conflict and its social and economic consequencies.  There is now a higher than ever level of cross community networking and very positive work being done to improve the situation, especially for those living close to the various interfaces.  Whilst tangible benefits from the peace process in terms of social and economic progress has been slow, the work being done on the ground by local community groups and community workers has had an effect on the level of violence and the periods of tension.

The segregation along politico-religious lines is particularly apparent in the poorer areas and this is seen to exacerbate deprivation.  North Belfast has numerous poverty black spots and these areas suffer from many social problems as a result.  Across a broad range of indicators these same areas are consistently seen to be among the most deprived communities and areas.  Ex-prisoners and their families experience higher than average levels of ill health and social exclusion in this highly deprived area.

North Belfast communities have encountered significant degrees of decline in the areas of social and economic infrastructure. This decline is illustrated in the large number of electoral wards in the area ranked amongst the most multiple deprived neighbourhoods in the North. Such deprivation is manifest, for example, in the higher than average proportion of residents with no educational qualifications and lower levels of economic activity.