Peter Cheney discusses the idea with the NIO Minister.

Instead of a cover for cuts, Hugo Swire sees the Big Society as a kind of confession. The NIO Minister, who leads on the subject in the province, describes it as an admission that “big government can’t always do it, shouldn’t always do it and when it does things, it doesn’t always do it very well.”

He sums up David Cameron’s concept as a transfer of power from the state to local people so they have more of a say in how their lives are run. The fundamental belief is that “the people who do things best for their communities are those people who live in those communities themselves.”

The Minister earlier addressed the UK Association of Preservation Trusts’ national conference at the Crescent Arts Centre. The Big Society, he told delegates, had three pillars:

1. decreasing the power of Whitehall and bringing decisions much closer to people;

2. reforming and opening up public services; and

3. encouraging social action.

Ministers have been keen to stress that the Big Society already exists and they want to make it ‘bigger’.

The UK Government’s plans will have the most impact in England, where Westminster has a free hand. Elsewhere, it has financial levers but otherwise has to persuade devolved administrations. Some voluntary sector groups are supportive, others sceptical.

Cameron launched the name Big Society through the Guardian’s Hugo Young lecture, in November 2009, but has emphasised the same theme since his leadership election speech in October 2005: “We know we have a shared responsibility, that we’re all in this together, that there is such a thing as society; it’s just not the same thing as the state.”

That contrasted with Margaret Thatcher’s 1987 comment: “And who is society? There is no such thing.” Swire points interviewers to the full quote, which continues: “There are individual men and women and there are families and no government can do anything except through people and people look to themselves first.”

Transferring power from government, he thinks, is “rather radical” and not unique to Conservatives. Many of his party members in East Devon are involved in charities, churches and fundraising. So too are people from other political backgrounds: “We want to recognise those people. We want to support those people. We want to encourage those people and we want there to be more of those people.”

Critiques

“Our critics have to say something,” he says when rejecting Ed Miliband’s view of the Big Society as “a cloak for the small state”. Swire adds: “As a Conservative, I actually believe personally that it is the individuals who should be empowered against the state. If that’s radical, so be it.”

From the right wing, Adam Smith Institute Director Eamonn Butler says the idea is a ‘brand’ and any ‘good’ government policy will be called the Big Society. “I think that what that’s missing is the very clear things that we’re doing,” Swire responds, pointing to Big Society Capital and National Citizen Service.

“It’s actually a sort of philosophical change. It’s a mindset. It actually represents a very fundamental shift in thinking and I think, ultimately, will come to define David Cameron’s premiership.”

Charities, social enterprises, private companies and co-operatives (including those owned by public sector workers) will compete to run public services, at least in England.

The proposed Big Society Bank has been renamed Big Society Capital to distinguish it from high street banks and is due to operate from April 2012.

Big Society Capital will not make direct grants but will instead act as a wholesaler of capital, attracting funding from foundations, institutional investors, companies and private individuals, to invest in intermediary organisations. Applicants, from all parts of the UK, could approach the intermediary organisations and access capital at a more competitive rate than through a normal bank. Independent of government, the organisation will initially receive an estimated £400 million from dormant bank accounts and £200 million from HSBC, RBS, Lloyds and Barclays (so-called Merlin money).

Swire was most passionate about the National Citizen Service as, after the English riots, “if there was ever a time to give teenagers a sense of belonging and purpose, it is now.”

The service, piloted in England last summer, brings together 16-year olds from different social backgrounds for a residential trip. Similarly to the Duke of Edinburgh Awards, young people take part in outdoor pursuits, design a community project and carry out 30 hours of part-time social action. Ten thousand young people took part and the UK Government is discussing a Northern Ireland version with the Executive.

Whether or not that goes ahead, Swire notes that the province’s Big Society is “alive and well in myriad different forms”. Indeed, he brought David Cameron to see the ARC healthy living centre in Irvinestown back in June, a high profile illustration of Britain learning from Northern Ireland’s experience.

Down to specifics

The Big Society is often written off as woolly and waffly but detailed policies are now taking shape. The National Citizen Service and the Big Society Capital Group are the two highest profile examples to date. In May, the Cabinet Office released its giving white paper, which highlights the following UK-wide schemes:

• Cutting inheritance tax from 40 to 36 per cent where 10 per cent or more of an estate goes to charity (takes effect from April 2012);

• Charitable giving through ATMs, being explored by banks, building societies and cash machine operators (operational later this year);

• JustTextGiving launched by the mobile phone industry (in May) after a challenge from government;

• The Do Some Good app for iPhones;

• The independent Philanthropy UK service encouraging more giving from wealthy individuals

(to receive £700,000 from government to develop its work).

Innovative pilots include the Round Pound scheme, allowing shoppers to round up their bills to the nearest pound and donate the difference to charity, and the Spice initiative (pioneered in south Wales) which thanks volunteers with a small gift e.g. off-peak swimming, spare theatre seats.

Community and voluntary groups across the UK can also apply for Big Society Awards. Winners receive a signed certificate from the Prime Minister and are invited to a networking event and 10 Downing Street reception.

The British Empire Medal (see page 7 in this edition) is being reintroduced to reward volunteering.

All UK Government ministers have pledged to volunteer for a day in the community. Swire had an army of NIO “weeders, sweepers, painters and cleaners” and was open to suggestions for projects.

More info: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/big-society

The welfare reforms currently working their way through Westminster have been widely described as the most radical shake-up of the social security system in over 40 years. With the aim of simplifying the benefits system, improving work incentives to encourage the move from benefits to work and reducing administration costs, the implementation of the changes will impact upon a significant percentage of the working age population in Northern Ireland.

No one can argue that the present overly complicated and bureaucratic social security system doesn’t need to be overhauled. However, there is much more to this than simplification and achieving a better outcome for customers.

A recent report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies found that after London, Northern Ireland will be the hardest hit by the tax and benefit cuts announced and soon to be implemented under the Bill between January 2012 and April 2015. This is for two reasons: the high numbers of those in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, especially for mental health disorders, and the high number of families with children who will be adversely affected by cuts to social security. The loss to Northern Ireland’s benefit recipients will be more than £600 million per year by 2014-2015.

The changes will include existing work related benefits being replaced with a single universal credit, a cap on the total amounts of benefit families and individuals can receive, changes to how housing benefit is calculated, a new benefit to replace DLA which will require all existing and new claimants to undergo a new assessment, the abolition of the independent review of Social Fund decisions and the end of community care grants and crisis loans.

The issues are huge and the potential ramifications for Northern Ireland have yet to be fully understood. Though we do know two things for sure: that these changes will mean less spending power available for the economy and, secondly, that once again the most vulnerable and disadvantaged will bear the brunt of attempts to correct economic problems that are not of their making.

A group of organisations in the voluntary and community sector concerned about the very real potential of these changes to increase poverty, hardship and inequality in Northern Ireland has been meeting to monitor developments and unpick what this will mean for people, families and communities here. Led by the Northern Ireland Law Centre, group members include NICVA, Gingerbread, Save the Children, Barnardos, Advice NI, Disability Action, A2B, the Housing Rights Service, Employers for Childcare and the Women’s Support Network. The group has addressed MLAs and Stormont committees on this issue and has produced a useful overview of the changes proposed in the Bill which is available at www.nicva.org/news

The Bill is expected to receive royal assent early in the new year. Following this the Bill is due to be presented to the Northern Ireland Assembly, which will give our own elected representatives the opportunity to debate the impact of the reforms in Northern Ireland and shape how they are implemented here. NICVA supports the argument from the Welfare Reform Group that the DSD should set out its own arrangements and proposals which are tailored to Northern Ireland’s needs so that a full debate can occur on the practical consequences of any proposal within the Welfare Reform Bill.

In March 2012, NICVA and the Law Centre are joining forces to host a high level conference which will aim to explain and debate the impact of welfare reform in Northern Ireland. Details will be made available as we confirm the agenda and you can get more information by contacting Lorraine Boyd at lorraine.boyd@nicva.org

Lisa McElherron is NICVA’s Head of Public Affairs. For more information:

Tel: 028 9087 7777

Email: lisa.mcelherron@nicva.org

Bryson Energy, part of the Bryson Charitable Group, Northern Ireland’s leading social enterprise, is committed to tackling fuel poverty and its long-term aim is to ‘energy proof’ homes across Northern Ireland.

Bryson Energy is the European energy agency for Northern Ireland and is part of a large network of over 380 energy agencies working across Europe committed to reducing energy usage in the home. Operating as a social enterprise, it is one of the largest and most successful energy agencies delivering innovative and high quality energy services at regional and local level.

Bryson Energy Director Nigel Brady explains: “Our social business model is driving public finances into local communities to maximise the impact on the local economy while providing real value for money. Despite the impact of the current economic situation and unstable energy prices we continue to make a real difference to people’s lives in Northern Ireland, especially for those living in fuel poverty. We offer a range of services and programmes designed to provide advice and support to householders helping them to increase the comfort levels in their home and reducing heating costs.”

The services include:

• Energy efficiency and micro-generation advice;

• A home visiting advice service;

• Installation of loft and cavity wall insulation alongside fully controlled oil and gas heating systems, solar panels and pellet stoves;

• Grant administration;

• School presentations;

• Benefit entitlement checks.

The services are delivered by over 55 staff alongside fully accredited sub-contractors, including other social enterprise contractors. This model ensures that employment is supported and created across all of Northern Ireland and money is invested in local communities, providing local jobs through meeting local needs. Many of the household services are funded through grant schemes and cash backs ensuring that households can avail of energy measures at reduced costs.

Bryson Energy’s largest project is the management of Warm Homes for the Department for Social Development and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive across 13 of the 26 local authority areas in Northern Ireland. Warm Homes is a central element in the Executive’s Fuel Poverty Strategy with the purpose of improving domestic energy efficiency thereby reducing energy consumption in disadvantaged households in the owner occupied and private rented sector.

Bryson Energy is also the largest provider of independent energy advice for Northern Ireland households and operates the National Energy Advice Service for Northern Ireland, which is funded by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) and overseen by the Energy Saving Trust. This service handles 40,000 calls a year to the free phone number 0800 512 012 and in addition to energy advice it promotes grants and cash backs for local householders.

Bryson Energy delivers over 20 separate programmes to meet its core objective of helping householders make their homes more energy efficient, access appropriate grants and benefits, and lowering the cost to achieve increased comfort levels in their homes. At a time of rising fuel prices and increasing fuel poverty, demand for the services of Bryson Energy has never been greater.

To find out more please log onto www.brysonenergy.org or call 028 9045 5008.

It is not a member of TUC or ICTU and is not affiliated to any political party.

At the end of 2010 its membership stood at 409,801, including 13,418 members in Northern Ireland. Members include registered nurses, student nurses and healthcare assistants.

The union covers four regions: Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the English regions. The six RCN branches across Northern Ireland hold regular meetings and organise events to promote nursing and the RCN at a local level.

Its governance structure consists of an RCN Council, responsible for policy making, and the executive team of legal services, communications, publishing, nursing and regional directors, headed by Chief Executive and General Secretary Peter Carter. Northern Ireland’s Regional Director is Janice Smyth.

Established in 1916 with 34 members, the RCN evolved from a professional organisation for trained nurses and a charity to a professional union. Its status as a charity ceased in 2010 when the independent RCN Foundation was established. A royal charter was granted in 1928 which stated that the RCN would promote “the science and art” of nursing at home and abroad. Men were admitted in 1960 and in 1977 it was registered as a trade union.

Frontline First is its main campaign which outlines the cuts required in each region and calls for members to reveal where those cuts are affecting patient care, examples of waste and inefficiency and of innovation on the front line.

On pensions, the RCN has welcomed the Government’s proposal that no one within 10 years of retirement will have to work longer or have a decreased pension. However, it was critical of the fact that the contributions from other healthcare staff are still planned to rise by up to 50 per cent from 2015. The RCN believes that nurses have not been properly engaged in the review of healthcare in Northern Ireland. In its submission, it said that a move from acute to primary care needs an appropriate workforce development plan. The RCN urged its members to join the TUC’s day of action on 30 November as a show of support and to oppose pension reform.

A book on nursing in the Troubles is due to be published in 2013. Northern Ireland gained a reputation for its expertise in microsurgery and prosthetics from treating patients injured by bombs and bullets, and the RCN is currently recording the real life stories of those nurses involved.

Internationally, the RCN works with partners such as the International Council of Nurses, the European Public Health Alliance and the International Confederation of Midwives to monitor and lobby on European policy and proposed legislation. It also works with other UK NGOs such as Action for Global Health, Marie Stopes International and the stop aids campaign to develop better health in developing countries.

The RCN received £1.1 million in subscriptions from Northern Ireland in 2010. Its total income for the year ended March 2011 was £71 million and its costs were £63 million. Its assets at March 2011 were £37 million and its liabilities were £7 million.

The early years sector in Northern Ireland employs more than 6,000 staff and contributes approximately £65 million to the Northern Ireland economy.

Over the last 46 years, Early Years has become the lead organisation in providing specialist support and advice to early years and pre-school providers throughout Northern Ireland. During this time, the organisation has built up a wealth of knowledge and expertise in all aspects of child development, education and care while always maintaining its focus on evidence-based and outcomes focused programmes and interventions.

Early Years has also built up a solid reputation as a training provider not only on the island of Ireland but also internationally and over the last ten years, the organisation has been involved in training initiatives in such countries as Belarus, Serbia, Albania, Moldova and the Ukraine.

As a result of the organisation’s experience internationally, Early Years has become an integral part of a partnership that recently secured an EU contract worth €2 million to support the Serbian Ministry of Education to develop and improve pre-school services.

Experienced trainers and support staff from Early Years will work with the ministry and pre-school professionals to develop new models of community managed pre-school services in some of the most deprived regions of Serbia. The project will have a major focus on supporting the inclusion of all children into pre-school but will have a particular remit to create services which are inclusive of Roma children and children with a disability.

The tender was developed in partnership with SOFRECO – a leading French education consultancy as well as with International Bund – a German civil society organisation. The success of the tender sees Early Years develop further into a social enterprise role, creating jobs in Northern Ireland through exporting knowledge developed here.

This is not the first time that Early Years has been involved in working in Serbia. Since 2004, we have been sharing best practice in early years service from Northern Ireland with Serbian municipalities and in particular, the contract builds on work already carried out by Early Years with Pomoc Deci, a Serbian NGO for children.

The Serbian Government has also been particularly interested in how the EU, through the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation, has supported Early Years and the pre-school sector in Northern Ireland and how this support is allowing the sector to make a significant contribution to creating a peaceful and prosperous society.

As part of the ongoing work by Early Years to build peaceful societies both at home and abroad, the organisation is working with international partners to develop a Masters in Early Years and Peace Building which will provide practitioners from across the world with the necessary skills to transform their approach to supporting young children who have been affected by conflict. This is an exciting opportunity for the organisation and the support from the EU PEACE III Programme for this masters reflects the high regard in which the early years sector is held.

Early Years has made an enormous contribution to community and educational life in Northern Ireland over the past 46 years and through our growing portfolio of international work, we aim to continue to make a significant contribution to the future growth and sustainability of the economy.

For further information on Early Years visit www.early-years.org or telephone 028 9066 2825.

Bryson ‘steps’ forward with new contract and brand name

Bryson Charitable Group, a Northern Ireland leading social enterprise, has announced that its training and employment division, North City Training, has won a major contract from the Department for Employment and Learning (DEL). Bryson has also unveiled the new brand name and logo for the training and employment division which will be rolled out over the next few months.

New ‘Steps to Work’ Contract

North City Training Ltd was awarded the contract to manage and deliver the ‘Steps to Work’ Programme in South and East Belfast by DEL in June of this year. This new contract adds to its existing provision of DEL’s flagship adult training programme in North Belfast and Newtownabbey. The organisation also delivers ‘Training for Success’ and ‘Apprenticeships NI’ on behalf of DEL and manages two European Social Fund Projects aimed at young people who are in the NEET category (not in employment, education or training) and those unemployed and aged 50+.

This new contract will see the Bryson Group grow further with staff increasing to over 650 employees across Northern Ireland and County Donegal and turnover in excess of £30 million. This positions Bryson in the top 2 per cent of Northern Ireland companies and it is the 6th largest social enterprise across the UK in the recent (June/July 2011) RBS survey.

North City Training faced tough competition during the competitive tendering process from a range of local, national and international providers of training and employment to win this contract. The contract cements the continued growth of North City Training, which has doubled in size over the last four years.

Liam McNeill, Director of North City Training said: “We are delighted to have won the contract to manage the Steps to Work Programme in South and East Belfast. We are now the largest provider of the Programme across the city and we will now help over 5,000 people each year to achieve their potential.

“We firmly believe in improving people’s skills and supporting them to find suitable employment, particularly in this current economic climate. This Programme is vital in assisting people who are unemployed to gain new skills and work experience with employers leading to employment. We believe our strength lies in our ability to flexibly deliver training and support to meet individual needs using our social enterprise model.”

There are two key strands to the work delivered:

Work Skills Development

“I found the course enjoyable and loved my placement. After completing the course I got a job and North City Training continued with their support.”

Leanne Crow, trainee

Through specific tailor-made training programmes, North City Training helped 2,679 clients over the last year. By improving and developing their skills, each programme is designed to help young people and school leavers find their career path and to enable older people to explore new avenues of employment.

Finding a Job

“My partnership with North City Training has proven to be a great success. Their support through all aspects of recruitment and mentoring during the process is a huge benefit to both me and the participants. I would recommend this service to any organisation looking to recruit new staff.”

Manager from Curry’s store

North City Training is committed to helping their clients find employment and is focused on working closely with major employers to provide work placements. This partnership has proved to be very successful and a large number of clients have secured full-time or part-time work following their placements.

Employer partners include organisations from the community, voluntary, public and private sectors.

New logo and visual identity

Bryson has revealed the new brand identity for North City Training that will take effect over the next few months. The social business unit will be rebranded as Bryson FutureSkills. Bryson Group undertook a strategic review of all its social business units to maximise the impact of its strong brand. The time is now right to introduce the new brand and logo which places North City Training at the centre of the Bryson Group brand.

To find out more please log onto www.brysongroup.org

The Big Society is not a new idea. In fact, David Cameron caused outrage when he claimed that Jesus founded his Big Society crusade.

Part of the difficulty with the Big Society is that different people mean different things when they refer to it. Lord Wei, the former Big Society advisor, said it “is based on an unshakeable belief that people, when equipped with the right resources, can achieve more than central government.” Others describe it as a fig leaf for cuts. It was perhaps best described as something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue.

The fear is that the Big Society is a nice way of getting the voluntary sector to replace services that are being cut. Budget cuts are inevitable, especially here in Northern Ireland. As the state is forced to recede, who will fill the void left behind?

David Cameron described the Big Society as “the biggest, most dramatic redistribution of power from the elites in Whitehall to the man and woman on the street.” But the average person may not want or be ready for the power and responsibility they are about to receive. Instead, mediating institutions, such as churches, charities, families and neighbourhoods, are best placed to occupy the space between the individual and the state.

Churches and faith-based organisations have the largest capacity to fill this growing gap, with 45 per cent of people regularly attending church and the average evangelical volunteering two hours each week. This equates to over 50 million volunteer hours each year in Northern Ireland.

More than two-thirds of all youth work is being delivered by churches or faith groups and the Salvation Army is the single largest provider of accommodation for the homeless in the UK and Ireland.

Faith in Policing, a local initiative driven by the Chief Constable, wants local Christians trained to head out on the streets at evenings and weekends to chat and help people because when ‘street pastors’ were deployed on the streets of Leicester, crime fell by 43 per cent. St Giles Trust won a contract from the Ministry of Justice to cut re-offending in part because research showed that the Government saved £10 for every £1 invested. Christians Against Poverty manages over £1 million of personal debt through just one of its centres in Northern Ireland. Churches and faith groups have always stood in that gap and must continue to do so.

Another issue remains: if the Big Society is the means, what is the end? The Big Society will only be viewed as a success if poverty is reduced and equality and justice are improved. In short, the Big Society agenda must lead to a more relational society. It is in relationships that people find their identity and recognise their well-being. The essential building blocks of a good society are good relationships, from family and community to public services and business.

Motivated by love of neighbour, churches and faith groups are committed to helping create a society that prioritises relational values and protects the vulnerable and those facing prejudice, of whatever form. Rights and freedoms flourish most clearly in an environment where a focus on the responsibilities intrinsic to successful relationships exists.

The social and economic recession we now face requires us to broaden the concept of prosperity and put good relationships at the heart of the political agenda. Churches, charities and families operate in the growing space between the individual and the state. These mediating institutions are working hard to mend the hole in the social ozone layer and are key to bringing about lasting peace and true prosperity in Northern Ireland.

It is essential that the new Programme for Government incorporates the views of churches and faith groups. It must ensure they are given the space and resources to function effectively, and are consulted regularly. Without their contribution, the budget cuts would be significantly more painful for many. At the same time, government should not be allowed to sidestep its responsibilities by passing them to third sector organisations.

Peter Lynas is the Northern Ireland Director of the Evangelical Alliance.

At the end of 2010, the GMB had 12,351 members in Northern Ireland, with 589,796 in Great Britain.

The union has nine regions, with Northern Ireland forming part of the North West and Irish region, established in January 2007. It has three industrial sections: commercial services, manufacturing and public services. Each section is headed by a national secretary. National secretaries and national officers report to a section national committee, which advises the central executive council. The council meets bi-monthly. The union has approximately 25,000 workplace organisers (formerly known as shop stewards.)

The union has existed for over 12 decades. Its origins lie in the National Union of Gas Workers and General Labourers, founded by Will Thorne on 31 March 1889. One of its aims was an eight-hour working day. Among the mergers which have taken place during its history was that in 1924 which gave rise to the National Union of General and Municipal Workers, and the 1982 merger which created the General, Municipal, Boilermakers and Allied Trade Union, from which GMB derives its name.

As well as being a member of ICTU, it is also affiliated with the General Federation of Trade Unions (GFTU). The GMB is one of the three biggest unions affiliated with the Labour Party and was one of the unions to form the party. Eighty-five MPs are members of the union.

Current campaigns include:

• protecting the future of Southern Cross care homes;

• working for members regarding proposed public sector pension reform; and

• representing Translink workers in Northern Ireland, where some employees’ full-time employment is in doubt.

In his annual report to the GMB’s congress this year, General Secretary Paul Kenny stated that most of the union’s activities in the North West and Irish region “will be targeted at the public sector where, even though cuts will threaten jobs, we believe there is still significant potential for growth”. The current targets for the region include schools and the security sector.

Internationally, the GMB is affiliated to eight European industry federations and the European Trade Union Confederation. It is one of the few British trade unions organised at European level, with a permanent office in Brussels aimed at influencing EU legislation and initiatives.

Northern Ireland subscriptions for the union in 2010 stood at £1.2 million, with a total income (from Great Britain, Northern Ireland and the Republic) of £74.8 million. Its expenditure was £53.5 million, and it has liabilities totaling £30.5 million.

General Secretary: Paul Kenny
Central Executive Council: President Mary Turner
North West and Irish Region Secretary: Paul McCarthy
Senior Officer for Northern Ireland: Eamonn Coy
Membership (2010): 12,351
Website: www.gmb.org.uk

From small beginnings in 1989, Cloughfern Credit Union has accumulated 2,500 members and is run by 12 volunteers and two part-time members of staff.

Situated in Cloughfern Protestant Hall, the credit union now requires bigger premises. It has “grown so rapidly and large” that it has also had to open more hours. Previously only open on Friday and Saturday evenings, the credit union now operates Tuesday to Saturday.

One of 55 credit unions in the Ulster Federation of Credit Unions, Cloughfern is managed by local man David Dowey. The economic downturn has resulted in “a large influx of new members, primarily because people are telling us they don’t trust the banks and the banks aren’t lending them money anymore,” he tells agendaNi.

“Typically, the level at which loans are being pitched” is £3,000 to 5,000, to be used for DIY or similar projects. Dowey adds: “People are finding it more difficult to make ends meet and are finding that the credit union can help.”

All credit unions in Northern Ireland are currently regulated by DETI. However, following years of lobbying at Westminster and then Stormont (after devolution), the UK Government has granted regulatory responsibility for credit unions across the UK to the Financial Services Authority (FSA). This is due to commence towards the end of 2012 and will enable Northern Ireland credit unions to expand their services in line with Great Britain.

Credit unions in Britain are permitted to use financial products and services such as insurance and mortgage products which the FSA is responsible for, and child trust funds. Regulation by DETI also prevents members in Northern Ireland from accessing the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, which, in England, Scotland and Wales, provides up to £50,000 protection of savings per member in the event of a credit union failing.

The Treasury has recognised that the gap between the province and the rest of Britain “takes on great significance” when the level of membership is considered: 50 per cent of Northern Ireland’s adult population, compared to 2 per cent in Great Britain.

While Dowey welcomes the move, he is concerned that a valuable inspection carried out by DETI every two years will not be continued by the FSA.

“Bizarrely, people would think you would welcome the fact that you don’t have to go through this rigorous examination every two years, but our credit unions are quite concerned that that’s been taken away because it gives us peace of mind that we are doing things right.”

When a new volunteer arrives they are given leaflets explaining the legislation governing credit unions and the model policies. They are “aunt-Sally’d” until they are capable of operating on their own. Initially, Cloughfern began as a savings group (as all new credit unions are required to.) Once it passed an oral examination by civil servants, it was permitted to become a credit union in 1993.

The savings and loans customers were initially allowed to borrow three times their savings, but Dowey says: “We rapidly discovered that that wasn’t good practice.” Instead, members are allowed to borrow twice their savings (to a maximum of £1,500 for their first loan.) After that they can borrow three times their savings dependent on their credit history.

“Some of our members were making their 13 regular payments then, thinking they had qualified and started missing weeks,” Dowey says.

He had to explain: “We are not a bank and the basis of this continuing was on their good credit worthiness. That’s the basis of the credit union movement and some members were treating us like a bank.”

Dowey is keen to emphasise that credit unions “don’t operate like a bank.” Rather, a union is “much more interested in helping its members.”

The Building Change Trust

The Building Change Trust was established by the Big Lottery Fund with a National Lottery grant of £10 million as an investment for community capacity building and promotion of the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland.

info@buildingchangetrust.org
www.buildingchangetrust.org
T: 028 9040 8725

New Life Counselling
New Life Counselling is committed to supporting the emotional health and wellbeing needs of our clients. We provide free counselling service

s to children, young people, adults and families.

25 Ardoyne Road, Belfast, BT14 7HX Tel: 028 9039 1630

Tel: 028 9074 6184

info@newlifecounselling.net

www.newlifecounselling.net

Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC)
NISCC is the regulatory body for the social care workforce in NI. Our role is to protect the Public by promoting high standards of conduct, training and practice for the Social Care Workforce in NI.

Web: www.niscc.info

Tel: 028 9041 7600

Ulster Cancer Foundation

Northern Ireland’s leading cancer charity offering:

• Family support

• Counselling

• Bra Fitting

• Beauty for Life

• Living with Cancer courses

• Free information & support helpline –

0800 783 3339 (Weekdays 9.00am – 1.00pm)

Web: www.niscc.info Tel: 028 9041 7600

40-44 Eglantine Avenue, Belfast, BT9 6DX Tel: 028 9066 3281 / Web: www.ulstercancer.org

Will to Give
A new charity appeal with a lasting difference. Endorsed by 19 local charities, Will to Give aims to raise awareness of the huge difference that people in Northern Ireland can make by leaving a gift in their Will, of any size to a charity close to their heart.

T: 028 9087 7777 E: info@willtogive.org www.willtogive.org

Women’s Aid
Refuge, support and services for women and children victims of domestic violence. Training, policy and inter-agency partnership.

24 Hour Domestic Violence Helpline – 0800 917 1414 Open to anyone affected by domestic violence.

129 University Street, Belfast BT7 1HP Tel: 028 9024 9041 / Web: www.womensaidni.org