Housing Executive help Causeway Coast stand together against hate crime
Pictured with Gareth Doran, Housing Executive Good Relations Officer, Causeway (back row, second from right) are centre staff, participants and facilitators of Victim Support Group NI’s OCN Level 3 Accredited Course ‘We Stand Together’ which was delivered in Building Communities Resource Centre, Ballymoney.
A bespoke training programme delivered by Victim Support Group NI and funded by the Housing Executive is helping make Causeway Coast and Glens a safer place.
A Housing Executive Community Cohesion grant of £1569 enabled Building Communities Resource Centre in Ballymoney to facilitate five workshops for 12 participants.
"We Stand Together" is an OCN Level 3 accredited course covered a series of subjects including, an introduction to hate crime and the Hate Crime Advocacy Service (HCAS), guidance on how to report/seek support and an insight into the root causes of crime.
Fergal Quinn, Ethnic Communities Officer, BCRC said, “This has been an extremely informative course and we are honoured to have hosted it. I would like to thank the Housing Executive for helping us to facilitate such a useful series of workshops and congratulations to all who took part on receiving this accreditation.”
Michael Avila, course facilitator, Victim Support NI said, “"This training is about aiding the grassroots in becoming more resilient and better equipped to deal with hate crime, creating community self-advocates in the process.
“We worked with a brilliant group from diverse backgrounds and emphases that really took to the course.
“In turn, I believe we greatly strengthened the capacity of Causeway Coast & Glens to effectively address hate crime through the knowledge and skills learned."
Gareth Doran, Housing Executive Good Relations Officer, Causeway said, “Congratulations to all the course participants and to the BCRC for channelling our support into an endeavour that gives back to and enhances society as a whole.”
