What are the aims of a Convention?

The aims are simple
• To encourage and reinforce individual and community confidence
• To improve relationships within disadvantaged Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist communities and with government
• To develop a positive vision for disadvantaged Protestant/Unionist/Loyalist communities
• To identify areas for action eg capacity
• To lobby for policy change
• The values which underpin a Community Convention are inclusiveness and transparency.

Where Will the Conventions be held?

The Company wishes to see the Convention approach spread across Northern Ireland. To fulfil this commitment, the Company has divided the Province into four areas (based on parliamentary constituencies) and it hopes to see a Convention held in each of these areas by a community before December 2006.

As this is the pilot phase, the Company wishes to use the Convention model in a cross-section of communities with different experience and circumstances. Therefore, in its allocation of the four pilots it will prioritise :

• A Belfast PUL community
• A rural PUL community
• A town with a majority PUL community
• A town with a minority PUL community

However, the Company is committed to a high degree of flexibility in all its work and decision-making.

How will the areas be chosen?

In the event of more than one community seeking a Convention, the Company will apply agreed selection criteria. The Company has made its options for support as flexible as possible to ensure it supports as many communities as possible. However, it is likely demand for Conventions will be greater than the Company has the resources to support so choices will have to be made.