Webinar Series Explores Impact Of Peace IV Projects

The SEUPB hosted a series of webinars in October to present the findings of a report looking at different aspects of PEACE IV projects. 

Phil Heaton, Programme Manager with SEUPB’s Managing Authority explained: 

There are a number of EU regulations which require us to monitor and evaluate our projects on an ongoing basis. 

The SEUPB commissioned the consulting firm RSM UK to assess the implementation of a number of projects and the impacts they had. 

They carried out their work across the four themes or ‘core objectives’ of the PEACE IV Programme - Children and Young People, Shared Spaces and Services, Victims and Survivors, and Building Positive Relations.

Their initial findings were then presented in four online sessions across three days. Each event attracted a live audience of more than 30 viewers from Government departments, local councils and interested members of the public. 

Several keynote speakers were invited to address audiences and provide context on the topic under discussion. A number of PEACE IV project case studies were also used in the sessions – giving them opportunities to share their experiences and learning. The purpose was to explore the wider context in which the projects operated and learn more about the impact they themselves felt they had had. 

Among the speakers were Koulla Yiasouma, the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, Ian Jeffers, the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Victims and Survivors and Professor Duncan Morrow, lecturer in politics at Ulster University and well-known for his published work in the field of conflict resolution. 

All online attendees had the chance to submit questions to the speakers via an online question and answer tool (Slido). 

A final report is due to be published by the end of 2022 which will be published on the SEUPB website.