Local Rural Support Networks (RSNs) gathered at the Long Gallery in Parliament Buildings on Monday afternoon for their “Collaborating for the Future” event, celebrating the crucial role these networks have played in supporting rural communities across Northern Ireland since the 1990s. The event also highlighted the importance of collaboration between RSNs, local community groups, key stakeholders, and Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), as well as government departments.
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Established in the early 1990s, the eight RSNs operating across Northern Ireland have employed a community development approach to bring rural communities together. Through voluntary cooperation, these independent networks have maximized local and sub-regional collaborative action.
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Conor Corr, Manager of the Cookstown & Western Shores RSN in Mid-Ulster, shared a key achievement: “One of our proudest moments was securing the partnership and support of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to the development of the Rural Community Development Support Service through the Tackling Rural Poverty and Social Isolation (TRPSI) programme. This Service has been vital in supporting our vision to sustain and develop rural communities and foster a strong sense of belonging.”
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The Rural Community Development Support Service provides vital financial assistance to Rural Support Networks, ensuring that a robust rural community development infrastructure exists to support over 3,000 voluntary and community organisations linked to the networks. In 2024/2025, the Service will receive £935,000, bringing the total investment by DAERA since the introduction of the new TRPSI framework in 2015/2016 to over £7.6 million.
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Minister for DAERA, Andrew Muir MLA, attended the event and emphasized the impact of this support: “I am very aware of the role and significant support from my Department to the Support Service in supporting the Rural Support Networks. Rural voluntary and community organisations are, in so many cases, the glue that bonds and sustains rural people and communities and makes them areas where people want to live, work, and be proud to ’call home’. Without a robust voluntary and community sector our rural communities would be much worse off. Therefore, I am grateful to the Rural Support Networks for their role in providing much needed support and assistance to these rural voluntary and community organisations right across Northern Ireland”.
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Briege Conway, Manager of the Northern Area Community Network, concluded by underscoring the importance of collaboration: “By pooling resources and expertise, we’ve proven that working together has a greater impact. Nearly 30 years of successful partnerships have shown that collaboration within the Rural Support Networks—across sectors and with government—is crucial for achieving sustainable, positive change in rural communities.”
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The event was opened by host Colm Gildernew MLA and also addressed by Co- host Deborah Erskine MLA. Also in attendance was Mike Nesbitt, Minister for Health and around twenty other MLA’s took time out of their busy schedules to meet Community representatives alongside Departmental officials from the @Department for Communities Department for Communities, (DfC), The Executive Office (TEO) and DAERA.
Presentations by County Down Rural Community Network Manager Nicholas McCrickard, focused on the community-driven development efforts led by RSNs, the breadth of partnerships supporting rural areas, and the results of recent surveys conducted with local communities to determine future needs and priorities.
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At the event, Minister Muir also took the opportunity to announce the opening of Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme 2024/2025 Tranche 2. Minister Muir noted “Since the Rural Micro Capital Grant Scheme was introduced in 2015, grant aid totalling £6.1m has been invested in 4,717 projects. The impact that a small amount of grant aid, available through this Scheme makes to a rural organisation is fantastic and I encourage others to avail of the current RMCG, which is now open for applications until 5 December 2024. Local Rural Support Networks are assisting my Department with the promotion and delivery of the Scheme and so I would encourage all rural organisations to make contact with their local Network.”
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The “Collaborating for the Future” event served as a reminder of the power of partnership in Rural Development and the continued commitment of Rural Support Networks, Government Departments and local organisations in strengthening the future of Northern Ireland’s rural communities.