EU Project Experience

Some experience.

CRJI Newry/Armagh has a strong track record of delivering EU-funded projects, particularly under the SEUPB PEACE III and PEACE IV programmes, aimed at peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and community reintegration.

PEACE III – Building Pathways Programme: This project focused on developing restorative responses to community conflict and supporting reintegration of individuals affected by paramilitarism. Our role involved mediation, capacity building, and delivering conflict resolution workshops in local communities.

PEACE IV – Restorative Communities Programme: A cross-community initiative promoting restorative practices in areas impacted by division and underrepresentation. CRJI Newry/Armagh delivered front-line engagement, facilitated dialogue-based workshops, and supported youth and adult participants in personal development and community leadership. Through these projects, we built strong working relationships with community and statutory partners, enhanced capacity around trauma-informed approaches, and contributed to sustained community peacebuilding in a post-conflict setting.

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‍EU Funding Goals

At CRJI Newry/Armagh, we are committed to developing European partnerships that strengthen our work in restorative justice, conflict transformation, and reintegration, with a particular focus on supporting border communities in Newry, Armagh, and North Louth. These areas have experienced deep division and ongoing social and economic challenges related to the legacy of conflict. Our goal is to build peace through local leadership, trauma-informed practice, and inclusive justice.

2-Year Goals (2024–2026): Build relationships with European partners working in post-conflict, divided, or rural border regions. Join EU-funded projects as a contributing partner to exchange knowledge and approaches on community-based justice, youth inclusion, and cross-border cooperation. Gain experience in EU project frameworks, including administration, evaluation, and collaboration tools. Share our practical experience working with marginalised individuals in border communities affected by conflict, social exclusion, and paramilitarism.

5-Year Goals (2026–2029): Lead a workstream within a larger transnational project focused on peacebuilding in border or peripheral communities, incorporating youth mentoring, restorative training, and civic dialogue. Coordinate our own cross-border EU-funded project, using lived experience, mediation, and trauma-informed approaches to strengthen reconciliation and reduce reoffending. Expand our competencies in project design, evaluation, and digital storytelling as tools for impact and advocacy.

10-Year Goals (2029–2034): Coordinate multiple EU-funded initiatives that develop best practice models for community justice in divided or border regions. Establish a cross-European network of grassroots organisations working on restorative and inclusive approaches to justice, reintegration, and reconciliation. Position CRJI Newry/Armagh as a recognised centre for training, research, and innovation in post-conflict community justice. Influence EU policy on alternatives to formal justice and community-led approaches in areas affected by conflict. Through EU collaboration, we aim to amplify the voice of border communities, promote peace and inclusion, and share sustainable, people-centred solutions across Europe.

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Strengths

CRJI Newry/Armagh brings over two decades of experience in community-based restorative justice, specialising in work with marginalised individuals, ex-offenders, and communities affected by conflict, particularly in border regions. Our strengths include:

Access to hard-to-reach groups: We work directly with people who are disengaged from services, including young people at risk of offending, individuals leaving prison, and families affected by conflict-related trauma.

Expertise in restorative practice: We deliver mediation, mentoring, trauma-informed support, and community conflict resolution grounded in lived experience and best practice.

Trusted community presence: We are embedded in the local community and have earned trust across divided groups—essential for cross-community and cross-border engagement.

Skilled in cross-sector collaboration: We regularly work with statutory agencies, youth organisations, housing bodies, and schools, and can facilitate multi-agency approaches.

Experienced staff and committed volunteers: Our team includes trained practitioners and volunteers with lived experience, offering unique insights and powerful peer-to-peer engagement.

Strong local and cross-border networks: Operating in Newry, Armagh and North Louth, we have relationships on both sides of the Irish border and experience navigating the complexities of post-conflict and cross-jurisdictional contexts. In an EU-funded project, we can offer deep community insight, proven models of early intervention and reintegration, and a commitment to sharing learning with European partners working in other post-conflict or socially divided settings.