What is Good Relations?

Good Relations is a legal requirement that places an onus on public bodies to 'promote positive relationships between persons of different religious belief, political opinion and racial group.'

• It examines prejudice, discrimination and exclusion.
• It promotes tolerance, mutual understanding and reconciliation.
• It attempts to bring people together to explore differences and find ways of working together.

Policy Statement

Newtownabbey Borough Council aims to foster good relations between all those who live in, work in or visit the Borough. The Council will continue to develop fair polices and deliver services in an atmosphere of trust and honest communication. The Council will work to promote good relations between persons of different religious belief, political opinion and racial group.

Newtownabbey Borough Council is committed to developing positive relations among citizens in the Borough by developing and contributing to the delivery of a local good relations programme and by supporting relevant work in the district.

The good relations service has received support from the Community Relations Unit at Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister.

Consultation on Good Relations Strategy

Newtownabbey Borough Council are currently putting together a Good Relations Strategy to inform a way for Council to provide support for positive community and race relations in the Newtownabbey area.

If you would like a copy of the strategy document please contact Claire Fox on 028 9034 0033.

Good Relations Grant Aid Scheme

The Community Relations Grant Aid Scheme exists to support and encourage the development of Good Relations/Community Relations work.

For more information on Good Relations Grants or to download an application form visit our Grants/Funding section.

Connecting Cultures

To mark Community Relations Week 2009 a series of round-table discussion sessions involving around 30 young people from schools across the Borough took place. Pupils from Newtownabbey Community High School, Monkstown Community School, Hazelwood Integrated School and Edmund Rice College were joined by local community representatives and councilors to ask questions to a panel that were drawn from a range of ethnic minority backgrounds living in Northern Ireland, including Indian, South African, Polish and Swiss. Below you can listen to some extracts from the discussions and if you would like to hear the full version please contact Claire Fox on 028 9034 0033 and this can be made available.

Grants Awarded 2009-2010

Related Documents to Download:

Part 1 - Cultural Differences in Northern Ireland (5.9Mb)

Part 2 - Christmas in Different Cultures Discussion (4.55MB)

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Related Documents to Download:

English Welcome to Newtownabbey Pack (2MB)

Polish Welcome to Newtownabbey Pack (2MB)

Slovakian Welcome to Newtownabbey Pack (2MB)

Cantonese Welcome to Newtownabbey Pack (2MB)

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