East Belfast Community Development Agency

History

Established in 1970 as East Belfast Youth Council and then in 1973 as East Belfast Community Council.  The name was changed again in 1989 to East Belfast Community Development Centre then in 1996 we merged with East Belfast Development Agency, who had been promoting and supporting community businesses, to form East Belfast Community Development Agency seeking to develop the best of the work of those two organisations.  Despite the name changes over the years the Agency has always had the support and development of the community in East Belfast at the forefront of all the work it has done.

In 2010 East Belfast Community Development Agency will celebrate 40 years of supporting the community sector in East Belfast .Today, EBCDA exists in a very different world to what it did 40 years ago, but we are confident that our experiences to date and our skills and knowledge base will help move us and the community sector in East Belfast, into a bright and successful future

Mission

East Belfast Community Development Agency
exists to provide resources, support and
capacity building programmes for community groups
that are based on partnership,
equal opportunities and sustainable outcomes.

Values

Participation

We will work proactively to ensure that people have the opportunity to fully contribute to, and share in, decision-making processes in relation to policies and programmes that will affect them.

Inclusion

We will support and promote work which builds communities that include groups and people that have been most marginalised.

Fairness

We oppose harassment, victimisation and prejudice of any kind. We are committed to ensuring that we do not discriminate against anyone within, or in contact with, the Organisation on the grounds of gender, race, nationality, ethnic origin, disability, and responsibility for dependents, sexuality, age, economic status, religious or political belief or marital status. This includes all the groups highlighted in Equality Legislation as outlined in Section 75 of the (1998) Northern Ireland Act.

Good Practice

We value learning from other places and will promote identified good practice amongst our members and other stakeholders. The application of these values and principles to our work will contribute to:

• A greater awareness that the principles of community development are fundamental to successful regeneration in East Belfast.
• Equal access to a wide range of development opportunities for people living in areas of recognised disadvantage.
• All relevant agencies and organisations being involved in promoting community participation and consultation in developing policy and practice.