Department for Communities Fresh Start commitments
The Fresh Start Agreement of November 2015 sets out the Executive’s commitment to tackling paramilitary activity and associated criminality. It set up an independent three-person panel – the Fresh Start Panel – to make recommendations on the disbandment of paramilitary groups. Its report was published in June 2016.
The Executive Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime
The Executive responded to the Panel’s report with the Executive Action Plan for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime which was published on 19 July 2016. It contains 43 commitments in response to the Panel’s recommendations, 38 of which are being delivered by Executive departments. DfC leads on two actions i.e. A3 and B5.
A3 - The Executive should work with leading figures and organisations throughout all sectors of society to take a stand against criminality in Northern Ireland and promote responsible co-operation with authorities as part of a culture of lawfulness.
B5 - The Executive’s programme for women in community development should be designed not only to enable women’s organisations to continue to carry out transformative community development work in our communities but also to ensure that women are equipped to take on more leadership roles in public decision-making.
The Executive Programme on Paramilitarism & Organised Crime (EPPOC) phase two commenced in April 2021 and completed on 31 March 2025.
Phase two of the EPPOC programme
Following a review of phase one of the cross-Executive Programme, it was decided to move to a benefits management approach for phase two. This approach requires delivery partners to communicate and measure how their projects contribute to a range of benefits (i.e. how they influence positive changes), which the programme aims to achieve.
Final phase of the EPPOC programme
The final phase of the EPPOC programme commenced on 1 April 2025, with a focus on scaling and embedding best practice prior to programme closure on 31 March 2027.
Overall programme outcome
“Safer communities, resilient to paramilitarism, criminality and coercive control”
The two over-arching objectives of the EPPOC programme
Work Stream One: People and communities are safe from the harm caused by paramilitarism.
Work Stream Two: People and communities are more resilient to paramilitary influence and involvement in paramilitarism, criminality and organised crime.
DfC are responsible for taking forward intervention under Work Stream Two – “people and communities are more resilient to paramilitary influence and involvement in paramilitarism, criminality and organised crime.”
Programmes will be delivered in areas of most need, based on paramilitary related incidents data.
Fresh Start in the Community projects
DfC will fund the delivery of a number of Fresh Start in the Community projects promoting lawfulness, active citizenship and helping build capacity and relations within communities.
Developing Women in the Community
The Developing Women in the Community Programme will provide training and support to women of all ages, equipping and empowering them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to become involved in transformational community development, helping to support communities to move away from paramilitary activities.
Developing Women in the Community Pilot Programme Advisory Panel Report
The Developing Women in the Community pilot programme Advisory Panel Report provides recommendations on the way forward for future implementation of the programme.
Developing Women in the Community Programme Evaluation Reports
Pilot Programme
Dr Colm Walsh, QUB has completed a formative pre/post-test evaluation on the Developing Women in the Community Pilot Programme.
Developing Women in the Community Programme (Extended Groups) Evaluation Report
Dr Colm Walsh, QUB has completed an evaluation report of recommendation 12 of the Advisory Panel Report i.e., “to partially fund the 14 existing organisations from pilot in 2022/23 (£140k i.e., £10k each) to support women into roles within their community up until end March 2023”.
For queries regarding DfCs Fresh Start commitments please contact the Fresh Start Team via email: FreshStart@communities-ni.gov.uk