Joint Forum chairs
The Joint Chairs are Arthur Scott, the Director of Voluntary and Community Division, and Anne O’Reilly, NI Rural Women’s Network. The Forum meets three times a year.
Elaine Downey, Head of Public Sector Engagement in the Voluntary and Community Division, leads the Public Sector Group, and Anne O’Reilly, leads the Voluntary and Community Group.
Joint Forum memberships
Public Sector Group
| Department | Member | Alternate | CC only |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAERA | Niall Heaney | Pauline Keegan | |
| DfC | Anne Rogers | ||
| DfE | Alan Russell | Bobby Clulow | |
| DE | David Savage | ||
| DFP | Gavin Quinn | Deirdre McMullan (cc) | |
| DoH | Pamela Mallon | Paul Skillen | |
| DoJ | Louise Cooper | ||
| DfI | Gabrielle Kerr | Bernard McClure | |
| NILGA | Alison McCullagh | Karen Smyth (cc) | |
| TEO | Grainne Killen | Jamie Warnock | |
| SOLACE | Cate Taggart | Clare Mullen (CC) |
Voluntary Sector Group
| Member | Organisation | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Anne McVicker | Womens Resource & Development | www.wrda.net |
| Anne O'Reilly | NI Rural Women's Network | www.nirwn.org.uk |
| Chris Quinn | NI Youth Forum | www.niyf.org |
| Colin Devine | North West Community Network | www.nwcn.org |
| Duane Farrell | Age NI | www.ageuk.org/northern-ireland |
| Eddie McDowell | Churches Community Work Alliance | |
| Fergus Cooper | Save the Children NI | www.savethechildren.org.uk |
| Geraldine Hanna | Victim Support NI | www.victimsupportni.co.uk |
| Glenda Davies | Sandy Row Community Forum | www.sandyrow.co.uk |
| Helen Ferguson | Carers NI | www.carersuk.org/northernireland |
| Jonny Currie | East Belfast Partnership | www.ebcda.org |
| Kevin Doherty | Disability Action NI | www.disabilityaction.org |
| Kevin Murphy | Voluntary Arts Ireland | www.voluntaryarts.org |
| Lisa McElherron | NICVA | www.nicva.org |
| Marie Cavanagh | Gingerbread NI | |
| Seamus McAleavey | NICVA | www.nicva.org |
The Concordat
The Concordat is a framework which underpins a shared vision between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector to work together as social partners to build a participative, peaceful, equitable and inclusive community in Northern Ireland. The shared values and principles of the Forum are set out in the Concordat between the voluntary and community sector and the NI government.
Through collaboration the Forum seek to fulfil a number of key commitments outlined in the concordat that will open up opportunities which will benefit society.
Commitment Action Teams
Commitment Action Teams take forward key issues set out in the Concordat. Each team is made up of Joint Forum representatives from both the public and voluntary and community sectors and where appropriate, external representation is sought when particular expertise is required.
Current projects
- outcome-focused approach to funding
- concordat compliance monitoring
- communications
- addressing bureaucracy
Completed projects
- influence and examine the impact of government policy
Contact
For general enquiries please contact the Joint Forum Secretariat Voluntary and Community Engagement Team.