Lessons from Northern Ireland
From 1991 through 2016, Atlantic invested $570 million in Northern Ireland to promote the peace process; reshape higher education; support cross-community primary and secondary schools; improve public services to tackle disadvantage; develop social policy based on evidence of need, and demonstrable effectiveness; and strengthen independent organizations and leaders promoting and protecting rights and holding government to account.
Here you’ll find a collection of news and reports about Atlantic’s work in Northern Ireland, including evaluations that describe outcomes from different programs and lessons we learned from this work.
Featured Resources and News
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Northern Ireland
This book tells the story of Atlantic’s grantmaking in Northern Ireland, where it helped promote peace, reshape education, improve public services, and strengthen organizations to promote and protect people’s rights.
Resource type: Insight
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Partnership With Government: An Exit Strategy for Philanthropies?
Source: The Foundation Review
In "Partnership With Government: An Exit Strategy for Philanthropies?" co-authors Colin Knox and Padraic Quirk share a case study of Atlantic's work in Northern Ireland, where it supported three thematic intervention areas: aging; children and young people; and reconciliation and human rights. Part of Atlantic's exit strategy has…
Resource type: Case Study
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Sustainable Models of Practice and Legacy Effects
Source: Queen's University Belfast
How can grantees sustain the impact of their work — especially after their funding ends? This series of research reports identifies sustainability practices and skills that have enabled Atlantic’s grantees in Northern Ireland to continue their work after the foundation ceased funding their operations. The reports draw on the experiences of organizations…
Resource type: Research Report
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Funding in Conflict-Affected Environments
Source: The Social Change Initiative
This guide explores how can funders can support activities and initiatives designed to end conflicts and promote peacebuilding. While many foundations are understandably wary about intervening in conflicts, Funding in Conflicted-Environments offers guidance on how to help mitigate some of those concerns. Included are the…
Resource type: Research Report
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Making a Difference in the Lives of People with Disabilities: Capturing the Learning from Funding on the Island of Ireland
Source: Morrow Gilchrist Associates
The Atlantic Philanthropies’ investments on behalf of people with disabilities living on the island of Ireland helped advance their rights and achieve community inclusion and participation, according to this evaluation by Morrow Gilchrist Associates. Atlantic’s strategy was informed by the need to implement and interpret…
Resource type: Research Report
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Using the Law to Secure Social Change on the Island of Ireland
Source: University College Cork and Queen's University Belfast
This report discusses lessons Atlantic grantees have learned about using the law to secure social change in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Northern Ireland (NI). Atlantic’s support for this work began in 2004. Back then, few organizations in ROI or NI had much experience with public…
Resource type: Research Report
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Fund-Mapping: The Investment of Public Resources in the Wellbeing of Children and Young People in Northern Ireland
Source: Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY)
This report details total annual expenditure by the Northern Ireland government on children’s services, including how much money is invested to improve outcomes for children. The baseline findings in the report are meant to help guide discussions about future investments for prevention and early intervention. Learn…
Resource type: Research Report
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A Picture of Ageing Research in Ireland, North and South
Source: Centre for Ageing Research and Development in Ireland (CARDI)
Today 1.1 million people aged 60 and over live on the island of Ireland. By 2041 that number will reach 2.44 million, making up nearly one third of the island’s total population. Over the last decade, Atlantic has made significant investments to help build and…
Resource type: Research Report
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Cementing the Peace in Northern Ireland
Source: The Atlantic Philanthropies
Atlantic is supporting the establishment of a Human Rights Fund in partnership with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland. Avila Kilmurray of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland and Atlantic's Padraic Quirk discuss its role in cementing the peace in the region. Community Foundation for…
Resource type: Video
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Ready to Learn: Working in Partnership with Schools and Families to Help Raise Achievement
Source: Institute of Child Care Research, Queen’s University Belfast
Completing school is a fundamental task in order to succeed in life. Yet too many children from disadvantaged backgrounds fall behind soon after they start school and never catch up. A programme designed to help young children get the start they need has shown promising…
Resource type: Research Report
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Prevention and Early Intervention Programme in Ireland and Northern Ireland
Source: Mathematica Policy Research
Children and youth organisations on the island of Ireland are building a strong body of prevention and early intervention practices, according to an evaluation of Atlantic's investments by Mathematica Policy Research. Meanwhile, research organisations are acquiring new expertise in evaluating children's prevention and early intervention…
Resource type: Evaluation
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Support, Friendship, Love and Care: A Recipe for Looking After Children and Young People in Northern Ireland
Source: VOYPIC Policy and Research
Children and young people in foster, residential and other types of care in Northern Ireland expressed their feelings about the best and the worst of their experiences in a first-of-its-kind survey conducted by VOYPIC. In 2011, the organisation launched a computer-based survey to collect the…
Resource type: Research Report
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Ageing, Health and Conflict: An Investigation of the Experience and Health Impact of ‘Troubles-Related’ Trauma
Source: Bamford Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing and the Northern Ireland Centre for Trauma & Transformation Trust
Some older people in Northern Ireland who had traumatic experiences during the violent “Troubles” are still suffering 30 to 40 years later from mental health conditions, according to new research. This study examined the experience and impact of ‘Troubles-related’ trauma among individuals aged 45 and older.…
Resource type: Research Report
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Atlantic’s Children & Youth Programme in Ireland and Northern Ireland is Catalyst for Change
Source: The Atlantic Philanthropies
The Atlantic Philanthropies’ Children & Youth Programme in Ireland and Northern Ireland has been a catalyst for change in encouraging government investment in evidence-based prevention and early intervention programmes, according to this evaluation commissioned by Atlantic. In June 2009, The Atlantic Philanthropies published an evaluation…
Resource type: Evaluation
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Community-based Restorative Justice in Northern Ireland
Source: Community Restorative Justice Ireland and Northern Ireland Alternatives
This report presents independent evaluation findings regarding the work of Community Restorative Justice Ireland (CRJI) and Northern Ireland Alternatives (NIA) in facilitating and promoting non‐violent community alternatives to paramilitary punishment attacks and exclusions relating to alleged localised crime and anti‐social behaviour. The Institute of Criminology…
Resource type: Evaluation
