The EMU Promoting School Project
(1994 to 2002)

Project Closure

Introduction to the Project

Background article on EMU

Schools and Peer Mediation

Partnerships

Commendations

Visits and Conferences

• Visit to the Irish President
  

Resources and Publications

Staff and Contact Information

Time to Listen Initiative

PROJECT CLOSURE
Following the untimely death of the Project Director, in December 2001, the Management met with the Advisory Teacher to explore the possibility of securing funding to enable the Project to continue after expiry of current core-funding. This effort continued until the Advisory Teacher resigned in April 2002.
While this exploration was in process, the proposal to establish “The Junction” as a central resource for community relations work in the North West came to the attention of Project Management. The Junction, which has since been established, is a community relations resource centre, established through a partnership between community relations organisations throughout the Northwest, to provide an overview and focus for community relations activities and to enhance effective networking among practitioners. It aims also to provide a valuable access point for educational and training resources and support and develop practitioners in the sharing of information and practice.

There is reference earlier in this Report to the Project Director’s commitment (cf. The School in the Community Programme) to the integration of schools-based community relations work with initiatives in the same field at the level of community. It therefore seemed both a fitting tribute to the memory of the Project’s Director and a more appropriate way to further his legacy of peace-building, to become part of this effort to promote a more integrated approach to community relations work - rather than to seek to maintain a separate project. A decision was taken therefore to amalgamate the EMUpsp with The Junction and to make available its accumulated resources in support of The Junction’s establishment and functioning. The Project’s resource library has been moved to the Junction and several members of the Positive Ethos Trust, which provided the Management of the EMUpsp, are on the Management Committee of The Junction.

While EMUpsp effectively ceased operation with the resignation of the Advisory Teacher in April ‘02, a more formal ‘closure’ took place at The Junction (8 Bishop Street, Derry/Londonderry) on 30th November when the Director’s Book “Peer Mediation: A Process for Primary Schools” was officially launched and a plaque was unveiled to his memory. While marking the closure of the Project the event also marked the continuation of its work. The Members of the Positive Ethos Trust take this opportunity to pay tribute to and to thank those organisations and agencies which supported the work of the Project down through the years and would like, by means of this Report, to assure these that their investment lives on.