~ A Community Relations Resource & Peace Building Centre ~
Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Staff

Maureen Hetherington: Coordinator

Maureen has an M.A. in Humanities and has been working in the field of community relations in a full-time capacity for seventeen years.  She was responsible for the Community Relations Programme for Derry City Council for ten years.

Maureen has secured funding for, and driven several major projects such as;

• Towards Understanding and Healing, a project involving storytelling and positive encounter dialogue groups representing people impacted by conflict such as victims of state/paramilitary violence, republican/loyalist ex-paramilitaries, ex-British soldiers/parents of soldiers injured or killed, victims living in Britain, community leaders, community relations practitioners and representatives involved in international conflict resolution. More recently, a comprehensive training resource on Dealing with the Past through Storytelling and Positive Encounter Dialogue has been developed, outlining the methodologies as used in Towards Understanding and Healing. Maureen has secured funding under Peace III to deliver a comprehensive training programme across Northern Ireland, and the border counties.

A key project resulting from her work is The Junction, a Community Relations Resource and Peace Building Centre, set up to address the fragmentation and isolation of community relations practitioners and organisations working in the field.  The Centre has a local, national and international remit.  As Coordinator of the Centre, Maureen delivers training on Good Relations and Conflict Resolution, devising and coordinating the programmes in collaboration with different agencies from the statutory and community and voluntary sectors. The Junction runs a Peer Mediation Programme for schools and several other school initiatives focusing on prejudice issues. Maureen is trained in advanced mediation and has helped in the mediation of  organisational disputes and been involved in mediating parades issues (through shuttle mediation).

Maureen directed the research and publication of books such as:

• My Faith, Our Faith, which included best community relations practice between Churches and a comprehensive database of all religions in the city of Derry Londonderry.
• Children in Crossfire, a book of writing from young people based on the work of the organisation, Children in Crossfire.
• As Chairperson of An Crann/The Tree (an organisation that was set up to gather the stories of those impacted through the conflict), Maureen supported publications such as Bear in Mind these Troubles, All our Yesterdays and Crossings.
• The Junction has collaborated on a publication (in conjunction with St Columb’s Park House), on Collaboration for Shared Education.
• The Junction has published ‘Issues of Ongoing Concern in Northern Ireland’.
• Trauma and its Effects, an Information Guide to Trauma Resources.
• Maureen wrote ‘A Day of Reflection’ which follows one Mayor’s journey through the complexities of remembrance.
• A chapter in ‘Stories in Conflict’ on Towards Understanding and Healing.
• A chapter in ‘A City of Culture’ on Culture: A Double-edged Sword.

Maureen was a former member of the Board of Healing through Remembering (and Chair of storytelling sub-committee). She currently serves on the Board of the Community Relations Council, N.I., and is Chair of the Victims & Survivors Grant Aid Development Scheme. She serves on a number of local Boards involved in community development and community relations work.

Maureen has travelled extensively in relation to her work. She has been involved in Conflict Resolution and Mediation training in several countries in conflict such as The Balkans, Middle East, South Africa, and Cyprus.  Her work has included tutoring of teachers and youth workers in the Balkans including conflict management and conflict resolution.  She has been involved in international dialogue groups such as the Boston Research Centre for the 21st Century and To Reflect and Trust. She has travelled to the States to deliver talks on her work such as ‘Reconciliation Conversations’. Current work includes support and facilitation of Israeli and Palestinian Mental Health Professional Workers.

Contact Maureen: mhetherington@thejunction-ni.org

Richie Hetherington: Administrator

Richie began work with The Junction in October 2004 and has become a well-recognized part of the organization.  Richie is responsible for administration within the organization, as well as overseeing day to day running of the building, greeting all guests and visitors, arranging and overseeing venue hire and facilities, providing access to and information on The Junctions many resources.

Please feel free to contact Richie for any further information or if you would be interested in using The Junctions facilities or resources.

Contact Richie: rhetherington@thejunction-ni.org

And Others: The Volunteers

The Junction regularly hosts both local and international volunteers. An integral part of community relations work, volunteers have come to The Junction from the United States, Poland, and France. For the past five years, The Junction has hosted a number of volunteers from the United States through Brethren Volunteer Service.

The Junction - 8 Bishop St. - Derry/Londonderry - BT48 6PW- Northern Ireland
Tel: +44 28 7136 1942 ~ Fax: +44 28 7126 4641

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