STEP is a rights-based community organisation providing services in advice, support, advocacy, community development, social enterprise & strategic engagement
STEP (South Tyrone Empowerment Programme) was formed in 1997 and was born from the need to ensure that the first tranche of Peace money would be spent in the most appropriate way both geographically and in terms of need in South Tyrone. The peace process had resulted in significant European funding and the local councils were given an amount of money, with Dungannon & South Tyrone receiving approximately £1.5million. They were tasked with putting together a partnership representative of the local community and then develop a programme of work.
The community drivers on this partnership pushed towards a community consultation on the ground to see what people in the community felt was needed – the programme of activity that came out of this was costed at £325,000. The Area Partnership, STAP, looked at what needed to be done and there was no organisation in the area that could do it so they looked at a number of local community organisations to see if they could work in partnership, could do the work in an empowering way and had the capacity to do so. Effectively a network of 8 organisations become the key players such as Galbally Community Association, Moygashel Community Association, Clogher Valley, Willowbank etc., STEP was a programme of work to build the infrastructure and develop the capacity of these existing organisations to utilise the Peace money effectively in the community and empower that community. With PEACE funding from PROTEUS Eight community development workers were employed, one located in each organisation with a central co-ordinator and administrator located in Dungannon town, funded by Area Partnership.
Each of the 8 workers had three tasks: to support the local organisations to develop and support their local area; to develop areas of expertise such as Youth Work, Disability Rights, training and so on so that this expertise could be shared; and to develop their own facilitation and organising skills to make this all happen. As the organisations developed and shared projects developed, STEP became centralised as a point of support, training & mentoring for the original 8 organisations and the wider community sector in the area. STEP has always developed its work around the real and changing needs of the community to ensure those at risk of being “left behind” by mainstream support services would always be at the heart of the work. This has meant a varied target audience over the years from unemployed, to people with disabilities, to ex-prisoners, travellers and in 2001 became a pioneer in the support programme developed for Migrant Workers. For many years it has been to the forefront of migrant rights in NI and has been looked to as a model of good practice regionally and internationally in this respect.
In 2016, STEP brought into fruition the vision of a landmark community space in Dungannon, The Junction, through PEACE IV funding and a considerable investment from STEP itself. This was part of the EARLS project, a partnership with Mid Ulster Council whereby they developed events space on the Hill of the O’Neill. The Junction is a multi-purpose shared space it is the legacy of two decades of hard work and determination by the board, management and staff of STEP.
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