Irish Children's Fund

The Irish Children's Fund (ICF) is a 26 year old operation (began in 1982) that has served over 3,500 Protestant and Catholic boys and girls from Belfast who experienced the violence of Northern Ireland's Catholic - Protestant divide. Children stay with American families in the Greater Chicago Area, Northwest Indiana and Indianapolis, arriving end of June and departing end of July every year. The ICF has an ongoing program in Belfast which brings the Protestant and Catholic children together weekly.

A Short History

Founded in 1982 by Robert N. O'Connor, a native of Dublin, and current resident of Hudson, Ohio. 164 children participated that first summer.

Over the past twenty-five years, the ICF has hosted over 3,000 children from Belfast and Londonderry. The ICF only brings children from Belfast at the present time.

The children, 11 years of age, spend one month in the greater Chicago area, Northwest Indian, and Indianapolis with volunteer hosting families. The mix of children is 50% Catholic and 50% Protestant.

Children's Project Northern Ireland (CPNI) is our subsidiary organization in Northern Ireland. Gary Rocks, the director, and his staff provide weeknight get-togethers for the children at a leisure center. CPNI operates mini-buses to collect and deliver the children to the activities.

The ICF also operates and maintains a reconciliation center in Ballycastle, N.I. Small groups of children are brought together for weekend gatherings during the school year and spend one week at the center each summer. Each child participating over a three-year period returns to America in our Teen Program and most often stay with his/her original host family.

Volunteers, whose primary responsibility involves the coordination of the hosting families, fund raising activities, and the summer mixing events for all, administer the USA program. There are two part-time employees that staff the ICF office.

The primary source of funding involves grass roots fundraising activities sponsored by the host families. Creative Irish Gifts, a mail order catalog, is a committed supporter of the ICF. Funds generated by the catalog help finance the ICF and CPNI programs and projects.

A 1995 independent study by the Department of Psychology of The Queen's University of Belfast shows the positive impact of the ICF program on participants as compared to a control group. It shows our young people have less religious prejudice, a better self-image, and are more confident and successful in their work careers and personal lives. A recent survey sent to past ICF participants bears this out again.

Each year, up to 100 children participate in the summer program. The ICF is dedicated to salvaging some of the joys of childhood for the children and building a foundation for future peace.

Northern Ireland Program

Childrens Project Northern Ireland (CPNI) is a non-political and non-denominational group first established back in 1983 to promote cross-community contact between Protestant and Catholic young people drawn from the most segregated sections of North and West Belfast.

Childrens Project provides a three year program of weekly activities and workshops. This program is available for 11-15 year olds and is designed to establish understanding and long term relationships between both communities.

In addition, weekend residentials and a summer camp are held at Fellowship House in Ballycastle, N. Ireland, where continued discussions and workshops take place to promote tolerance and understanding of all others.

Teen Program

The Irish Children's Fund has a continuing program that allows for certain 14 and 15 year old teens to return to the U.S. for an additional summer program. The program allows for the teens to participate in community service projects or a volunteer work experience, 24 to 28 hours in total. All teens attend events to mentor the younger children and participate in field trips that may be scheduled for all the teens.

Selection will be based on the teen's attendance plus their involvement (attitude and behavior) in Northern Ireland and will be screened by staff in Northern Ireland.

Upon completion of the Teen Program, each teen will be awarded a Certificate of Achievement at a special presentation in Belfast for them and their parents.

Upon completion of the three year program, monthly activities for teens 15 to 18 years of age are provided by CPNI on a "drop-in" basis in order to maintain the close relationships they have developed over the years.

Mission

"Promote peace in Northern Ireland by building cross community trust, tolerance, and friendship between Catholic and Protestant children and young people, through annual summer programs held in the USA."