Co-operation Ireland is an all-island peace-building charity. Since it was established in 1979 as Co-operation North, we have worked to encourage and promote interaction, dialogue and practical collaboration within Northern Ireland and between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Our Inform, Transform and Re-imagine Project focussed on the many forms of heritage associated with the Maze Long Kesh site. From military and aviation heritage, the built and site heritage as well as an understanding of the people associated and affiliated to the Maze Long Kesh site over the years. Working with the Ulster Aviation Society, Hillsborough Cultural and Arts Society (Old Guard) and Belfast Exposed a small group of young people (20 – 25) explored the history of the Maze Long Kesh site from its role within World War 2, its association with the Royal Air Force and US Air Force to the site for an internment camp, a prison through to today and the establishment of the Eikon Exhibition Centre. With a gained knowledge and understanding of the rich history of the site the young people began to work on their ideas not just of how the site should be used to regenerate the area but the diversity of stories which young people will interpret to reflect and understand what heritage means for them including their thoughts associated with preservation. The Resurgam Youth group produced, over a period of time, their own resource as a learning tool for other young people.
Rationale behind the Project
The need to work with young people in particular and the need for getting young people to think differently about local heritage, getting them involved in a heritage project and having the opportunity to develop their knowledge and an understanding of heritage associated with the Maze Long Kesh site has been identified by several indicators such as:
1. Co-operation Ireland’s previous and ongoing work linked to our Amazing the Space initiative (outlined below)
2. The results and insights learned from our Entwined Histories series of educational work with local schools.
Our large scale Amazing the Space event was a youth-led peacebuilding initiative that empowered young people across Northern Ireland, to become ambassadors for peace within their communities. The project enabled young people to contribute to a more peaceful society, acknowledging that they could be key agents of change within our society. We marked International Peace Day, on 21st September 2016, with over 5,000 young people coming from hundreds of at the Eikon Exhibition Centre, Maze Long-Kesh site, and a number of satellite venues across N. Ireland to celebrate diversity and a more peaceful future. For many of the young people taking part it was their first time on the Maze Long Kesh site. We recognised that for many young people and those living in close proximity to the site that the opportunity to fully engage with the multi-layered history and heritage of Maze Long Kesh hadn’t been done.
The need for this project derives from the knowledge and experience that Co-operation Ireland have acquired from the Amazing the Space initiative as well as our work with young people through our Entwined Histories work.
Aims
Our project used a number of methods to explore the heritage of the Maze area, and provided opportunities for the participants to learn about their own local history, heritage, and experiences. Our project brought together young people from the local community in Halftown, to learn about the history and heritage of the Maze Long Kesh site. We worked closely with a group of local young people to raise their awareness of heritage and the importance of valuing buildings and sites of historical significance. We did this in partnership with the Hillsborough Historical Cultural and Arts Society, the Ulster Aviation Society and Belfast Exposed who delivered a number of sessions tailored to provide awareness about the history of the site as a whole. The young people had opportunities from a number of on-site organisations who told the multi-layered stories and experiences about the site. These opportunities allowed personal and skills development amongst the group. The young people interpreted these stories and at a later stage presented their interpretations using photography, text or video. A local showcase to share the young people’s interpretations and work was held locally in Lisburn in October.
Objectives
The project will look at the many historical aspects of the Maze Long Kesh site in relationship to the surrounding area as seen through the eyes of young people. By using Digital Photography, as mentioned, this medium can show and highlight the changes within the area creating a rich visual history and heritage from a new perspective.
The project would seek to enable a visual heritage story to be told by the young participants having explored the area through archive images and text which for many of them is a place of isolation and exclusion due to accessibility at present.
We will very much encourage the group to look at how the Maze has been used historically, up to and including it’s use today, with the new Air Ambulance, Ulster Aviation Society, large scale agricultural shows, car shows whilst still retaining some of the Maze/Long Kesh Prison. The youth group will develop a unique resource encompassing their ideas and this will be an outcome of a developmental process. The main aim is to enable participants to work together using digital photography as one medium, opening dialogue amongst them and for the group to work on a digital resource. This resource will subsequently inform others as well as demonstrating their understanding of their views of local heritage. This accessible youth resource will be used to share learning with others. Our focus will be to enable participants to work together using digital photography as a medium, whilst contributing to acknowledging the heritage and history of the Maze Long Kesh site.
To provide relevant and suitable opportunities for young people to explore the heritage of the Maze Long Kesh site
To raise awareness of the multi-layered heritage of the Maze Long Kesh site
Personal and skills development
Site visits
Guest speakers Development of a youth resource
Timeframes
November 2017 to October 2018 (no activity for the months of June, July and August as requested by the group).
Outputs
The project enabled young people to explore the heritage and significance to the local area of the entire site
Delivery of introductory sessions to participants to promote the project and encourage participation
Delivery of a series of weekly sessions enabling participants to explore various aspects of the site’s heritage to develop their knowledge and understanding of the many facets associated with the site
Using learning and skills gathered participants will create a heritage resource that will showcase their learning beyond the immediate group (this was done in partnership with Belfast Exposed)
Young people from the surrounding area will be engaged with local heritage organisations.
Young people will learn new skills of interpreting archive material associated with the Maze Long Kesh site.
Young people will be able to access an important heritage site that was previously not open to them.
To provide relevant and suitable opportunities for young people to explore the heritage of the Maze Long Kesh site.
To raise awareness of the multi-layered heritage of the Maze Long Kesh site (however the prison visit(s) never happened)
To encourage and support the development of skills that focus on heritage for young people. To produce a youth heritage resource about the Maze Long Kesh site.
Through Your Eyes 