VIEW, Issue three, 2012


VIEW Welfare cuts


Pages 4-5We look at who stands to be the main ‘losers as the As- sembly prepares to look at the Social Reform Bill


On the street


Pages 6-8 VIEW goes on the streets of west Belfast with members of Rathbone as they listen and offer advice to young people.


Cancer battle


Website: viewdigital.org CONTENTS


Page 2


Branching out


Pages 14-15VIEW goes all-green as it takes part in a tree-planting day, organised by the Belfast Hills Partnership.


Caring Canines


Pages 20-21 Isabella Quinliven (left) talks about her charity, Caring Canines, which helps to ease the loneliness of the elderly and the sick.


Funding wait


Page 9 Lisburn woman Karen Patterson, who was hit by ovarian cancer, tells Lucy Gollogly about her battle to overcome the illness.


Editorial By Brian Pelan, editor


might now read: ‘It was the worst of times’ in a novel called ‘A Tale of Two Classes...the rich and the poor’. The Welfare Reform Bill, which is to be debated


I


t was the best of times, it was the worst of times, wrote Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities. Perhaps if one was to rewrite that line today it


by the Assembly, has already become law in England and Wales. The legislation has been described as the “most radical shake up of the social security system in 40 years”. Seamus McAleavey, chief executive of NICVA,


said: “There is a real fear that the Welfare Reform Bill will have a negative impact on the people of Northern Ireland, and their lives.” And Les Allamby, director of the Law Centre (NI)


said: “This will be the most significant piece of wel- fare legislation for a generation. We will be doing some things differently to Britain as we have no Work Programme and will not be devolving the So- cial Fund or our rate rebate scheme to local authorities.” Sinn Fein MLA Alex Maskey, chairperson of the


the strains of funding reductions, will have to try and mobilise all of its resources to push for a more open debate on the proposed reductions in social welfare payments. It is too important an issue to be left solely to


Assembly’s Social Development Committee, said: “We are committed to mitigating, as far as is pos- sible, the effects that this reform will have on the most vulnerable in our society.” Given that so many people in Northern Ireland


are dependent on benefits and with unemployment on the rise, this proposed legislation can only fur- ther impact on a depressed region. The community sector, which is already feeling


“This publication has received support from the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council which aims to promote a pluralist society characterised by equity, respect for diversity, and recognition of interdependence. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Council.”


Pages 22-23 Breandan Clarke tells of a tense wait as interface group Draw Down The Walls awaits news of a funding application.


Welcome to VIEW, the new online publication for the community/voluntary sector in Northern Ireland.


an Assembly debate where room for manouevre by MLAs is limited. They could, of course, reject the legislation by


simply voting against it but there are no signs, at present, of that happening. VIEW is prepared to open its pages to those


voices in the community and charity sector who have issued warnings about the consequences of welfare reductions, including Save the Children. We believe there should be a debate on the Welfare Reform Bill – what are your views?


For a free subscription of VIEW go to our website on viewdigital.org To send a story/picture – email details to view.editorial@gmail.com


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