Introducing the Dialogue Practitioners Co-Operative

We’re excited to introduce the Dialogue Practitioners Co-op (DPC) – the first peacebuilding cooperative of its kind in the UK and Ireland.
Born from the legacy of Community Dialogue (CD), a charity founded in 1997 during Northern Ireland’s Peace Process, DPC carries forward our deep commitment to dialogue, reconciliation, and transformation.

Rooted in CD’s vision, mission and values, the Co-op is a bold new step in continuing our work – building connections, breaking down barriers, and creating lasting peace.

DPC is:
  • Nurturing empathy and strengthening social cohesion – cultivating meaningful connections across communities.
  • Creating space for courageous conversations – fostering belonging, build unity, and imagine a shared future together.
  • Driving grassroots transformation – reconnecting communities from the ground up and deepening our shared humanity.
  • Envisioning a new future – one where we are united, empowered, and actively engaged in shaping a more inclusive society.
 
Origins of DPC
Responding to a changing funding environment, we sought a transformative new way to sustain
our vision, mission, and legacy. DPC achieves this by changing the business model and becoming a co-operative of experienced peace-building practitioners. 

We adopted CD’s vision and mission and combined them with Wellbeing Economy values:

Vision: A society built on a foundation of meaningful, sustainable relationships where equality, inclusion
and social justice are reflected in the lives of all people.

Mission: To engage civic society in dialogue and training that builds consensus and progress on a shared, inclusive and sustainable future.

Wellbeing Economy Values
1. Fairness- Justice in all its dimensions.
2. Nature- A restored and safe natural world for all life.
3. Participation- Citizens are naturally engaged in their communities.
4. Connection- A sense of belonging with institutions that serve the common good.
5. Dignity- Everyone has enough to live comfortably, safely and happily.

This approach ensures continuity in our continuing work to foster social cohesion, enhance belonging, and
participation and evolve an agreed, shared, sustainable and achievable vision for our future.

The Most Commonly Recurring Themes Across Our Dialogues

Young Adults, The Conflict And The Peace Process

The Conflict, Peace Process and BGFA are not understood by, or felt to be relevant to, the lives of many young adults.
A widespread lack of awareness is matched by disengagement and alienation from politics which is not perceived to reflect their needs. Despite this; the young adults we engaged were uniformly committed to positive social activism across diverse areas of equality, inclusion and justice.

“I feel I’m outside the political system, not represented. I think a lot of young people are feeling lost in this age. I think its harder for us than it was for previous generations.” Derry Young Adult

Conflict Legacy And The Failure To Fully Implement The BGFA

Us and Them politics, sectarianism, territorial marking, segregated housing and education and paramilitarism continue to have a toxic and restrictive impact across society. Participants expressed frustration over the continuing failure to adequately respond to outstanding BGFA commitments in this regard. In particular they perceived an absence of political will to address the needs of victims and survivors and to end paramilitarism.

“The promise of our Agreement in so many ways hasn’t been implemented. We don’t need to amend our Agreement. We need to implement it.” Armagh Women

Government Failings In Response To Shared Social Need

The most commonly recurring issue for participants was the political failure to meaningfully address shared social issues with a particular focus on poverty, the cost of living, health care including mental health, the housing crises, the minimum wage, women’s safety and domestic violence, paramilitarism, drug dealing and antisocial behaviour. The Government of NI was felt to be unfit for purpose in this regard, its systems and structures failing to prioritise and meaningfully respond to shared social need for the common good. Participants exploring this issue expressed anger, frustration, disillusionment, hurt and hopelessness.
“How is our government serving us? During the last government collapse my family and friends suffered, we lost or reduced benefits and multiple health care issues. I’d to wait 2 ½ years for an MRI scan. Whose fault is this? Ours? It’s the government. What the [expletive] was the point of the last 2 years of collapsed government? What did it achieve? It harmed me, my family and friends. Why should I vote for [expletive] like that?” South Belfast
Participative Democracy
Reinforcing dissatisfaction with the government, participants want new ways to be heard. They are strongly supportive of utilising the alternative decision-making mechanisms of participative democracy, including restoring the Civic Forum and establishing issue-based citizen assemblies to support traditional democratic mechanisms.
“We need a more effective political system responsive to society’s needs with more participative democracy mechanisms in government at all levels.” Anti-poverty Workers NI-wide
DPC is committed to facilitating dialogue and training which
Fosters social cohesion by bringing people together across divides;
Advances social justice by creating fairer opportunities for all;
Empowers citizens to shape decisions in a revitalised political system; and
Cultivates a shared, sustainable vision for our future, embracing diverse aspirations.
Getting Involved
For further information about how to become a member of our cooperative or if you want to secure dialogue
facilitation or peacebuilding training please contact us through the links below:

Email: Admin@communitydialogue.org
Phone: 00353 (0)830849402
Facebook: Community Dialogue
Linkedin: Commuity Dialogue
The Dialogue Practitioners Co-operative Ltd.
St Columbs Park House, 4 Limavady Road, Waterside, Derry / Londonderry BT47 6JY