b'The Playhouse with the kids.When the kids are told that thisIt was a Tuesday night and the Currynierin guy is a police officer, they jump back and say,kids couldnt go to their own community cen-inDerry/Londonderryhasbeenusingthe he is? You see their whole perception changeter since it was closed. So the Tullyally kids artstoengageincross-communityworkin and conversations begin. straight away said that they should come to the NorthernIrelandforover20years.Most We interviewed the police for a movie weTullyally community center. They met them at recentlytheyhaveestablishedtheStreetmade, says Ronan, age 15. At first I was an- the edge of the neighborhood and walked the ConversationsTalk project which brings together the Police gry at the police, but as we asked questions ICurrynierin kids in. Later, they walked them Service of Northern Irelandbacktotheinterface (PSNI) with young peopleareatoensurethatthey from communities around got home safe. The next Derry/Londonderrytoevening they did it again. demystifyandfamiliarizeNormallythiswouldbe them with one another. consideredimpossible. ToappreciatetheThis is the first time that needforaprogramlikethis has ever happened.StreetTalk,oneneedsStreetTalkhasre-tounderstandthecom- ceivedaFlagshipgrant plicatedhistoryofthefrom The Ireland Funds police and the local com- tofurtherthisartsmunities.Historicallyininitiativeinthehopes NorthernIrelandtherethat community relations werethreecommuni- continue to improve and ties:theProtestants,the peaceiscomplemented Catholics, and the police,byreconciliation,one saysTerryMcKenna,aperson at a time. PSNIInspectorwhois Our work is pioneer-involvedwiththeStreetingandwithoutThe Talkproject.ThereareIrelandFundssupport hugelegacyissueshere.we would not be able to Manypeoplegrewupdeliverthis,explains withtheirgrandpar- ElaineForde,Project entsandparentsnot Coordinator at the Play-acceptingthepoliceashouse.Supportfrom alegitimatepoliticalTheIrelandFundsis force.Rightthroughthe helping us to change the Troubles,thatwasthelives of these young peo-perception,thatthe ple in Northern Ireland.policeweretheirownThegoalistosee side.Sosincetheceasethesectarianismandfirewerenowtryingtoperceptionsoflimited get the police accepted as a options continue to fade normal part of society.astheprojectreaches ThroughStreetTalk,moreyoungpeople.teensengagewithpoliceWe are also breaking theofficersandotherteenstraditionofnegativefrom communities that arerelationsthatexistbe-not their own. The officerstweencommunities, says dont come in uniform, and often the teensstarted to understand why they do their job.Elaine. Our model is fun and informal, with the dontinitiallyknowwhoisfromaCatholicWe got to know them. Ive realized its harderaim of deterring young people from crime byneighborhood and who is from a Protestantto be angry at someone when you know them. giving them the confidence and skills to make neighborhood. Activities ranging from graffitiThe effect of the project is also being felt atbetter choices. to video production to lightbox art have pro- the community level with young people fromGeorgia, age 16 has a new perspective thanks videdcreativeoutletsandopportunitiesfortraditionallysectarianneighborhoodsnowtoStreetTalk.Mybrothersareintheirdiscussion. It takes time, but soon groups arespending time with one another outside thetwenties and they still have an attitude about mingling, eating pizza, and realizing they haveprogram.the police. But my friends dont. We have met a safe and neutral space to ask questions theyGareth, a youth worker, explains how afteractual officers through Street Talk and now we might have never thought to ask before.an activity with Street Talk, the young peoplecan say, Hey, I know him. I guess because of StreetTalkishumanizingthepolicebyfromTullyally,apredominantlyProtestantthat, our stories have changed.stripping back the uniform, explains Terry.area, reached out to their new friends fromPolice officers come in out of uniform andCurrynierin, a predominantly Catholic area.they pick up a guitar, or work on an arts project connect 2015 | |17connect172015'