Ulster Project Backround
The Ulster Project was started in 1975 by
Rev. Kerry Waterstone, a priest in Northern Ireland, in order to provide a safe
place in North America for Northern Irish teenagers to discuss the climate of
“ The Troubles” that was facing them at home.
“The Troubles” was a period of ethno-political conflict in
Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into
England, the
Republic of Ireland and
mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from
the late 1960s to the late 1990s – and specifically to the
Belfast Agreement of 1998. Violence nonetheless continues on a
smaller-scale basis today.
The principal issues at stake in the Troubles were
the
constitutional status of Northern Ireland and the relationship between the
mainly-Protestant
Unionist and mainly-Catholic
Nationalist communities in Northern Ireland. The Troubles had both political
and military (or paramilitary) dimensions. Its participants included politicians
and political activists on both sides,
republican and
loyalist
paramilitaries, and the security forces of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
In short, because of the political polarization falling along religious
affiliation lines, Protestants and Catholics became enemies in the struggle.
After
living in Connecticut through a pastoral exchange program, Rev. Waterstone
witnessed the freedom and safety of exchanging ideas and viewpoints in the
United States. Upon his return to
Ireland, he
found a willing group of teenagers to spend part of their summer with host
families in the U.S. He recruited various
Catholic
and
Protestant clergy to support the idea of a project based on reconciliation,
peace, trust and the destruction of stereotypes.
After
successfully bringing the project to the U.S., Canon Waterstone concentrated on
expanding the project to cities across the U.S. This allowed for more
opportunities for Northern Irish teenagers to be involved and to learn of the
similarities and differences between their religious affiliation, as opposed to
the prejudices and bigotry that was so prevalent in the 1970s.
Currently, the project brings teens from eleven cities in Northern Ireland.
The teens from Northern Ireland live with their host families for the
month of July, becoming an extra son or daughter of the family with whom they
are staying. The Northern Irish teens are selected for this experience based on
recommendations from their clergy and teachers, after completing an application
and interview. The host teens and families in the U.S. are selected in much the
same manner, with an application process and home interview to ensure the
willingness of the family to participate and to also prepare them for the hectic
schedule that will be followed during the actual project.
Once
selected for the project, the Northern Irish teens will meet extensively to form
strong bonds with each other before leaving the country. As they will be far
from the comforts of home, with only the rest of the teens and two Northern
Irish counselors to guide them, the Northern Irish must trust each other
implicitly before leaving the country. They begin meeting in January and
continue to nurture their friendships until the project starts in July.
These are opportunities not normally available to the teens, who mostly
live in different parts of their communities based on ther religious
affiliation.
In the
United States, there are currently 29 cities and 17 states which host the
Northern Irish teens. Each of these
cities hosts a variable number of teens, from eight to sixteen, based on their
ability to secure the appropriate number of host families and raise the amount
of funds necessary to host the project.
The
Ulster Project is based on a simple idea of sharing experiences. Northern Irish
Catholic and Protestant teenagers are hosted by American families of the same
religion and with a teenager of the same age and gender. In this manner,
friendships are created immediately to provide a safe and trusting atmosphere.
The teens meet daily in structured activities designed to foster trust between
the different cultures represented in the project.
The
various projects across the U.S. have different specific methods they use to
teach the peace-building tools to the Northern Irish, but central to all
projects is a program called "Discovery", "Time of Discovery" or "Adventure
Sharing". This weekly meeting involves discussions of the troubles facing the
teens in their homes, schools and churches, and helps to teach new ways around
the prejudices and stereotypes that contribute to the violence often found in
Northern Ireland. A Discovery team of counselors, teachers and other
facilitators organizes the activities and ensures participation from all the
teens, both American and Northern Irish, in order to teach the message of
prejudice-reduction.
These
sessions are confidential, giving the teens the opportunity to speak honestly
with their peers and approach what are often painful subjects for the Northern
Irish teens regarding the ongoing conflict and historical slights viewed by both
sides.