MW Advocate

No matter what your workplace is - an office, a factory, a construction site, a classroom - you should be able to go in every day and know that it isnt having a negative impact on your long term health. Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland are addressing the range of conditions that could come from the workplace and, importantly, how they can be avoided or addressed. Check out the details of their Workplace Health Conference in April ⬇️ Mineral Products Association Northern Ireland Construction Group Retail NI ManufacturingNI FSB Northern Ireland (Federation of Small Businesses) Construction Employers Federation (CEF) RenewableNI Belfast One BID Cathedral Quarter BID, Belfast Linen Quarter BID HOSPITALITY ULSTER Belfast Chamber

After welcoming Ariel Palitz, New York’s first Nighttime Mayor, to the Belfast Summit earlier this year, it’s encouraging to see that Belfast is taking a proactive step by commissioning research into the city’s nighttime economy. Gaining insights into both its current value and future potential will be invaluable in identifying opportunities to grow, support local businesses, and enhance the city’s vibrancy. Great to see Belfast taking steps to make the most of its nighttime economy. #NighttimeEconomy #Belfast #Nightlife #Nightttime #EconomicGrowth

Service Delivery: Little Impact Another surprising finding which on the surface could be seen as surprising was the limited impact of the restored Executive on service delivery. Seventy-three percent of respondents said it had no impact, while only 20% noted a positive effect. It would also be fair to draw the conclusion that the organisations in the health and community sector have developed sufficient resolve when it comes to service delivery that they carry out this role unaffected by political turbulence which, lets be frank, is not a new phenomenon in Northern Ireland. This does present a challenge for the Executive - how can conversations between the government and the sector, which are happening, translate into actionable outcomes. The organisations we surveyed are glad to see the Executive restored, now we want to see it beginning to deliver meaningful change for the sector and its beneficiaries. Despite the frustrations highlighted in the survey, there is overwhelming support for the restored Executive. A remarkable 84% of respondents agreed that its restoration has been a good thing, even if its current impact is limited. When asked which form of government works best, 95% favoured the locally elected Assembly Executive over direct rule. This is a strong endorsement of devolution and reflects the goodwill that still exists toward the institutions. Brendan Mulgrew Carl Whyte Brendan Scott Sibley Berty

MLAs outshine Departments - our Health & Community survey reached another interesting finding - that engagement with MLAs was significantly more positive than with Senior Civil Servants, Ministers or the Departments. A striking 80% of respondents reported direct engagement with their local representatives, with 89% describing this engagement as effective or extremely effective. This outweighed the number of organisations who felt contact with Ministers was extremely effective. The higher satisfaction with MLAs likely reflects their accessibility and focus on local issues. Many MLAs maintain close ties to their constituencies, making them more responsive to specific concerns. While the restored Executive may struggle with systemic change, MLAs appear to be delivering at the grassroots level. Brendan Mulgrew Carl Whyte Brendan Scott Sibley Berty

Engagement: High levels, Mixed outcomes The survey revealed high levels of engagement between organisations and senior officials. Sixty-three percent of respondents reported engaging directly with senior civil servants, while 65% had interacted with Executive Ministers. Engagement with departmental committees was lower at 46%, likely due to the slower pace of legislative scrutiny and competing demands on committees ’time. While engagement levels are encouraging, their effectiveness is less so. Seventy-eight percent of respondents described their interactions with Ministers, senior civil servants, and committees as “effective,” but the majority—62.2%—categorised them as only “somewhat effective.” Just 2.7% found their engagement “extremely effective.” This raises important questions. Is there an expectations gap between third-sector organisations and government representatives? Or does the Executive’s limited fiscal room for manoeuvre constrain its ability to respond to the sector’s needs? Brendan Mulgrew Carl Whyte Brendan Scott Sibley Berty #engagement #health #stakeholders #community #northernireland

Our Health & Community Sector survey also analysed the impact of the restored NI Executive and it provided one of the most intriguing findings of the research. There was and is limited perceived positive impact of the restored Executive on third-sector organisations. While devolution was widely celebrated as a step forward for Northern Ireland, 60% of respondents reported that the restoration of the Assembly and Executive had made no difference to the impacts their organisations are having. Only 31% of respondents felt the restoration had a positive effect on their organisation, while 8.5% said it had negatively impacted them. This raises a number of pressing questions: Why is the restored Executive struggling to make its presence felt in such a vital sector? How can the Executive better engage with and support the third sector in addressing Northern Ireland's most pressing social challenges? Can lessons be learned from other devolved governments that have successfully strengthened their relationship with the community & voluntary sector? Carl Whyte Brendan Mulgrew Sibley Berty Brendan Scott

As the financial pressures around Health & Social Care hit the headlines one again, it's worth a fresh look at the Health & Community Sector Survey we undertook and published in December 2024. This week we'll be highlighting its key findings and recommendations in light of the recent cuts to funding in third sector organisations and what that means for the future of the sector in Northern Ireland. Major Challenges: Funding tops the list When asked about their primary challenges, organisations painted a picture of strain and uncertainty. Nearly a third (29%) cited limited government funding as their biggest hurdle. This concern reflects years of underinvestment, compounded by growing demand for services and financial instability, both in government and in households. Demand for services itself ranked as a top issue for 20% of respondents, highlighting the increased pressures many organisations face. This challenge is tied to broader socio-economic issues in Northern Ireland, including relative high levels poverty, mental health crises, and extreme healthcare backlogs. A further 20% pointed to recruitment and staffing difficulties, emphasising the shortage of qualified professionals in the sector. This issue spans a lack of specialists and general staff, exacerbated by competition with better-funded sectors and a limited talent pool. Other challenges included the absence of strategic planning by the Northern Ireland Executive or relevant departments (12.5%) and difficulties in private fundraising (4.2%). Together, these issues reveal a sector grappling with limited resources while trying to meet escalating needs. The recent announcement of a funding reduction for health and community sector groups - a reduction of the overall grant to £1.8m - will place further pressure on organisations who have been clear now for months that their major challenge remains fundraising. Brendan Mulgrew Carl Whyte Brendan Scott Sibley Berty

A Valentine’s celebration like no other! ❤️ Love was truly in the air this weekend at Lisburn Care Home, part of Beaumont Care Homes. The only couple living in the care home, residents John and Hazel McClean, married for 53 years, were treated to a special celebration to mark their enduring partnership. A touching tribute to lifelong love, beautifully captured by ITV News. Watch John and Hazel share their heartwarming tips to a long-lasting marriage 👇

Volunteers are the heart of organisations like Special Olympics Ireland, and inspiring the next generation is key. 🌟 Johnny and Adam, two students from Methodist College Belfast, first joined the All Stars Club at Mary Peters Track through their Duke of Edinburgh award. Long after completing it, they’ve remained dedicated volunteers—now inspiring others to get involved too. Their story is a great reminder of why volunteering matters. #Volunteering #Inclusion #SportsForAll

Meet Caoalan McConville and Lucy Best—two extraordinary athletes who will represent Special Olympics Ireland in Alpine skiing at the World Winter Games in Turin next month! ⛷️🏅 ITV X caught up with them as they prepare for the big competition—get inspired by their journeys and the hard work they're putting in to shine on the world stage 🎥👇 https://lnkd.in/etzba7fG #Sport #Inclusion #athletes