Community-21 – a series of conversations reflecting on community work over Covid-19, funded by the Community Relations Council‘s Media Grant Scheme.
Homes don’t grow on trees. Social housing is becoming harder and harder to come by these days. And while this is true in urban settings, it is becoming disproportionately true for Northern Ireland’s rural communities. That’s where the Rural Housing Association and their trusty Business Development Manager, Ruth Montgomery, come in.
Anyone who has worked in good relations will tell you how crucial it is to address socioeconomic isolation in rural communities. In fact, it is a topic we have addressed in previous articles here on AvilaMedia. You can imagine that many of the people experiencing this isolation found their difficulties exacerbated by the pandemic.
In a traditionally divided society, differences are further compounded by distance. The Rural Housing Association has recognised that it is not only important to help people with their immediate, day-to-day needs, but also to build strong networks that bridge that divide, which is exactly the aim of many of Ruth’s good relations projects. Social interaction breeds understanding; understanding breeds empathy, and empathy diminishes difference.
Ruth and the Rural Housing Association have continued to serve communities over the pandemic in new and innovative ways. As lockdown has lessened, these communities are starting to regain some semblance of normality.
While Belfast certainly has its issues, its urban setting allows for people of different backgrounds to interact more often out of necessity and sheer proximity. Ruth and the Rural Housing Association have become that crucial link bringing rural people together, providing them affordable homes and the promise of a shared future.