PEACEPLUS Re-Tender - Development of Mountsandal - PEACEPLUS Funded

Scope of the Contract Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council seeks to appoint a suitably qualified organisation(s) / individual(s) to engage the local community to increase awareness of the Mountsandel site in Coleraine. This site has local, regional and national significance, with a direct association with the Mesolithic period of history, which will serve as a direct link and reference point to other Mesolithic sites/settings across the Borough and further afield. The site and its’ surrounding environs, including the landmark that is the River Bann, have the ability to bring people together in a safe, shared and outdoor site in which people will benefit from learning opportunities, an opportunity to experience local & accessible nature at its best (nature-bathing, fort creation, outdoor play). The proposal is manifold, to showcase a symbolic site, to increase awareness of Mountsandel, through informal and formal educational tools, engage and enthuse local people about the importance and significance of their local natural heritage, to include the opportunity to cascade training opportunities to train local tour /walking guides, encourage the inclusion or support of biodiversity champions/volunteers, development of skills for local storytellers, the use of the river weaving its way through the immediate landscape and examine how it has flowed through time, in terms of the layers of history witnessed from Mesolithic to Gaelic Ulster, to the Plantation, right through to the Industrial Revolution and to modern-day Coleraine. The site will help to reinvigorate the story of Coleraine, its hugely significant asset, the river Bann and the flow and ebb of the stories, migration and an opportunity to analyse and compare the past with the present. A range of activities, including educational programming, environmental audit, regeneration element and finale event will comprise the main features of this Programme as well as the recruitment of 430 participants on a cross-community basis. The tender response must address the following areas/issues: • How the site challenges us to consider questions around our identity in terms of genetics, migration of peoples and cultural expression. • Demonstrate shared space, the legacy of the land and river as an indelible mark in our landscape for generations in the past and generations to come. • To address and work through some of the peace and reconciliation challenges that we continue to face and attempt to surmount. • To present Mountsandel and its environs as an opportunity to explore, discover, interact, is the perfect and non-threatening environment to bring people together, in order to break down barriers, debunk myths, contribute to the transformation of mindsets Programme Beneficiaries Targets • 430 participants recruited to the project (CNR 40%: PUL 51%: Other 9%) • x4 hours (total) of meaningful cross-community engagement must be provided per participant. • Train local tour/walking guides • Include or support of biodiversity champions/volunteers. • Development of skills for local storytellers, the use of the river weaving its way through the immediate landscape and examine how it has flowed through time • A series of workshops and sessions, to involve environmental volunteers and/or interested/curious individuals, with regards to the environmental heritage of the immediate locality and the surrounding area. • Initial launch event/scene-setting workshop in conjunction with the other Capital Build Projects, looking at the depth and breadth of the Programmes on offer, to look at the aims and objectives of each, to examine any linkages or opportunities, to share ideas, resources, to consider potential challenges. To consider the inclusion of sign-posting the projects from each of the individual sites. A “PEACEPLUS Works” Forum will be established to last the lifetime of the Programme, so that beneficiaries have the opportunity to compare, contrast and connect Outputs • Increased cross-community and inter-cultural footfall into the Mountsandel / River Bann. • Increased footfall and cross-community mobility within the town because of the regeneration at Mountsandel. • Increased understanding of local history in the modern-day context of Coleraine. • The delivery of a “Living History” experience, looking at a comprehensive educational resource, which is developed and delivered by educators. • Final event o An outdoor event at Mountsandel site, with guided walks along the river, showcasing the progress to date, and unveiling the site as a recognised and acknowledged site, an important site spanning millennia. Programme Activities • Cross-community outreach through: o community groups o schools / youth organisations o local networks (urban + rural) • Local Walking guide tour training: o Accredited or structured Guide Training Programme: o Heritage interpretation skills o Group facilitation across communities o Conflict-sensitive storytelling o Practical training:  Shadowing experienced guides  Co-delivering guided walks o Certification / recognition for participants • Biodiversity • Storytelling & Heritage Skills Development o Outputs:  recorded stories, podcasts, or short films • Environmental Heritage Workshops o Workshops on:  environmental heritage of Mountsandel  archaeology + early settlement history  relationship between people and landscape o Guest speakers (heritage experts, environmentalists) o Interactive learning:  site exploration  mapping exercises o Cross-community group work:  shared learning tasks • Participant Engagement • A proposed outdoor event at Mountsandel site, with guided walks along the river, showcasing the outputs and capital progress, and unveiling the site as a recognised and acknowledged site, an important site spanning millennium. BUDGET: £34500 EUROS (excl VAT) Timeline: 22 months Project Timescale All project activity must be completed by May 2028