The ENTER project invloved us working with colleagues from Croatia, the Netherlands and the Republic of Ireland to investigate the role that enterprise and entrepreneurship can play in providing a platform for people from different cultures and traditions to engage and collaborate, thereby breaking down perceived or actual barriers.
The genesis of this concept came from the unique circumstances that face entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland and particularly those working and living in interface areas in Belfast.
As the migrant crises in Europe escalates and communities of people from different faiths and cultural backgrounds start to meet and, in some cases clash, mechanisms by which those from different cultures and traditions can be brought together in a non-threatening and mutually beneficial environment will become more important.
One our main jobs on this project was to write the course curriculum for the Enterprise in Interface Course. The course which is available FREE and online is designed to help people with an interest in and passion for local community development as well as local authorities and policy makers, facilitate the creation of more stable, more harmonious communities through employing enterprise type initiatives (community businesses, job creation schemes, start a business courses etc.) to transform local areas, particularly areas which have interfaces.