The international outreach of AmeriCorps Project Change continued this month with the visit of graduate David Payne to Dublin and Belfast over the week of September 6th 2015. David was eager to get acquainted with the community service sector in Belfast and spent a week meeting with various young leaders who had previously worked with Project Change director Paul Costello.
One of the hjighlights of the trip was spending a day at the Stormont, the Northern Ireland parliament, and shadowing Chris Little, the member for East Belfast, and a member of the Alliance Party. David saw first hand the challenges of a divided community and the work of leaders like Chris to bring people together despite the history, ancient and recent, of enmity.
David returned with an idea to set up a week of service back in Belfast at the 174 Trust and invite Americorps members past and present who are interested in this cross cultural experience of service to get in touch with him.