Community groups to close over ACE
A community group in the Divis area of Belfast, believes that it will
be forced to close once the existing ACE scheme has been replaced by
the new Worktrain scheme.
The group called the Divis Joint Development ACE scheme which has
operated for 16 years has been the first and only source of
employment for many people in the area.
The group provides key community services such as an after-school
play project and a youth drop-in project.
The scheme's ACE manager, Sean Gibson said, ``with the introduction of
Worktrain we're more or less finished unless we can secure some sort
of external funding. That would mean the building closing and the end
of all the services we offer''.
Sinn Fein, along with community groups, has consistently petitioned
the British government not to replace the existing ACE scheme.
It would appear that the British government is trying to take power
away from local communities and place it into the hands of civil
servants.
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