Cross community study published

The research was carried out by the University of Ulster and the University of Oxford on behalf of OFMDFM.

The report entitled ‘Can Contact Promote Better Relations? Evidence from Mixed and Segregated Areas of Belfast’ tracked a number of individuals between 2006 and 2007 to determine if and how cross-community contact works.

The key findings to come out of the research were that:

• direct contact with a member of the other community resulted in a reduction in prejudice over time.
• more intimate contact promoted the sharing of personal information.
• neighbourhood contact had an impact not only on attitude to the other community, but also towards ethnic minorities in Northern Ireland; positive cross-community contact led to less racial prejudice.
• indirect contact has a positive effect by changing opinions about accepted and acceptable patterns of cross-community interaction.
• when people viewed members of their community involved in cross-community contact, this led to an increase in their own cross-community contact.
• indirect contact is especially effective for people who have little experience of direct cross-community contact.
• indirect contact is more effective when people were in a closer relationship with another member of their community known to have cross-community contact.

Copies of the report are available for download at http://www.ofmdfmni.gov.uk