DUP MLA Deborah Erskine has said the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building’s Fellowship Programme is “breaking down stereotypes of what politicians are like”.

Ms Erskine was one of a number of alumni who helped launch the Centre for Democracy and Peace Building’s 2024/25 Fellowship Programme, which seeks to reimagine leadership by encouraging collaborative decision-making so that representatives from across Northern Ireland society are equipped to deliver real change for the benefit of all.

The MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone began the Fellowship Programme before power-sharing returned to Stormont. She said it was a good experience for relationship-building with other sectors including business and civic society.

She said: “We were able to learn from each other in terms of how we could use our different skillsets to make Northern Ireland a better place whether that was from a business, political or civic perspective, and I suppose for anybody that was on the political side of it, it was breaking down those barriers of politicians and breaking down those stereotypes and preconceived ideas of what politicians are like, that actually we’re just normal people that want to work collectively.”

Ms Erskine said those relationships really grew while working collaboratively on projects and during residentials.

“At Stormont I’ve had Fellows who would be up here for other meetings who have dropped me a message to see if we can catch up, so you really do get to build relationships, you wouldn’t otherwise get the opportunity to get to know people on that scale,” she added.

There is just over a week left to apply for the 2024/25 Fellowship Programme, with applications closing on Wednesday 19 June.

To apply or to find out more, please email fellowship@democracyandpeace.org or visit: https://fellowship.democracyandpeace.org