Mandy Kearns

Mandy Kearns is the manager of East Belfast Alternatives and has been employed in several roles within the organisation from 2008. Mandy is responsible for helping to address issues of violence and conflict such as paramilitary violence, bonfire related issues, flags related issues, and neighbourhood disputes. Mandy has a keen sense of community politics and has built good relationships with local activists and police to act as a broker and mediator in difficult situations. Mandy is passionate about change and peacebuilding and can navigate her way through very difficult situations involving challenging personalities. 

Inner East Belfast is a difficult place to work currently with prevailing issues of identity, Brexit and its implications, community control and paramilitary coercion, as well as social issues such as poverty, mental health issues, and drug abuse. Mandy is involved with all these issues and is helping to balance and reduce tensions within the community. Policing and no confidence in policing is another issue in East Belfast and Mandy plays a strategic role in helping to build bridges between the police and the community. Mandy is involved in peace building, community dispute resolution, and mediation. She is an excellent leader and activist, and the fellowship programme has given her space to critically reflect and analysis her work.