I would like to thank the Centre for the Study of Conflict at the University of Ulster for its help and support in the publication of this Report. I am also extremely grateful to the Centre for Voluntary Action Studies, also at the University of Ulster, who funded the exploratory study that forms part of this Report.

I am also indebted to the two schools where the study was based and especially the teaching staff for their interest in and support of the project. Most importantly, I would like to thank the children who form the focus of the study for their co-operation and openness. I am also grateful to Brendan Murtagh, Bill Rolston and Karen Winter for offering invaluable comments on earlier drafts of this report.

Finally, I am indebted to Paul Maginn who conducted all of the interviews with the children, the teaching staff and with the youth clubs leaders and community workers. However, as I have taken the responsibility of analysing the data and writing the report then any faults and/or inconsistencies are my own.

Dr Paul Connolly
School of Social and Community Sciences
University of Ulster
Magee College
L’Derry BT48 7JL
Northern Ireland

July 1999