The core of the Foundation’s work is not based on campaigning or influencing political decision-making. However, by the nature of its origin and work with victims of political violence and conflict within communities, increasingly the Foundation is being asked to give its opinion or expertise in areas of Government practice or research.

Through the Legacy Project, the Foundation has given evidence at UK Parliamentary Select Committee hearings and advised the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on the aftercare of victims following terrorist incidents.

Foundation staff have advised Government officials to build time and space within the curriculum for young people to learn about conflict, its causes and consequences and to ensure that through the education system, provision is made for educational discussion on diversity, prejudice and conflict resolution to take place.

The ‘Children for Peace’ campaign was launched in 1995 when the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Trust came into existence. This campaign was based on the concept that by investing in children and young people now we would be able to persuade them that they can resolve problems of any size or complexity without resorting to violence – they would, in effect, become ‘Children for Peace’.

Between 1995 and 2006 the Trust delivered its programmes to over 14,000 children and young people.

However, more and more our work is not only with children but also young people and adults. As the demand for our work increased and we developed programmes to include communities as well as individuals, it became apparent that the campaign name ‘Children for Peace’ did not accurately describe the full remit of our work.

In 2007 the Trust relaunched as the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace – taking out the campaign name ‘Children for Peace’, which instead now describes one particular area of our work.