Dialogue Practitioners Co‑operative: Reshaping a vital peace building mission into a co‑op

The Dialogue Practitioners Co‑operative started life as Community Dialogue – a group of peace building practitioners who came together in response to the paramilitary ceasefires in Northern Ireland in the early 1990s. 

“We were a bunch of people from all sides of the conflict who came to the view it doesn’t matter how many people are killed, no‑one is going win,” said Director David Holloway. 

“It’s a big price to pay pursuing social and political objectives through violence. So we decided to have a crack at dialogue.”

For nearly 30 years, the team has been providing contentious issues dialogue and capacity-building training that enables peaceful approaches to managing conflict – and up‑skills people to do that through dialogue.

Today, the organisation also applies these methods to other forms of exclusion and intolerance, for example, with marginalised women, LGBTQI+ communities, people living with mental ill health and groups navigating rising polarisation in an increasingly diverse society. 

But after almost three decades operating as a charity, Community Dialogue reached crisis point. The work was vital but relentless, carried out in a challenging funding environment. 

“We were absolutely exhausted. Charities are forced to compete with each other for ever‑diminishing resources. More and more of our time went into chasing funding and reporting on it, rather than responding to the need we were seeing on the ground,” David explained. 

The idea of becoming a co‑operative had been discussed years earlier, but crisis gave it urgency. Plus, it ticked all the boxes for how they wanted to operate as an organisation. 

“We decided to go all in. Either we crash and burn, or we soar and fly,” said David. The transition took two years, with the team officially registering the Dialogue Practitioners Co-operative in April 2025.

They used Co‑operatives UK’s registration service – significantly subsidised by The Co‑operative Bank – to register as a co-op with the Financial Conduct Authority. Co‑operative UK’s Advice Team assisted with drafting their rules, provided governance advice and dealt with the FCA as registrar on their behalf. 

In November 2025, they officially launched as a co-op with 15 members – all experienced peace building practitioners with diverse specialisms. 

To set up as a co-operative, they enlisted help from the Business Support for Co-ops programme, delivered by Co‑operatives UK in partnership with The Co‑operative Bank. It gave them access to expert consultancy from Co‑operative Advisor Tiziana O’Hara.

“Tiziana brought a wealth of co-op experience and an understanding of the complexities of transitioning to a co‑op – the systems, structures and legalities. Much of it is similar to what we’re used to within the charitable sector but there are important elements that are significantly different.

“She also offered us the opportunity to connect with other co‑ops in Northern Ireland – and we have ambitions to provide a service within the co-operative movement. We can help co‑ops manage conflict within their own set ups in an effective, efficient way.” 

The organisation is currently operating in transition, with the charity Community Dialogue and Dialogue Practitioners Co‑operative running alongside each other. By the end of 2026, the charity will close, with its mission and legacy fully carried forward by the co-operative. 

The work itself remains grounded in dialogue as the foundation of peace. “Dialogue is about understanding the feelings, experiences and needs behind the positions people fight over. When that happens, people humanise each other and black‑and‑white thinking evolves into grey. The grey is a space where shared values and shared understanding emerges.”

Looking back, David is clear about why the leap mattered. “After 27 years, we were done – but we weren’t prepared to give in,” he said. “The co‑operative lets us do this work in alignment with everything we believe in. Whatever happens next, we’re doing it our way.”

Find out more

Community Dialogue/Dialogue Practitioners Co‑operative – Website | LinkedIn