Using TBUC funding The Ambassadors for Peace Programme involving 40 young people from different communities in West and North Belfast, took part in a four day residential in Greenhill YMCA where they explored issues includding identity, conflict, values and beliefs around the division in our communities. The young people were also working on an OCN qualification and undertook some fun activities to help with terqam work and personal challenge. Overall this was a great success and the young people had a great time building relationships.
Educational Achievement & 3rd Level Progression
SPIYC continues to have strong relationships with all three of our Universities for either research or direct engagement with our young people. This June we had five young people graduate through the Open University, two pieces of research in examining Educational Under-Achievement in the Lower Falls with Queens University and three staff members attending Ulster University for the Youth & Community Course. All of these progression routes help remove the barriers to educational achievement in the Lower Falls and we must thank the three universities for their continued support.
Cross Border Exchange Programme
We continue to work iin partnership with the young people of Poppintree Youth from Ballymun, Dublin. This programme focuses on tackling violence and radicalisation in the youth populations in both communities.
Social Action
At St. Peters different groups have different responsibilities. We have support from Garfield Weston Foundation, TBUC and Halifax Foundation all supporting social action within different groups we have operational. This year we are focusing on the Grovenor Interface. This is a very neglected area of our community and the young people identified this as a priority in our environmental audit completed in June 24. Over the summer months various groups will be undertaking works to help improve the community.
Summer Diversionary Programme
Every year together with Community Safety we create a diversionary programme to ensure young people are involved in diversionary projects to keep them from becoming involved in interface violence. This year was a great success.
Hidden No More Lottery Funded Programme
June saw us complete the first year of our Empowering Young Peoples funded programme. Our external evaluation report has been completed and the feedback from the evaluators has been very positive.
Junior Summer Programme
The junior summer programme has been completed over the first three weeks of the summer holidays. The young people had a wonderful time and we completed nine day trips for over 360 young people aged 9-11 years of age.
Young Mens Work
Many thanks to CFNI for sponsoring the work with this group of lads for the coming year. We will keep you up to date with their progress. Many thanks to S7L Trust for their ongoing support of our work with young people!
Increasing Drug Problems
The safety and security of the children who play around the Centre are being put at risk by the high numbers of people using needles and disposing of them inappropriately. Help from City Council & Extern have been very helpful.
Violence is Everywhere
This poster outlines the Youth Centres commitment to tackling violence in all its shapes and sizes.