OCTOBER 2023 LARNE YMCA BASKETBALL CLUB

Larne YMCA through the support from Hope for Youth NI, has officially formed our own basketball club which will compete in the Basketball NI League 2023/2024. Our first training session kicked off on 14/5/2023 with 60 young people registering. This number totally blew us away and proved to us that the need for such a sport in the Larne area was of huge importance and benefit to the wider community.

Since May, we have been in training at weekends to be ready for our first league match which happened on Friday 6/10/2023 for our U16’s. The match ended in us losing, however, in the short space of time to see the growth, development, and sheer teamwork out of this group of young men is amazing.

 This funding has enabled us to be able to purchase a team kit, official league basketballs, bibs and more to support the training and match day experience for our participants.

JULY 2023 OMAGH FUTSAL ASSOCIATION

The Omagh Futsal Association's 12 week programme involves 50 11-18 year olds who are members of the community from all backgrounds including settled refugees. The grant is funding a series of futsal and good relations programmes together where the common interests of sport, play and language are used to bring about positive individual and community transformation. The programme aims to raise self-esteem, facilitate integration and promote attitudes of tolerance and respect. Futsal is an exciting, fast-paced, small sided football game that is widely played across the world. The Omagh Futsal Association was founded in 2017 by Martin Cassidy and is affiliated to the Irish Football Association. Head coach David Alonso uses the sport of futsal to promote fitness, advance education and promote social development within the sport. 

Commenting on the grant Martin Cassidy the founder said  'The Hope for Youth Grant came at a vital period in our club's development. Previous to this funding the club did not have the resources to deliver activity for teenagers within the club. Thanks to this funding we now have a teenage futsal programme delivering futsal to teenagers from all backgrounds across Omagh and Fermanagh. This means our club has a full pathway from youth right through to senior. Omagh Futsal Association would like to thank Hope for Youth for these vital funds which helps our club, which is 100% voluntary run with no paid staff, be able to continue to deliver sporting opportunities for all.' 

MARCH 2023 THE POLICE SPORTS ASSOCIATION, NEWFORGE

The aim of the project is to establish a new cross community boxing club welcoming participants from all sections of the community. The project will assist in making Newforge a 'shared space' for all members of society by actively engaging with local communities. The project will focus on vulnerable young people, diverting them into amateur boxing activities hosted by Association personnel. This project aims to promote both physical and mental health and well-being by providing a community facility for boxing training and matches. The hope for Youth funding will be used to purchase boxing equipment which will be used to run the boxing training sessions which will form the core of the project. Commenting at the handover Aoife Mooney of Newforge said' Many thanks to Hope for Youth for their kind donation of £4,000. Their support will be instrumental in covering the setup costs of new equipment for our boxing initiative and introducing the sport to young people all over Northern Ireland.'

Dr Miriam McCarthy Trustee Hope for Youth Northern Ireland handing over the cheque to the Police Sports Association

GRANTS 2022 - UPDATE

DRAMA FOR KIDS

The grant we have been awarded from Hope for Youth will sponsor the equivalent of 10 youth for a full academic year of 39 weeks, from September 2022 to June 2023. Our youth will explore situations & characters, which helps to process real life and improves self-confidence, self-esteem and general health & well-being within their peer group. Through sponsored places, our youth will create more colour and diversity in everything DFK will produce over the 39 weeks.

Those showing leadership will be developed and progress to independent working through their own initiative, using performing arts to enhance and enrich their lives. Hope for Youth funding will enable a number of important outcomes for our DFK youth that will help to build and benefit our communities, both within the DFK Family and the wider local community. Our youth will improve their oral communication skills and creative problem-solving abilities via improvisation. Through performance work, they will become more self-disciplined and motivated, with an attitude that is much more than 'let's just get it done. Our youth will develop skills that will benefit them throughout their lives, including commitment, teamwork, time management, adaptability and flexibility. Our DFK youth will learn about accepting rules and respecting others.

 DFK is a cross community, all-ability, not-for-profit group delivering creative and performing arts for children and youth. We provide equal opportunities to access drama, dancing, singing and technology (film, digital up-skilling, technology and innovation) in Armagh and the surrounding area. We strive to keep our group fresh and modern by exploring new opportunities, which helps engage our youth and plays a major role in developing and growing their self-confidence and self-esteem. Class content is tailored towards age and ability: Hive teaches technique, improvisation and performance; PAW builds on these and includes script writing, stage production, prop & costume design, lighting & audio technology and backstage management, as well as opportunities for film-making when available. The grant from Hope for Youth will help DFK to engage with youth in a safe environment to bring them out of their shell so they can interact with their peers, learn new skills, form new friendships and build self-confidence to perform on stage and learn about working backstage. Some of our youth will mentor younger groups and others will be able to participate in admin roles, providing work experience. We will cater for all and foster good relationships between religious and multicultural communities of all abilities, as well as those who are disadvantaged. DFK youth will meet people from different social and cultural groups and learn to understand their differences through performing arts, thereby helping each other to integrate into the local community. The DFK ethos of equality of opportunity, where everyone can thrive by focusing on their choices and working together in partnership, is the backbone and strength of everything we do.

THE CREATIVE ARTS  AND SOCIAL TEAM

 The Creative Arts and Social Team is a Community Interest Company based in Castle Derg, County Tyrone and this year sees the second time that they have been successful in receiving a grant from Hope for Youth. The group’s summer project for which the grant was awarded, ‘Battle of the Bands’ , involved 40 young people aged 12-24 from Castlederg and the surrounding areas. A number of guest tutors were involved ranging from local musicians to West End stars who provided masterclass workshops, advice and support for the young people. The project saw the formation of four bands who performed a grand finale at the end of August as well as four groups who performed musical theatre at the same venue.

Commenting on the grant Rois Lynch, director CastCic reported ‘ We were absolutely delighted to have received funding to create a creative and exciting month of workshops, rehearsals and final concert for the young people in the area. To see our young people and the community come together to enjoy performing arts under such a fun filled and exciting programme was wonderful and incredibly rewarding. We hope that these strong connections will continue to grow and build and that the friendships made will last a lifetime.

We would like to thank the amazing team at Hope for Youth NI. Their funding has once again brought opportunity possibilities and hope to our young people and to them we are eternally grateful. The support we received from Hope for Youth was so much appreciated and we are delighted to have presented such a strong, enjoyable programme for the young people in our area. Our participants had a wonderful experience working with West End performers, acting, dancing and singing their way through the summer months. They gained great knowledge, understanding and most importantly had a marvellous time’ .

Lough Erne Landscape Partnership

On Monday 20th June a cheque was presented by Hope for Youth NI to the Lough Erne Landscape Partnership. The Lough Erne Landscape Partnership was set up in 2015 with the key focus on conserving and promoting Lough Erne’s landscape character and the unique natural, built and cultural heritage of the communities that live around the lough. This grant is to help fund three weeklong natural heritage training schemes for 13-15year olds during the summer holidays. They will be recruited from the rural communities of Fermanagh. 36 participants will have the opportunity to complete the John Muir Award (not currently offered within the County) by carrying out a range of biodiversity activities, to engage them with their natural heritage, connect them to the landscape and show them how they can be part of sustainable future conservation of the region. The John Muir Award encourages people of all backgrounds to connect with, enjoy and care for wild places.

Lough Erne Landscape Partnership Programme Manager, Elmarie Swanepoel stated, ‘The Lough Erne Landscape Partnership are delighted to receive this funding from Hope for Youth, and look forward to engaging young people with the unique landscape of Lough Erne. This project will provide young people with the opportunity to gain access to Lough Erne learning about the habitats and biodiversity that surrounds them whilst gaining new skills and confidence.’ 

GRANTS 2021 - UPDATE

In light of the difficulties of the past 18 months and the postponement of grant applications the Trustees decided to be proactive and award two emergency grants this summer to The Belfast South Community Resource and The Listening Ear, Rathcoole.

 Belfast South Community Resource focuses on supporting young people's mental, physical and social well-being while also fostering good relations between all communities of young people residing within areas of South Belfast with high social and economic deprivation. The funding enabled them to run a 5 day programme for 16 teenagers concentrating on 5 steps to well-being.

 Listening Ear is a small charity based in Rathcoole. It supports the local community offering a 24/7 emergency helpline for those impacted by anxiety, depression and PTSD. It also provides a programme called Empathic Listening aimed at encouraging non-judgemental communication and better listening skills among young people. It is this element of their work that Hope for Youth has funded.

Dr Miriam McCarthy presenting cheque to Belfast South Community Resource & Mr Noel Lamb presenting cheque to Listening Ear

GRANTS 2020 - The Royal Enniskillen Boat Club

Very little was possible in 2020 as most  of the projects which had been awarded grants were on hold, however we were delighted to be able to distantly present one grant in September to the Royal Enniskillen Boat Club. This was towards the purchase of much needed new blades for their young rowers. For over 30 years the club has been open to all young people of the area from all communities. They currently have 110 young rowers, a mix of boys and girls from all six of the post primary schools in the Enniskillen area. Recent years have seen an explosion of rowing activity and there is tremendous team spirit at the club, with older rowers mentoring the younger ones. Rowing encourages both physical and mental health and in these times of growing mental health issues this is vital.

GRANTS AWARDED 2019

In 2019 we awarded 5 new grants to:

1.The Creative Arts and Social Team, is a Community Interest Company based in Castlederg, Co. Tyrone. CAST aims to make arts accessible to all. Their Caring for Young Minds” project is geared towards 11 – 18 years old from the Castlederg and surrounding areas and will have a key focus on mental health and addressing issues such as self-esteem, bullying and peer pressure.  The project will run for 10-weeks and will bring young people together regardless of culture, ethnic or religious diversity.  The outcome of the project will be the production of a music video with a song that will be written, sung and performed by their youth. 

2. Fusion Theatre, Lisburn, Originally formed as Panto Players in 2000 and after realising a gap in the market for youth theatre, Fusion Theatre was born in 2002 and is based in Lisburn. Their summer project’s primary aim is to enhance the drama, music and artistic standards of young people in the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council area. Its ethos is centred on the bilateral principals of inclusivity and accessibility. They have been granted a licence to stage four performances of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”

3. Rhythm Youth Club, Rhythm is a cross-community outreach group bringing together volunteers of all denominations, working with young people in the Banbridge area. Youth Outreach Ltd, through Rhythm works with young people (ages 13 - 18) to provide them with a fun, friendly, and safe environment on a Saturday evening that is free from both drugs and alcohol. Our project in 2019 as funded by Hope for Youth will provide our young people with a range of activities during school holidays that will help with their personal development through a range of planned diversionary activities'.

4. Kinship Care - Kinship Care is an award-winning charity, based in Londonderry which supports children and young people who cannot be cared for by their own parents to live safely and securely within their own families and communities.  Funding from Hope for Youth will allow their project to engage 40 young people in 9 programmes and activities from April until November and help build their confidence, self-worth and resilience.

5. Dreamscheme NI - Dreamscheme Northern Ireland is a youth work charity based in Belfast that is committed to making a difference in young people’s lives, no matter their background or present challenges. Their project will involve a series of activities for young people in Belfast focused on the five ways to wellbeing, striving to improve the mental health of the young people involved. It will involve five sessions of educational and interactive talks about mental health.

In 2018 we awarded grants to 10 youth projects across Northern Ireland. 

•  REACH Across – summer programme for at risk children to include social awareness and team building activities

• Dylan Quinn Dance Theatre – Dance programme to explore social attitudes

• The Whistle Project – Educational programme aimed at forging relationships.  Art project (mural) as specific outcome

• Active Communities Network, Arts projects using West Side Story to explore differences

• Murley Silver Band - Cross community band start up

• Portadown Phoenix Players – Production of Guys and Dolls and Little Women

• Respira Dance – Cross community dance project

• Youth Outreach – summer programme for at risk children

• Clooney Estate Resident Association – A music initiative resulting in music festival

• Verbal Arts Centre – A cross community creative performance resulting in a Video story 

2017– HFY NI Awarded 8 Grants

• Enagh Youth Forum – Projects including music and arts projects, to bring together young people from all communities

• Enterprise Factory – Music programme delivered within 6 secondary schools

• 174 Trust – Project which brought together youths from Shankill and New Lodge areas over the contentious summer months, to join in cultural and heritage activities linked to Irish and Northern Irish traditions

• Life Changes Lives - A Pop Up Art Project, with the children working in teams to create a platform which enabled them to work with counsellors to address mental health, addiction, antisocial behaviour and criminality; and

• Dundonald Sea Cadets – A Project to promote personal and team development.  Hope for Youth helped fund a new safety boat

• REACH Across - Summer Intervention Scheme including an Outdoor Education Camp during a period of heightened community tensions, contentious parades, bonfires and commemorations

• Dreamscheme NI – The project resulted in a film developed by at-risk children based in Belfast and Lisburn.  The project engaged the young children with neighbouring communities to challenge thinking and help them understand, respect and to value diversity and difference.

 2015 – HFY NI Awarded 10 Grants

In 2015 Hope for Youth funded 10 youth projects across Northern Ireland.  We saw an astonishing increased in applications from some 111 different youth projects and organisations, all desperately seeking financial and grant assistance to allow their projects to be realised. The Awards Ceremony took place at Hillsborough Castle in the presence of the Chief Patron, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester .  Grant awards were presented to:  

• Northend United FC – football scheme for improved community cohesion targeting minority ethnic groups.

• Craigavon Intercultural Programme – BOSS Project - The BOSS Project is a cross community/cross cultural project, Ballyoran, Oasis and Scotch Street Youth Clubs, all based in Portadown

• Cairn Lodge Amateur Boxing – a youth project to promote cross community relationships between youth groups

• Carrowshee Park – Project ‘Great Outdoors’ to promote cross community relations in a programme of outdoor pursuits, environmental art and conservation.

• Creggan Country Park - promoting cross community relations in a programme of outdoor pursuits, environmental art and conservation.

• Speedwell Trust - based in Dungannon, ran team building activities for young children in conjunction with the Police Service of Northern Ireland

• Crossover Basketball - NI based good relations project to help motivate our young people to a brighter future

• The Gasyard - a Londonderry/Derry based drama project resulting in a film, soundtrack and published poetry

• Dungannon Youth Centre – A graffiti art project to highlight the many different cultures that visit the centre.

• Sixmilecross – Project to tackle issues relating to youth through drama and art workshops in conjunction with the PSNI

2012/2013- HFY NI Awarded 15 Grants

• NI Children’s Enterprise - Programmes of games and activities between schools from different communities

• Sport Changes Life (EHoops) –A good relations project to deliver new local team with local youth groups.  The ground breaking EHoops programme brings hope to young people in local communities across Northern Ireland by using a healthy mix of sport with alternative education, to give the young people a brighter future and enable them to become and active citizens in society

• The Playtrail – A project involving 2 groups of teenagers learning through music and dance how to deal with bereavement

• Extern Children’s Services – Project aimed at bringing together groups of children in Derry/Londonderry

• Northern Ireland Cancer Fund for Children – weekend retreat to help children from all communities

• Youth Lyric – cross community project resulting in production of Alice in Wonderland

• Youth Action Northern Ireland – Rainbow Factory set up to encourage children from all communities to come together through drama

• Quaker Service – Teenage project using art therapy to help young children learn about other beliefs and opinions

• REACH Across - Summer Intervention Scheme including an Outdoor Education Camp during a period of heightened community tensions, contentious parades, bonfires and commemorations

• East Belfast Community Counselling – Allotment garden project, novel outreach counselling project for young children with mental health issues

• Big Telly Theatre Company – Project MADE at the MAC. a film project to bring together 500 children from different communities across Belfast

• Millennium Theatre Trust – Project results in the InterAct Youth Arts festival with children representing both sides of the community in Derry/Londonderry

• Lisbellaw Football Club - football scheme for improved community relations

• St Benedicts Martial Arts Club – new group for improved community relations

• Primecut Productions – film and audio project resulting in an audio of interviews and reflections from 100 young people across both communities

 CASE STUDY 1

Project 1:  R.E.A.C.H ACROSS (Residentials, Educational Activities, Community Holidays)

1)  Area & Participant Profile

REACH Across Members are primarily recruited from officially recognized areas of disadvantage in the North-West region of N. Ireland. Despite political progress, the region is still adversely affected by high unemployment, sectarianism, under-age drinking and anti-social behavior. There is also an increasing level of mental health and suicide-related issues affecting young people. REACH Across members are 14-17yrs old, which we believe is the must vulnerable age group in relation to negative behaviours and influences. The region is still generally polarized with limited mixed housing and shared facilities.

2)   Project Aims and Objectives

The project aimed to develop and strengthen cross-community contact during the Summer months, which are generally regarded as the most divisive amongst young people, as they can either engage in positive or negative opportunities. The project aimed to continue the development of personal skills and confidence levels that were kick-started during our Spring Programme.  The project had a twin track approach to achieving its aims, by organizing a Summer Intervention Scheme and an Outdoor Education Camp during a period of heightened community tensions, contentious parades, bonfires and commemorations. The primary objectives of the project were

1)   To recruit 50 young people on a cross-community basis, primarily from recognizedareas of social disadvantage and isolation.

2)   To provide an intervention programme of outdoor activities, education visits, craft workshops and shared learning sessions that will promote active citizenship and healthier lifestyles

3)   To provide an Outdoor Education Camp for 30 project participants, that will enable contact and personal development over a sustained period and will motivate participants to register for follow-up training and events, during our Autumn Programme.

4)   To benefit participants in relation to employability, education, self-esteem and self-management.

3)  Purpose of Funding

The Hope for Youth grant was specifically used to cover costs of the Summer Intervention Scheme and Outdoor Activity Camp. Participants were male and female and aged between 14 – 17yrs old. The Intervention Scheme included craft and cultural workshops, education visits and team-building activities.

Outputs of the Project included

a)    24 young people attended a cultural design workshop at the Nerve Centre’s FabLab that included producing self-designed t-shirts. Participants were also able to use laser cutting equipment to produce small items from recycled materials

b)    28 young people attended an Education Visit to Belfast that included a tour of the PeaceLines and visits to Crumlin Road Gaol, Stormont and W5 Science Centre.

c)    44 young people attended a Civic Activism workshop that focused on improving the local infrastructure for young people, prior to a visit to Belfast Zoo. Later that day the full group participated in a civic engagement workshop that invited Members to name a new housing estate planned for L’Derry.

d)    24 young people visited the RADAR Safety Centre in Belfast, during which Members were made aware of the respective dangers at home, on the street and on-line.

e)    28 young people and 4 Leaders attended the Summer Activity Camp which included a range of activities such as banana boating, high ropes course, zipline, laser quest and the crazy golf buggy. This was a self-catering residential which provided opportunities for participants to develop their catering and groupwork skills during a COOK IT workshop, as well as their confidence and interaction levels.

4)   Overall Benefits

a)      The project provided sustained integration for over 50 young people, during the Summer months and provided positive alternatives to an age group that is vulnerable to anti-social behavior, under-age drinking and lingering sectarianism

b)      The education visits and development workshops helped to increase the social, political and cultural awareness of participants, which we hope will enable members to be more tolerant, understanding and active citizens.

c)      Several participants were referred to REACH Across by Social Services and therefore the project provided development and recreational opportunities, for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds or difficult family circumstances.

d)      We have encouraged participants to add their experiences and learning to personal statements and CVs and therefore the project has benefited their personal skills, self-management and employability.

e)      During the residential, participants took part in a Prejudice Reduction workshop which required them to write and perform a short drama based on a prejudice or stereotyping scenario. This workshop helped many participants to be more aware and understanding of the consequences of prejudice, racism or sectarianism. A 2nd exercise required the group to employ someone based on trickled pieces of information.

f)       Participants identified personal and general benefits through individual evaluation forms at the end of the residential and also through informal evaluations at the end of project events and workshops.

CASE STUDY 2

Enagh Youth Forum's Hope For Youth Funded 'You Know My Name, Not My Story Project'

The project reached, engaged and included a total of 36 young people of mixed gender and religion aged 11-18 years old.
25 young people reside in Strathfoyle and 11 reside in Maydown.

• The essence of this project was promoting diversity and good relations.

• This was achieved through young people taking part in a wide of range of workshops which included exploring 'single identity', 'flags & emblems' & 'understanding myself and others'.

• These workshops were very well attended, and they enabled young people to come together in common purpose, breaking down barriers and promoting use of shared spaces. Whilst young people really benefited from these workshops, its clear from the group evaluation that more work is required to build on the foundations of this 'working together'.

• Other workshops explored anti-social behaviour and drugs and substance misuse and young people were able to learn from a number of dvd educational tools and apply the learning, mainly the facilitators utilised a harm reduction approach.

Young people also took part and benefited from a wide range of activities including:

- Successfully completing a Star 1 Kayaking course at Enagh lough with Assessment on the River Foyle (15)
- Graffiti Workshops (Urban Arts) (10)
- Successfully completing a REC 1 Emergency First Aid Course (12)
- Music Workshops (12)

For those young people who successfully completes the Star 1 kayaking, it has increased their confidence and self-esteem and some of them have expressed their wish to now progress further and hope to complete Star 2 kayaking later in the summer. It was also great to see young people connecting with the environment, increasing their own health and well-being and making use of the natural resource Enagh Lough which is on Strathfoyles door step.

Young people were encouraged to remove offensive graffiti from in and around Strathfoyle and then created their an inter-generational art piece for the Enagh Seniors Group which is now permanently displayed in Maydown Play Park. For some of these young people, this was their first experience in working on an inter-generational project. Other graffiti workshops involved young people working closely with Maydown Amateur Boxing Club and creating a few permanent art pieces down at the club's training suite.

12 young people successfully completed REC 1 First Aid and have now learned life saving skills that will enable them to help protect themselves and others in the future.

The music workshops worked specifically for a group of young girls aged 11-13 and helped them to build their confidence and self-esteem and all of the participants reported very positive feedback when describing the facilitator who seemed to connect with them also exploring issues such as bullying and body image and how music can be used as a tool to bring about issues based conversations.

Over the next few weeks this project will conclude with 12 young people taking part in 'Save Your Mate' which is a short one day course that explores staying safe, bullying, first aid and how to be a friend. This potentially life saving course will specifically benefit young people aged 10-13 whom we have already identified as engaging in 'risk taking' behaviour'.

In terms of project promotion we utilised a small amount of funding to purchase a 'pull up display' with the Hope For Youth logo and Enagh Youth Forum logo both printed onto it and utilised this during a certificate presentation on Monday 9th January 2017 where the Mayoress of Derry City and Strabane District Council presented young people with their certificates at an event held at Strathfoyle Library. 

Eamonn O'Donnell - Youth Support Worker with Enagh Youth Forum said:

"This project made a real difference as it brought young people together in common purpose. It enabled them to achieve qualifications and helped to build their self esteem, confidence and resilience. It also helped connect young people with other young people, meet new people and do new things. This project is a stepping stone for ourselves as youth workers in terms of building on the success of this project for the future and planning future interventions to in essence help provide 'Hope For Youth".

 

Grants Awarded in 2015 In 2015 Hope for Youth funded 10 youth projects across Northern Ireland.  2015 had seen an astonishing increase in applications from 111 different organisations, all desperately seeking financial and grant assistance to help them make a difference.  Award Ceremony took place at Hillsborough Castle in the presence of the Chief Patron, HRH The Duchess of Gloucester and presented to: Northend United FC, Craigavon Intercultural Programme, Cairn Lodge Amateur Boxing, Carrowshee Park, Creggan Country Park, Speedwell Trust, Crossover Basketball, Gasyard, Dungannon Youth Centre & Sixmilecross.

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