Groups get major lottery boost

YouthAction Northern Ireland Limited is one of four projects that have been awarded grants totalling nearly £2million from the Big Lottery Fund’s Reaching out: Empowering Young People programme to support young people in the North West and across Northern Ireland.

The Reaching out: Empowering Young People programme supports young people most at risk in Northern Ireland, including those who have been disengaged from education, involved in crime or in care.

YouthAction Northern Ireland Limited will use £496,962 to support isolated and vulnerable young people living in disadvantaged communities in the Waterside area who are at risk of getting involved in anti-social behaviour and criminal activity and are not involved in education.

Working in partnership with local community organisations as well as schools, colleges and the local health trust, the project will offer the young people a range of services to improve their education and opportunities including youth work programmes, peer mentoring, training and accreditation courses, and volunteering and work placements.

Manager Caroline Redpath said: “Many young people aged 16-20 years living in the Waterside area of Derry/Londonderry have few qualifications, still suffer from sectarian violence and often lack aspirations and skills to improve their life chances,” she said.

“They often drop out of school early and have difficulty in sustaining a sense of possibility and direction. Drugs and alcohol are factors too and they have no expectations or goals for their lives.”

Also, Youthlife Limited has been awarded £490,403 to support young people across the North West who have experienced a bereavement or family break-up, are not involved in education, are involved in crime and antisocial behaviour, or are in care.

The organisation will set up a Youth Health Cafe at their Londonderry premises where young people can build friendships and get support.