Young people recognised for European project success

The initiative provided 21 young people from across the borough and 38 young people from the council’s twinned towns of Dorsten and Rybnik with the opportunity to participate in civic engagement and contribute towards policy and administrative decisions within the political arena.

The project involved each twinned town hosting a conference which provided a forum for the young people to have their voices heard.

The Youth in Action project has been recognised as one of the most successfully delivered projects for young people across Europe.

Project promoters in Frankfurt commended Youth in Action for all its achievements and the project is now being used as a showcase for best practice across other twinned towns.

To congratulate all those involved in the project, Newtownabbey Council recently hosted a recognition event at its Mossley Mill headquarters, during which each participant was presented with a special achievement award.

Nadean Lowe, the council’s Economic Development Officer, manages the project.

She said: “We are thrilled at the overall success of this European project. When we began the project back in 2008 we never imagined that we would receive special recognition from our European funders. All of the 21 young people from Newtownabbey who have participated in the 18 month programme have gained so much from the project and they have been provided with the opportunity to visit Germany and Poland, living and learning amongst their peers in Europe.”

So successful was the project that the Twins 2010 Committee has now agreed to host an additional event in Dorsten, Germany this September (9 - 12) which will bring together six European twinned towns, enabling 20 young people from each town to come together to discuss youth participation, politics and to visit cultural attractions and events across the Rhur region.