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UNITED YOUTH INITIATIVE Launch Event Through PEACEPLUS Funding

(L to R) Michial Dudley, CEO Boys and Girls Club; Gareth Harper, Managing Director PeacePlayers NI; Dr Caroline Gilleran-Stephens, DKIT H2O Heroes; Minister of Education Paul Givan; Paul Carvill, Programme Manager UYI Healthy Kidz; Paul Beattie, Director of Managing Authority SEUPB; Dr Suzanne Linnane, DKIT H20 Heroes.

Terence McKernan

The start of the delivery of the exciting PEACEPLUS funded United Youth Initiative to 7,300 young people has been set for the end of March 2025.

United Youth Initiative will work with young people aged 9-18 years of age, delivering to youth club settings across Northern Ireland and border counties in Ireland by many leading youth and education providers including Healthy Kidz, Dundalk IT College ‘H2O Heroes’, Peace Players NI and Boys and Girls Club NI.

The initiative will engage in a programme that will bring together youths from diverse backgrounds to participate in shared learning experiences using sports, good relations and environmental initiatives as tools to contribute towards a more inclusive and cohesive society. United Youth Initiative is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

The project partners held an official launch event in Black Mountain Shared Space in Belfast on Friday 14th March. The launch provided an opportunity to hear from the project funders, UYI partners and participants about the impact of this kind of youth focused project and the positive difference this work will make in young people’s families and communities over the next 3 years.

United Youth Initiative launch at Black Mountain Shared Space

At the launch, Education Minister Paul Givan said: “I welcome that the United Youth Initiative project will enable young people outside the main education system to tackle social issues such as inequality and discrimination. Opportunities for young people to build positive relationships and skills through sport, creativity and environmental initiatives will undoubtably impact their outlook and contribution to wider society. A programme such as this can change the lives of young people, creating a real opportunity for lasting and positive change."

Minister for Education Helen McEntee TD said: “I am delighted to welcome the launch of United Youth Initiative. This programme will make a real difference in the lives of young people across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The successful development and launch of the programme is testament to the strong collaboration between the project partners and I commend them on the work that has been done to get to this point. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the partners and participants and wish them every success. I look forward to seeing the impact of programme on our young people and their communities over the course of the next three years.”

SEUPB Chief Executive Gina McIntyre said: “I am delighted to see such an important and beneficial project for young people in youth club settings across Northern Ireland and border counties of Ireland.

“Investing in young people is essential for our long-term peace and prosperity. Investment through the PEACEPLUS Programme will provide opportunities for young people to improve their life chances, skills, education, confidence-building and creative and sporting activities, encouraging social entrepreneurship.

“As part of the PEACEPLUS Shared Learning Together Education Programme, United Youth Initiative will increase the level of contact between young people from diverse communities including those experiencing socio-economic deprivation with the aim of ending the cycle of educational disadvantage using sports, good relations and environmental initiatives.”

Paul Carvill, Programme Manager of Healthy Kidz said: “After months of preparation, Healthy Kidz is delighted to start the delivery of United Youth Initiative alongside its partners to positively impact the well-being and lives of thousands of young people over the next 3 years. Our collaborative approach with the youth sector and the delivery of Good Relations projects over the past 10 years will ensure that we use our positive relations delivery methodology to create positive change across local communities in Northern Ireland and border counties areas. If you would like to get involved in United Youth Initiative please get in touch so that together we can make a positive difference.”