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Northern Ireland groups share in £761,601 grants boost from Awards for All

A unique form of therapy using scuba diving is boosting the confidence and mental wellbeing of people with learning disabilities across Belfast, thanks to a grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

Acqua-Psychotherapy has received a £9,156 grant from Big Lottery Fund’s Awards for All programme. It was part of a Big Lottery Fund grants roll out yesterday of £761,601 to 86 groups across Northern Ireland. (download the full list of awards)

Acqua-Psychotherapy, which is based in east Belfast, delivers a unique therapeutic experience to people with learning or physical disabilities using scuba diving. The £9,156 grant is being used to provide acqua therapy sessions for adults with learning difficulties from across Belfast. Current sessions are taking place in Shankill Leisure Centre with people from the Orchardville Centre in Finaghy.

Christina Cushnahan, psychological co-ordinator from Acqua-Psychotherapy, said: “Water therapy would be a commonly used tool but using scuba diving is something new that our organisation is bringing to Northern Ireland.

“We are working with small groups of people with learning disabilities who attend day centres across Belfast. The experience of being in the water regularly and doing something so different that they wouldn’t normally get to is do is exciting for them. I want to spark something inside them that’ll make them feel good and proud of themselves.

“Diving is something people can get nervous about before they do it, but it is very gentle and safe and you don’t even need to know how to swim. We go out to the centres and bring the diving equipment so they can spend time looking at it, feeling it, and putting the masks on before they even get to the pool.

“I’m with them all the time — they need to spend time with me and Mariano, the diving instructor, and gain trust in us. I spend time getting to know them so I can be aware of their body language and make sure they are comfortable.

“With the funding we are able to run weekly sessions at the pool and we see improvements every week for the members of the group. I’m in the water with them and talk to them during the activity about how they are feeling. I can see their communication and social skills improving as well. It’s also very relaxing and calming for them.

“Diving can be seen as a difficult task for anyone and an activity that most people have never tried before, so when they try it and are able to do it, they feel proud of themselves — that they have accomplished something — and their confidence grows and grows. This confidence stays with them when they leave the pool and helps them take on other challenges in their lives.”

Reach Across, which is based in Derry/Londonderry also received a grant of £8,720. The group encourages cross community contact between young people in the west of Northern Ireland. The project is using the funding to bring young people together by organising a series of classes and residentials for 120 young people, finishing with a showcase event.

Brian McGuigan, co-ordinator for Reach Across said: “The young people involved in our projects are from all across the North West. For many, taking part in one of our Spring Contact residentials is their first ever cross community experience. The majority of young people are interested because they want to make new friends and experience new activities. We approach schools and ask the young people to apply to us but we also get a lot of referrals from worried parents or social services.

“The residentials are vital in getting the young people involved and making that initial contact. After taking part in the Spring Contact residentials, young people can attend weekly group meetings and apply for places on international projects, so that contact and development can continue. They get the chance to take part in other activities we run such as workshops and courses —but it could be something as simple as a pizza and DVD night. We want to create positive experiences for the young people to meet each other at and keep relationships going.”

Joanne McDowell, Big Lottery Fund NI Director, said: “The Big Lottery Fund’s NI Awards for All programme funds health, education, environment and community projects that help people bring about positive change in their lives, improve health and well-being, develop skills and create safer communities.

“The application process is simple and accessible and shall remain so, making it easy for applicants to successfully apply for small pots of funding that can have such a big impact on local communities and lives.”

Application forms and guidance notes are available to download atwww.biglotteryfund.org.uk. For more details call us on 028 9055 1455, or e-mail us atenquiries.ni@biglotteryfund.org.uk

For media enquiries, contact Rachel Skinner or Niamh Scullion at the Big Lottery Fund Press Office on 028 90 551 450 
Out of Hours Media Contact: 7580 811135
Website: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/northernireland
Twitter: @BIGNIonline #BigLottery
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundNIGoes to different website

Notes to editors:

  • The Big Lottery Fund supports the aspirations of people who want to make life better for their communities across the UK. We are responsible for giving out 40% of the money raised by the National Lottery and invest over £650 million a year in projects big and small in health, education, environment and charitable purposes.
  • Since June 2004 we have awarded over £6.5billion to projects that make a difference to people and communities in need, from early years intervention to commemorative travel funding for World War Two veterans.
  • Since the National Lottery began in 1994, £34 billion has been raised and more than 450,000 grants awarded.

 

Channel website: https://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/

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