WIREDGOV

Young people across Northern Ireland are improving their well-being and being supported to stay in education, thanks to over £1.6 million of National Lottery funding.

Three organisations across Northern Ireland have been awarded funding from Big Lottery Fund's Empowering Young People programme.

One of the groups, Monkstown Boxing Club, has been awarded £599,849. Their #INYOURCORNER project is working with young people aged 11-24 who are struggling with education, and who may become involved in risk-taking behaviour.

Over five years the project is supporting young people from the Monkstown, Rathcoole, Rathfern, Ballyduff, New Mossley and Whiteabbey areas of Newtownabbey to achieve their potential. The grant is being used to support them with their education, improve their health and well-being, and increase their employment prospects.

Activities include a youth forum, breakfast club, education support programme, after-school club, and young men’s and young women’s groups. Young people will also use their skills to support others as peer mentors, and will organise and run work sessions and community events. The project is being delivered with Abbey Community College and ASCERT’s Daisy project.

Rainbow Health Limited also received £496,161 of funding. The five-year OUT Youth North West project is supporting young people from the LGBT community, who are aged 14 to 25 and living in the North West area. The grant is being used to develop better relationships both within and beyond the LGBT community, promote health and well-being and prepare young people to access employment, education and training.

The project is creating personal development plans for each new member and the young people will be encouraged to bring their LGBT peers to the project. Activities include counselling, social and peer support groups led by young people, drop-in sessions, employability workshops, and accredited training. The young people will also form a steering group that will help manage the project.

Ardoyne Youth Club’s Believing in Youth project has been awarded a £599,107 grant. It is supporting young people, aged 14-21, in the Greater Ardoyne area, who face issues including drug use and poor mental health. Over four years the project will support young people by improving wellbeing and reducing barriers to employment and education.

Activities include the Midnight Club which provides a safe environment to socialise off the streets, a personal and social development group, accredited training programmes, drop-in sessions, mentoring and job support clinics. The young people will form a youth committee and help promote the project using their own ideas. There are also volunteering opportunities and a Teen Challenge programme where young people will organise and run social action projects.

Julie Harrison, Big Lottery Fund NI Chair, said: “I am delighted to announce these grants under the Empowering Young People programme and I want to say thanks to all the National Lottery players who have helped make this possible.

“We want to fund great projects that put young people in the lead in increasing their skills and confidence, and support them to have stronger relationships so they can cope better with the challenges they face and reach their potential. We are looking forward to seeing the positive impact these projects will make for many young people across Northern Ireland.”

More information about the Empowering Young People funding programme can be found on our website, www.biglotteryfund.org.uk. Please ring our enquiries line on 028 90 551 455 if you have any questions.

For press enquiries call Lucy Gollogly or Rachel Skinner in Big Lottery Fund NI. 
Press Office: 02890 551 432 or 02890 551 450 Out of hours media contact: 07580 811135 or 0774 7532 846 

Website: http://www.biglotteryfund.org.uk/northernireland
Twitter: @BIGNIonline #BigLottery
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BigLotteryFundNI

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 £6.5 billion 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, £35 billion has been raised and more than 490,000 grants awarded.