INTER BOARD COMMUNITY RELATIONS CELEBRATION
“It’s Our Shared Future”
“A Northern Ireland, Education and Library Boards Youth Service Event Celebrating Young Peoples Contributions to Community Relations”
From Carryduff to Cliftonville to Coalisland to Coleraine to Craigavon: young people throughout Northern Ireland are participating in Community Relations Programmes. Programmes are delivered though the Education and Library Boards, Youth Service Community Relations Support Scheme.
On 25th April 2006 at 6.30pm programme participants showcased the programmes they have been involved in at a “Celebratory Event” at The Island Centre, Lisburn. The audience consisted of invited dignitaries include the Deputy Permanent Secretary, Department of Education, Dr. Robson Davison, , the Chief Executive of the Community Relations Council, Duncan Morrow and the Chief Executives of the South Eastern Education and Library Board, Ms Irene Knox. Also in attendance were representatives of the Education and Training Inspectorate and officers and members of the other Education and Library Boards.
Ten programmes, two from each Education and Library Board, were presented representing a wide range of programmes showcasing arts, drama and ICT. All the programmes featured have at their core, a wish to prepare young people for living in a shared society.
The two programmes showcased by the Belfast Education and Library Board Youth Section were:
Finaghy Youth Centre/Willowbank Youth Club/Indian Cultural Awareness Group
This cross-community, cross-cultural project took place in Autumn 2005 and involved young women from the Protestant, Catholic and Indian communities. The programme explored issues around religious and cultural identity and included workshops on yoga and traditional Indian dance.
This is a creative arts based community relations programme involving young people from 8 youth groups across the city of Belfast. First, each individual group was supported by artists to explore the cultures, traditions and identity of Belfast. Then, the groups developed murals that reflected the themes of Equity, Diversity and Interdependence. These murals have been transferred to mosaics. The final mural will be placed on public display in the Titanic Quarter, Queen’sIsland, East Belfast.
The two programmes showcased by the North Eastern Education and Library Board were:
Peace Exchange
This group has been involved in a youth exchange with Bosnia, Croatia and Germany exploring the theme “conflict”. Participants have had to have look at their own conflict through the eyes of outsiders. The participants have celebrated their work in a calendar highlighting the themes of conflict, culture and peace.
Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus and Larne Summer Camp
This summer programme has been in existence for nearly 12 years and has worked with over 720 young people aged 10-16yrs in that period. The programme commences with each group undertaking a preparatory programme prior to the summer camp; then, for one full week in the summer, the young people engage together in team challenges, outdoor education and discussion.
The two programmes showcased by the South Eastern Education and Library Board were:
Girls Across Communities – Her Story
This group of twelve young women from Poleglass and Tullycarnet participated in a programme to tell women’s stories. The participants produced a video and a website - performing the roles of web-designer, cameraperson, interviewer, sound and lighting technicians. They interviewed older women from their communities and produced a documentary and a website which explored their attitudes and those of others to various historical and contemporary issues.
Exploring Diversity Programme
Social research had noted that there was a limited uptake of Youth Service provision by young people from ethnic minority backgrounds. This project set out through a personal development programme to support young people from a range of ethnic and cultural traditions to identify their own needs and to help the Youth Service develop responses to them.
The two programmes showcased by the Southern Education and Library board were:
Dungannon Area Youth Project / Dungannon Youth Resource Centre
These two groups began preparatory programmes exploring issues around culture and tradition at the start of this year. The programmes encouraged young people to participate, explore their own values and beliefs as well as promoting acceptance and understanding of others. Both groups have recently come together to work on a Community relations-based programme using the medium of visual arts.
Poyntzpass Area Project
The Meeting Place is a newly opened purpose built community centre in Poyntzpass. In order to encourage the use of the building by both sections of the community the Youth Club have designed a Community Relations programme for young people in the 11-13 age range. The programme uses drama to encourage participants to explore the issues of sectarianism and the troubles.
The two programmes showcased by the Western Education and Library Board were:
‘Young In West Tyrone’
The Strabane and Omagh Youth Councils lead this project to record the views and attitudes of young people growing up in West Tyrone and to learn the skills of storytelling alongside a group from a different religious/cultural background. Together the participants explored elements of each other’s identities and cultures, as well as elements of their shared history.
‘A Path Between ‘
This programme targeted young people from St Mary’s Youth Club and Limavady High School Youth Club who had little or no previous involvement in Community Relations work. Through creative arts workshops, group-work, and a shared residential the participants explored each others attitudes, customs, traditions, identity, perceptions and lifestyle.
Frank Mitchell, UTV’s weather man compeered the event and was very impressed with the quality of Community Relations programmes on display, he forecast a bright future for Community Relations and the young people involved!