East Donegal and Strabane residents and community representatives got together last Friday to celebrate the achievements of participants in Donegal Youth Service's Activ8 Project.
At the event in the Fir Trees Hotel, participants were presented with certificates to mark their achievements.
The above image shows members of the group from St. Johnston and Carrigans Family Resource Centre, along with youth leader Sheena Laverty (right), Mary Moy, Development Officer, International Fund for Ireland and Dr. Adrian Johnston, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland.
The Activ8 Project is funded by the International Fund for Ireland, and gathers together young people from both sides of the border, encouraging them to take part in community-based training and development. Over a 14-month period, the project worked with 72 young people aged 16-24 years, providing hands-on community engagement and Open College Network accredited training in community development, understanding diversity, restorative practice and conflict management. Other elements of the project involved cross-border trips focusing on anti-sectarianism and peace-building, including workshops with ex-prisoners and visits to Manorcunningham Orange Hall and Newtowncunningham Orange Hall, which was destroyed by fire in 2014.
Caithlin Brady and Lorna Brady from Strabane Fountain Street Youth group with Mary Moy, Development Officer, International Fund for Ireland, Dr. Adrian Johnston, Chairman, International Fund for Ireland and Charlene Logue, Donegal Youth Service.
Members of the Letterkenny Group with DYS youth leaders, Mary Moy, Development Officer, International Fund for Ireland and Dr. Adrian Johnston, Chairman, International Fund for Ireland.
Members of the Lifford/Killygordan group with youth leaders and Dr. Adrian Johnston, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland and Mary Moy, Development Officer, International Fund for Ireland.
Guests at the presentation included, (Seated), Lorraine Thompson, Regional Director, DYS, Mary Moy, Development Officer, IFI, Dr. Adrian Johnston, Chairman, IFI and Charlene Logue, DYS. (Standing), Sheena Laverty and Boris Lisov, youth workers.
Speaking at the event, Dr Adrian Johnston, Chairman of the International Fund for Ireland said that the Fund is committed to delivering real and positive transformation in communities through the Peace Impact Programme, and expressed her delight at being associated with Donegal Youth Service.
“We are delighted to be associated with Donegal Youth Service and to see the significant level of interest generated by this cross-border project," said Dr Johnston. "The initiative has been very successful in bringing together young people from both sides of the border to develop new skills which will be of enormous benefit both to them personally and to their communities in future years. Community engagement and creating greater understanding are key themes of the project, which we believe will have a lasting impact by promoting social stability and helping to break down remaining barriers to reconciliation.”
Charlene Logue, Youth Outreach Manager at Donegal Youth Service acknowledged the generous support received from the International Fund for Ireland, stating that, “The success of the Activ8 Project in engaging with young people of East Donegal and Strabane has exceeded our expectations. Not only has the project provided participants with valuable new skills, but it has helped those taking part develop a greater understanding of their own political and cultural history. At the same time, the project has created a stronger sense of community and strengthened connections between young people in the wider area – the benefits of which will continue to be felt and seen long into the future.”
Since commencing in 2013, the IFI’s Peace Impact Programme (PIP) has supported 56 projects across Northern Ireland and the southern border counties of Ireland with €5,732,607/£4,586,085 in funding. It aims to build sustainable peace and reconciliation within and between communities suffering from high levels of economic and social deprivation; where there have been low levels of engagement in peace building and where there remains a continued risk of instability and violence.
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