Primary and post-primary schools from across Northern Ireland gathered at Lough Neagh Discovery Centre, Oxford Island today (7th November) to share their experiences from the first year of the Welcoming Schools Project.

The three-year Welcoming Schools project is funded by the International Fund for Ireland, managed by the Southern Education and Library Board and coordinated by 18 participating schools. It aims to develop a welcoming ethos within schools and an atmosphere built on the principles of inclusivity, respect for others and an embracing of diversity within their own school culture.

The project focuses on whole school support for developing a welcoming schools agenda and supports work with parents and the whole school community. It also supports schools to take proactive steps to make them a more welcoming place for all pupils regardless of religion, race or creed with the eventual aim of increasing the diversity and mix within the pupil intake.

The Welcoming Schools project forms part of the International Fund for Ireland’s Sharing in Education Programme which aims to enable young people to participate in shared education on a cross-sectoral basis.