The International Fund for Ireland (IFI) has awarded £3,305,873/ €3,789,268 to 17 projects across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland to deliver peace and reconciliation work.

The latest round of funding will assist projects across range of initiatives including engaging with communities who have yet to see or experience peace dividends from the Good Friday Agreement.

Funding has been allocated to three of the four core programmes under the current strategy including, Peace Impact Programme (PIP), Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP) and Communities in Partnership Programme (CiPP).

Commenting on the financial support, IFI Chair Paddy Harte said; “We recognise that a lot of progress has been made but the reality on the ground indicates that there are many who feel that the Peace Process has not delivered what it should have, particularly in the most vulnerable and marginalised communities across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

“Our projects are working within incredibly challenging environments where issues around culture, identity, flags, bonfires, sectarianism, trauma and ongoing paramilitary influences are causing deep division.

“Recent elections may also have stirred up disaffection within communities, creating more extreme political views. This can often create a vacuum of instability particularly in marginalised communities where young people can be more susceptible to paramilitary or criminal influence.

“Part of this funding is providing targeted interventions for at-risk young people, instilling confidence, and offering more positive life choices. By empowering young people to take control of their lives, we can give communities the tools to help create stability and opportunity for future generations.”

Ten projects have been awarded £1,875,482/€2,119,293 through the Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP). Projects provide a uniquely tailored approach working to help young people in society to improve their confidence and personal resilience, develop a better understanding of culture and identity, and develop practical skills that boost their employment prospects. 

The Communities in Partnership Programme (CiPP) has supported six projects with a total of £1,238,940/ €1,453,636 to help build resilience and empower communities to build stronger, meaningful cross-border partnerships.

Finally, one project under the Peace Impact Programme (PIP) will benefit from £191,451/€216,339, working to deliver sensitive interventions in communities that have not previously, or have only partially, participated in peacebuilding and reconciliation activities.

The projects awarded funding from the IFI’s June Board Meeting in Cavan will deliver for and engage with communities across Belfast, the Counties of Armagh, Derry/Londonderry, Donegal, Down and Louth.

IFI Chair Paddy Harte adds; “Thanks to the ongoing support of our international donors, we can continue to deliver unique peacebuilding programmes. We are committed to supporting those who need interventions the most and are one of the few organisations who are prepared to take these risks to help create an inclusive, shared future for all.”

The IFI was set up by the British and Irish Governments as an independent international organisation in 1986. It delivers a range of peace and reconciliation initiatives across Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. It currently supports a total of 64 projects in Northern Ireland and 27 in the southern border counties. 

Peace Impact Programme

£191,451

€216,339

Full Funding Allocations

Peace Impact Programme (PIP)

County Derry/Londonderry

£191,451/€216,339 to St Columb’s Park Reconciliation Trust for 24-months to help with the delivery of a programme in two parts of Derry/Londonderry – Currynierin and Tullyally. It will take the lead role in co-ordinating a Peace Impact Programme and work with both communities to establish a vibrant community hub, while also building peace and trust in each area.

Personal Youth Development Programme (PYDP)

County Armagh

£217,976/€246,312 to Drumgor Detached Youth Work Project for a two-year ‘Drumgask and North Lurgan PYDP’ initiative that will work with 15 young people aged 16-25. It will target those living in Drumgask and North Lurgan who have been affected by socio-economic deprivation, have limited access to educational and employment opportunities, and are subject to the pervasive influence of anti-social behaviour, criminality, and paramilitary groups. 

Belfast

£143,230/€161,849 to Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre for the 12-month ‘Empowering Futures: Advanced Manufacturing Traineeship for Young Adults’ project. It will target young people aged 17-25 from East Belfast and the wider Belfast area who have been adversely affected by low academic achievement. They will be equipped with the skills and qualifications needed to compete for employment opportunities.   

£210,167/€237,488 to Phoenix Education Centre for a 24-month ‘Step Up for Change’ project to work with 15 disengaged young people on a single identity basis from the Protestant, Unionist, Loyalist (PUL) community who are not in any form of employment, education or training and have left school with no qualifications. The disadvantaged wards are in Mount, Ballymacarrett, Island and Cregagh.

£217,127/€245,353 to Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum (CCRF) for a 24-month ‘Youth Outreach Learning Outcomes’ (YOLO) project to recruit 20 hard to reach young people who will have left education with little or no qualifications, are at risk of suffering from poor mental health, are involved in substance abuse and vulnerable to polarisation/recruitment to organisations. 

£185,377/€209,476 to EastSide Greenways for a two-year ‘Legacy Project’ to work with 15 people aged 16-25 from East Belfast who are not currently involved in full-time education, training, or employment and face a range of barriers, issues, and challenges in their lives including being vulnerable to paramilitary recruitment and have been in – or close to – the criminal justice system.

County Derry/Londonderry

£223,597/€252,664 to Roe Valley Residents’ Association for the 24-month ‘Building Brighter Futures’ project. Operating in the Coolessan and Greystone wards, it will develop the skills of 15, hard to reach young people through a range of accredited and non-accredited courses. These include teambuilding and confidence building activities, good relations workshops, and improving relationships between participants.

£182,834/€206,602 to Maghera Cross Community Link for the 24-month ‘Link Youth Achievement Programme’ which will target young people from Maghera, Magherafelt, Swatragh, Upperlands, Culnady, Gulladuff and Tobermore who are vulnerable to polarisation, face barriers to access mainstream provisions, are vulnerable to paramilitary recruitment, and have been in – or close to – the criminal justice system. 

County Donegal

£148,042/€167,288 to Milford and District Resource CLG for the two-year ‘Mulroy Youth Engagement Project’/The M.Y.E Future Project’. Based in Milford, it will outreach into isolated, rural community areas across north Donegal and intends to recruit 18 young people who will benefit from training and support in good relations, personal and social development, and employability skills.

County Donegal/County Tyrone

£151,339/€171,014 to Lifford Clonleigh Resource Centre and Include Youth for the 24-month ‘Leadership Education for the Appreciation of Diversity’ (L.E.A.D) project. It will work with new groups of up to 35 young people each year, aged 16-20, from communities on each side of the East Donegal-West Tyrone border in partnership with local schools. Outreach group work will also see the project link up with youth groups, sports clubs, and community organisations. 

County Louth

£195,793/€221,247 to Connect Family Resource Centre for the 24-month ‘Footsteps’ project to allow the continuation and development of work and projects across the border, and with other local projects Foróige Drogheda and Ardee PYDP in respect of good relations training.

Communities in Partnership Programme (CIPP)

County Antim/ County Donegal 

£131,504/€148,599 to Breen Centre for the 18-month ‘Women Crossing Borders’ project that will deliver opportunities for sustained, meaningful and purposeful contact between individuals and groups of different backgrounds, on a cross-border basis. Led by women, it will explore how to develop sustainable and thriving groups from marginalised and disadvantaged areas. It will be delivered with cross-border partner Inishowen Development Partnership within the Inishowen peninsula (County Donegal) and Newtownabbey (County Antrim).

County Armagh/County Louth

£95,053/€107,410 to Omeath and District Development Association for 18-months to bring women from both sides of the border and both sides of the community together, to explore the commonalities between women, provide opportunities for collaboration and shared learning among women in the area, and support the revival of the Oriel language and culture. This will be delivered with cross-border partner Lislea Community Association, Newry (County Down) across Louth and South Armagh areas including Lislea, Markethill, Keady and Newtownhamilton.  

Belfast

£133,331/€150,664 to Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre for the 12-month ‘Advanced Manufacturing Pathways Schools Project’. Bringing together 12 schools – six in Northern Ireland and six in Ireland – the project aims to inspire young secondary school students aged 14-15 to consider high-skilled Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers by incorporating the latest technologies. This will be delivered in partnership with cross-border partner Louth Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) across North, East & West Belfast, and Co Louth.

County Donegal/County Derry/Londonderry

£309,683/€349,941 to Manchester United Foundation for the 24-month ‘Inspires Programme’ that will connect with young people and inspire them to make positive choices in their lives. The project will connect three schools and communities on a cross-border and cross-community basis by exploring social and cultural experiences, education and the community, and community cohesion. This will be delivered in partnership with Rosses Community School, Dungloe (County Donegal), St Joseph’s Boys’ School, Creggan (Derry/Londonderry), Oakgrove Integrated College, Strathfoyle (Derry/Londonderry), Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB), and Ulster University, Magee (Derry/Londonderry).

County Down

£315,492/€410,140 to Artsawonder for the 24-month ‘The Rostrevor Group (Project 1)’ and ‘Ongoing Conversations (Project 2)’ that will facilitate contact and discussion between 15 former civil society and political leaders from communities north and south. Separately, it will connect and build new relationships between the representatives of diverse political groupings from Ireland and Britain.

Northern Ireland and southern border counties

£253,877/€286,882 to Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland for the 24-month ‘Discovery Programme’ that will help to connect the 20 social enterprises across NI and the southern border counties through four cross-border residentials, and eight planned best practice exchanges that are intended to build new relationships. This will be delivered in partnership with its cross-border partner Social Enterprise Northern Ireland (SENI).