The PEACE Programmes Learning Platform Level 1

Peace Bytes will build and embed the capacity of 800 marginalised young people as leaders, advocates and peace-builders for cross community and cross border reconciliation in and between local communities in Antrim and Newtownabbey, Derry/Londonderry and East Inishowen. The project will take place within, across and between three geographical areas with high levels of social deprivation and marginalised young people: 1) Antrim and Newtownabbey: focussing mainly in Rathcoole and linking with other areas of high social deprivation in Glengormley, Bawnmore, Crumlin, New Mossley and Whiteabbey. 2) Derry/Londonderry: Strand Road Foyer (homeless young people) and areas of high social deprivation in the Waterside (Caw, Irish St and Gobnascale). 3) East Inishowen: Moville and rural areas from Muff near the border to Shrove at Inishowen Road. It's a unique initiative to engage young people who are alienated in their community and on the fringes of society. Our use of creative ICT will assist in reaching and engaging those young people who are not engaged with local youth providers in an environment of acceptance, respect, diversity and non-judgement. We will raise the capacity of not only young people but the community as a whole to leave a legacy of future leaders that promote peace and reconciliation. We are targeting areas of high deprivation that are still navigating the legacy of the Northern Ireland conflict, some still under the control of paramilitaries. One challenge is to raise the capacity of the community to understand the youth work process and develop strong working relationships with young people, this will include conflict resolution and teambuilding activities. Many of the young people in these areas are facing multiple barriers to community inclusion (alcohol addiction, drug addiction, gambling addiction, ASB, threat of paramilitary violence) and struggle to engage positively with relevant authorities. We aim to develop the social capital of the young people as well as building relationships among community stakeholders, this will provide the communities with new and vibrant young leaders working towards a sustainable and lasting peace. Our approach is unique in that we will use creative ICT to engage young people who are difficult to reach and raise the communication capacity within the community. This approach will be in conjunction with standard and creative youth work methodologies, however due to the importance of ICT in the lives of young people and the ever growing use of social media, this approach will develop the skills of young people and allow them to use ICT as a tool for cross community and cross border contact and for building good relations and becoming active citizens. As we are targeting areas high in deprivation with many young people influenced by paramilitaries and religious identity, we will be undertaking single identity work that prepares the young people to engage in cross-community initiatives and cross-border events. This will provide young people with the capacity to understand, not only their own culture but that of others. Providing this cultural awareness and friendship opportunities will see young people become young leaders, who will have the opportunity to volunteer within the charitable sector and apply to become youth work apprentices. The progression from single identity work, to cross-community engagement and cross-border relationships will be clearly linked to the programme outcome areas of good relations, personal development and citizenship. As the areas targeted have low community capacity our programme needs to be underpinned by local community and conflict resolution capacity building as required, delivered by TIDES Training. Our programme will bring young people from opposing communities and backgrounds together as peace champions and will see the development of relationships that integrate ICT, sport, team building, social action and community engagement. The project will provide capacity building training and support to local community organisations to develop sustainable youth work activities. This work will target leaders of local community organisations for support and training. TIDES Trainers will provide 2 Level 2 training courses from a suite of courses on good relations, civic leadership and conflict resolution to 12 community organisations. The outcome will be an improvement in participants' capabilities to integrate and sustain good relations focused youth work led by local young people through local community organisations. We will consult with these local community organisations and other stakeholders to identify young people in need of support and a referral system will be implemented among community organisations and statutory services to recruit participants. Bytes will engage and recruit 960 marginalised young people (55% Protestant/35% Catholic/10% Other), and allowing for attrition, retaining 83%, 800 young people (600, aged 14-17 and 200 aged 18-24; 400 from Antrim/Newtownabbey Borough and 400 from Derry/Londonderry and East Inishowen), over 4 years, to participate voluntarily in one of 64 intensive 30-week experiential youth development programmes (consisting of a minimum of 6 sessions per week) focusing on personal development, good relations, peer leadership and citizenship. Sixteen participants will form a Youth Steering Group and all participants will have intensive mentoring to increase their confidence, knowledge and skills to develop and sustain youth led initiatives to lead youth work projects with a good relations focus.