Strabane’s Access Youth Engagement Programme

A Youth Engagement project providing crisis/critical intervention to young people at risk. Helping to identify and overcome barriers to inclusion and training & employment in order to affect positive change in the lives of young people and the community. Since 2013, the Strabane AYE (Access Youth Engagement) Project has provided training and support services to assist young people, their families and the wider community to address issues that impact negatively on society.
Supported by the International Fund for Ireland, the project gives people a chance to learn new skills, access practical employment-related training courses and become positive influences within their community. In the last two years, Strabane AYE has assisted 27 participants to secure employment and has been praised for turning young lives around and reducing tensions.

A youth engagement project dealing with young people at risk from criminalisation or punishment attack. Tackling social and economic deprivation they provide training and employment opportunities across many fields and target the most marginalised and disaffected young people throughout the Strabane District. The project aims to engage with disaffected young people; developing their potential for participation, identifying their needs as well as developing their awareness as to the perceptions of the local communities and of the impact of their actions, the seriousness of the threats facing them, the potential impact on their lives of prison sentences, the dangers of Paramilitary groupings and finally giving them the opportunities to build a sense of belonging and of civic pride.

Supported by the International Fund for Ireland, the project gives people a chance to learn new skills, access practical employment-related training courses and become positive influences within their community. In the last two years, Strabane AYE has assisted 27 participants to secure employment and has been praised for turning young lives around and reducing tensions.
The Strabane AYE Project also works with a number of organisations to reduce the risk in the lives of young people and their families. It facilitates a range of support services designed to move vulnerable individuals away from anti-social behaviour, crime, drugs and alcohol abuse.

It can be transferred in other countries and areas. This project gives people a chance to learn new skills, access practical employment-related training courses and become positive influences within their community.

The International Fund for Ireland, Peace Impact Programme presented a final evaluation for the project. First an interim evaluation was carried out over a three-month period (July- September 2014) and then it carried out an extensive data collection process over a seven-month period (Oct 2014-April 2015) which included surveys, focus groups and interviews.

• International Fund for Ireland
• Ireland’s Peace Impact Programme
• Charities & Volunteer Organizations

The project was awarded almost £60,000 by the Red Cross at its beginning in 2013.Strabane AYE Project secured an additional £117,064 through the International Fund for Ireland’s Peace Impact Programme. In 2016, it was awarded £76,000 by the Children in Need charity organisation. The Strabane AYE Project secured £99,888 through the International Fund for Ireland’s Peace Impact Programme which supports community efforts to address sensitive, complex and challenging issues within areas where there have been low levels of engagement in peace building.

Peace Impact Programme: Final Evaluation. 2015. http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00KV2T.pdf.

https://www.internationalfundforireland.com/media-centre/123-press-releases-2015/685-strabane-youth-recognised-at-awards-event
http://www.communityni.org/organisation/strabane-aye#.We5nhmWSbOi

The Strabane Aye Project worked with 130 young people many of whom are at risk and a number were under threat from paramilitaries. The project provided a range of supports to help the young people with various aspects of their life: linking them with agencies and structures, including the housing executive, health centres and banks. They have also been able to reverse decisions of armed groups to execute young people or subject them to punishment style attacks and have mediated in community issues for young people. The project has also helped young people through raising their awareness of legal highs and helping them to handle situations and anger better as well as providing accredited training / qualifications / licenses to enhance employability which has helped some participants to secure full or part time employment. As a result of this support there has been increased ‘buy in’ to the programme as young people see the benefits that participating can bring to their lives as well as learning about their own history and cultures and that of others.

The projects tackled sectarianism, fears and mistrust within and between communities, which continues to limit progress towards a lasting peace and shared future.
Strabane Access Youth Engagement (AYE): provided training and support services to assist large numbers of disaffected young people, their families and the wider community address issues that negatively impact on society including threats from armed groups and anti-social behaviour.

The £76,000 funding by Children in Need organisation allowed the project to employ a youth support worker to support vulnerable and disadvantaged young people. The support worker provided one-to-one support for young people to help guide them to make positive life choices, to prevent them from becoming involved in risky behaviour or taking part in activities that may have a negative impact on their life.

From 2013-2015 Strabane AYE has assisted 27 participants to secure employment and has been praised for turning young lives around and reducing tensions. 40 young people gained officially recognised accredited training and qualifications and 12 gained part-time or full time employment. The Strabane Aye Project worked with 130 young people many of whom are at risk and a number were under threat from paramilitaries.

In 2015, the Strabane AYE Project secured £99,888 through the International Fund for Ireland’s Peace Impact Programme which supports community efforts to address sensitive, complex and challenging issues within areas where there have been low levels of engagement in peace building.
The Strabane AYE Project also works with a number of organisations to reduce the risk in the lives of young people and their families. It facilitates a range of support services designed to move vulnerable individuals away from anti-social behaviour, crime, drugs and alcohol abuse.

The project worked with Families identifying multiple barriers for inclusion; providing a neutral, safe environment in which young people and their family could examine their lifestyles and get the relevant support to allow them to fully integrate with the communities around them and mainstream society in general. This ranges from Mental Health Programmes, Financial Advice Programmes, Employment/ Training Programmes, Social Programmes.
Building strategic Community Development processes to youth engagement; strengthening the focused efforts and engagements with a range of key stakeholders around a set of core themes and principles with regards to youth engagement and allowing for a basis for collaboration between a range of agencies and local partners.