Ninety young people along with their mentors, parents and guests from the Northern Ireland Executive gathered at the South West College (SWC) CREST Centre in Enniskillen on Thursday 23rd May for the Youthscape Celebration of Success event. The event highlighted the progress and aspirations of the participants who completed the 28 week programme.
Congratulating the Youthscape participants, Ciaran McManus (Head of Training, SWC) said:
“It’s fitting to have this event here at CREST Centre, a hub that focuses on developing ideas for a sustainable future. Youthscape has helped our young people - the future – to collaborate and work together to build sustainable community partnerships as they move forward in their lives. We wish each participant the very best as they progress to education, a training programme or into employment.”
Youthscape, which launched in January 2018 aims to enhance the capacity of children and young people aged from 16 - 24 years to form positive and effective relationships with others from different cultural backgrounds enabling them collectively to make a positive contribution to building a more inclusive society.
Youthscape is a cross-border, cross-community interventionist programme funded by Special EU Programmes Branch under PEACE IV with SWC, as Lead Partner, Donegal Youth Service and TIDES Training. It operates in Counties Tyrone, Fermanagh and Donegal covering the five areas of Omagh, Enniskillen, Dungannon, Ballybofey and Letterkenny, delivering a proactive, youth-focused programme to 800 of the region’s most marginalised young people.
Throughout the celebratory event, representatives from each of these five areas delivered a range of presentations covering all elements of the programme including Personal Development, Citizenship, Good Relations, Mentoring and the Youthscape Youth Forum, before each student received a certificate for successfully completing the programme.
Youthscape Programme Co-ordinator, Jacqueline McDowell acknowledged the achievements of each participant, adding;
“We are so proud of our participants and all they have achieved. Over half of the cohort will progress or return to further education programmes in September, while 26% will progress to another training programme and 6% have secured employment. As a result of Youthscape, our participants are now focused and committed to a bright future.”
The Youthscape programme is currently recruiting across counties Fermanagh, Tyrone and Donegal. For further information or advice please contact jacqueline.mcdowell@swc.ac.uk.