Celebrating Portadown and Lurgan young people's participation in Uniting Communities project

The programme is a headline action in the Executive’s Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) strategy, which uses sport and creativity to bring young people together and to build good relations within communities.

Scotch Street Youth and Community Centre, in partnership with Oasis Youth and Healthy Kidz were appointed by the Department for Communities (DfC) in February 2022. Since then, the team has worked with seven schools and five youth clubs to deliver sessions to around 400 young people from 20 nationalities.

Throughout the year, young people from across Portadown and Lurgan had an opportunity to be involved in three sets of 10-week programmes, various visits outside the local area including a residential. They were also involved in a social action project where they raised £1,700 for the Craigavon Foodbank as well as creating Christmas treat hampers.

The aim has been to increase positive attitudes towards those from all political, religious, ethnic and marginalised backgrounds and develop the next generation of community leaders.

The event at Craigavon Civic Centre was an opportunity for participants, parents, and partners to celebrate the young peoples’ successful involvement in the programme. Awards and certificates were presented throughout the evening highlighting their contributions and development throughout the programme.

DfC Deputy Secretary, Engaged Communities Group, Moira Doherty said “The key aim of this programme delivered by the Department for Communities is to bring together young people from across the community, provide opportunities to interact with each other, understand and learn about each other’s backgrounds and, most importantly, build lasting friendships that will continue long into the future.

"Scotch Street Youth and Community Centre and their partners, Oasis and Health Kidz, have fulfilled this brief with innovation and passion. There has been real focus and enthusiasm for building relationships between young people from the area, which was clear to see from all the smiling faces in the room tonight.”

Project Manager Richie Smith added: “Our team (SSYCC, Healthy Kidz and Oasis) have worked hard to ensure that all young people involved in Uniting Communities had a welcoming and respectful environment that allowed them to develop friendships with young people from diverse backgrounds and that the programme allowed them to develop new skills and confidence. We are hopeful that more programmes like these become available locally so that young people continue to improve their attitudes and develop a community where they can play an active role in building good relations.”