Partner profiles in YouthPact

Co-operation Ireland has a history of being at the forefront of cross border partnership building and the development of initiatives which guide change in the peace building sector. We have also delivered innovative youth programmes which have informed the development of the wider “United Youth” programme and believe our focus on peace-building will bring added value to the overall impact of this programme.

Co-operation Ireland defines its mission as working in partnership to:

• Facilitate understanding, positive relationships and co-operation across these islands.
• Create a supportive environment by building capacity, influencing policy, and developing collaboration at a strategic level
• Share learning and experience of peace building and practical co-operation internationally

The actions contained within this proposal clearly enable the organisation to progress towards the achievement of these goals.

Co-operation Ireland was the lead partner in a number of Peace III funded projects, including the Irish Peace Centres programme (value €3 million) which enabled 4 peace centres to jointly deliver innovative peace building programmes and the FACE programme (value 1 million) which built relationships between service families and local communities in NI. CI was also an IFB for cross border measures of the Peace 1 and Peace II and Interreg IIIA programmes.

Ulster University has been involved in EU funded projects for many years as partner and coordinator from the earliest Framework programmes, EU Programmes for Peace and Reconciliation, and others such as ERASMUS.  It is currently involved in 35 EU projects covering a range of research and learning areas funded by programmes such as Horizon 2020, Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme, Erasmus+, Framework 7 Programme.

The University has a wealth of experience in successfully delivering collaborative research, innovation and impact projects.

The Community youth work team has a 40+ year history of training professional youth workers.  This team understands the nature of youth work approaches and make links between theory, literature and practice; coupled with knowledge of outcomes-based and measurement practices.  The CYW team delivered community relations projects, published on community relations work with young people and completed an evaluation of two Springboard projects under ‘Together, building a United Community’ initiative.  The Community Youth Work team has a long-standing commitment & passion for young people to play an active role in peace-building. This requires challenges to implicit sectarian values and attitudes and creativity to build inclusive communities & anti-oppressive attitudes.  We further believe that youth work approaches can reach those most marginalised and dis-engaged, and deliver moments of significant transformation. We are motivated to gather evidence to illustrate the efficacy of youth work in this process.

The National Youth Council of Ireland has been the representative body for voluntary youth organisations for almost 50 years. We have developed an extensive range of training, resources and supports for youth organisations enabling them to implement best practice in working with young people. We focus on youth health promotion including mental health and well-being, youth arts, development education, equality and inter-culturalism and child protection including vetting. We also deliver a comprehensive youth engagement process.

NYCI’s vision is of an Ireland where all young people are empowered to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to realise their potential and to actively participate in an inclusive society that values and respects them.

This project enables the National Youth Council of Ireland to use our competences, skills and experience to make progress towards the achievement of that vision with young people who are most marginalised.

Most recently NYCI was the lead partner in an Erasmus + KA2 Project with 4 international partners, Screenagers International with funding of €102,165.09. NYCI is also in receipt of approx. €250k annually for a variety of projects funded by the EU.

Pobal is a not for profit company which supports social and economic development in Ireland. It works across sectors including early childhood care, education, social inclusion, employment, cross border programmes and peace-building. Its competencies include financial compliance and non-financial monitoring, providing supports, trouble shooting and sign-posting, impact measurement and quality assurance. Pobal brings a wealth of programme knowledge and experience built up over the last 25 years.

Pobal focusses on supporting communities to achieve social inclusion, reconciliation and equality through integrated social/ economic development.  It believes that the extensive experience and relationships built with relevant stakeholders through the delivery of programmes targeting young people, particularly those most disadvantaged, for a range of Govt. departments particularly the Dept of Children and Youth Affairs, Social protection and Justice is particularly relevant to the Q&I Body.

Pobal has a track record of programme delivery on behalf of the EU, managing ESF and ERDF programmes. It was a primary implementing agent in successive PEACE Programmes, and served as a hub for all-island programmes relating to local and community development on both sides of the border.  It has formed strategic cross border partnerships with organisations such as Community Foundation NI and Cooperation Ireland. It supports the delivery of the YEI co-financed SICAP prog. on behalf of Government.

YouthPact is a four-piece partnership of Co-operation Ireland as Lead Partner; Pobal; National Youth Council of Ireland; and Ulster University.

Collectively, the Partnership is best placed to fulfil the role of Quality and Impact Body, given that it

• educates and develops the majority of Youth Workers deployed across the Region (UU);
• is the representative body for youth organisations providing a wide range of training and support and facilitating a voice for and supporting young people to represent their views at a national level (NYCI);
• has decades of institutional experience of cross community / cross borders youth focused good relations programmes (CI);
• and has championed social inclusion, anti-poverty measures and peace-building work in border counties (POBAL)

YouthPact will support the delivery agents of the Peace IV Children and Young People’s programme (Action 2.1), to enhance the quality of delivery towards stronger impact for children and young people.