Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry and Junior Ministers Jennifer McCann and Michelle McIlveen today announced £2.2million for United Youth projects across Northern Ireland.

Twelve lead organisations from the community and voluntary sector and a further seventeen partner organisations will support 365 young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in a transformational good relations programme. The programme will provide young people, from a variety of backgrounds, with intensive youth work led mentorship, whilst building reconciliation and citizenship. It will also support them to develop employability skills for work such as teamwork, tolerance and leadership.

Commenting on the programme, Minister Farry said: “United Youth is a unique transformational programme which aims to support young people to become ambassadors for positive change in our community. The programme has been developed through a “co-design” approach which has involved intensive conversations with young people and organisations interested in the United Youth concept. The programme is very much youth led, with young people having a strong and clear voice at the very centre of the programme. The organisations tasked with delivering the pilot activity will employ a range of innovative approaches with the core of the work embedded with the principles of equality and reconciliation.

“The process has received the support of 150 organisations which initially came forward with ideas. I would like to thank all the organisations which took part in this collaborative approach. The learning developed during this phase will be shared and bodes well for the full roll out of the programme in 2016.”

Junior Minister Jennifer McCann said: “This £2.2million investment will provide opportunities for 365 of our young people to shape their own future with ambition and aspiration.

“The practical programmes on offer will not only create the time and space for personal development but empower and motivate our young people. This exciting new phase for United Youth puts in place mechanisms and practical steps to tackle division, hate and separation.

“We must all work tirelessly to ensure tolerance, parity of esteem and mutual respect become the bedrock of a new, shared future.”

Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry and Junior Ministers Jennifer McCann and Michelle McIlveen, also pictured (ltr) representing two of the programme delivery organisations - Angila Chada, Springboard Opportunities Ltd and Dearbhla Holohan, Include Youth.