Main pic: The first gathering in Bushmills of the newly established Connecting Youth Forum.
An innovative cross border initiative which aims to put young people at the heart of community development and regeneration is holding its second meet-up this weekend in Rathmullan.
Under the umbrella of Rathmullan The Way Forward and Enterprise Causeway, the Connecting Communities Project is encouraging youth from both Bushmills and Rathmullan to become active participants and decision makers in the transformation of their communities.
To best target the input of young people, a cross border youth network has been established and a very productive first meet-up took place in May where five young people from Rathmullan, aged 14-17 years, spent the day in the North Coast to meet young people from Causeway Coast and Glens. It was a packed activity day with ice-breaker games, a Bistro lunch in Bushmills, and pendant making with David Keys from Sustainable Woodworking.
The return visit is this Saturday, 28 th June, when Rathmullan will play host to their cross-border counterparts. This will be a day for further networking and also of planned activities with a visit to the Makers’ Market in the Pier Sheds where they will screen-print T-shirts with The Print Barn Folk, followed by lunch in The Pavillion at Rathmullan House, and then a chance to engage in some water sports with Hugh from Eco-Atlantic.
From these initial organised visits, the plan is that over the coming months the young individuals from Rathmullan and Causeway, Coast & Glen, will be involved in their own mini community projects, shaping the places they live within. Their input will be sought on how best to advance community regeneration in each of their areas from the perspective of young people who will reap the benefits of this targeted approach.
Their involvement will not only be beneficial to their communities, but will also personally help develop confidence and community leadership skills. A youth forum will be established in each community to allow for the exploration of ideas and insights and to encourage involvement in local groups and committees while maintaining the cross-border connections.
Tags:
