Ruane launches multi-million pound initiative for young people in West Belfast

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane, has launched an innovative new range of integrated education and wellbeing services for young people in West Belfast.

The Integrated Services for Children and Young People (ISCYP) initiative will complement mainstream educational provision in one of the North’s most disadvantaged areas, delivering greater equality.

The estimated overall cost of the programme is £5million with £2.8million having been provided to date.

Focusing on the educational journeys of young people from birth through to adulthood and into the world of work, the ISCYP initiative will deliver activities across four strands – Family Support, Mental Health, Early Years and Learner Support.

Addressing a range of local stakeholders at the launch event, Caitríona Ruane said: "The Integrated Services for Children and Young People programme will assist some of the North’s most marginalised young people to engage with the educational opportunities that exist for them so that they can be better equipped to achieve their aspirations in life. In the long term this will contribute to greater employability, better quality of life and crucially, improved mental wellbeing and self-esteem for the area’s young people.

"These aims will be achieved through a wide range of activities which will include one-to-one educational support for young people, suicide and self-harm awareness raising, social and emotional development courses and counselling on a range of issues."

The Minister continued: "While unemployment levels have reduced in recent years, West Belfast has still almost twice the average from across the North. This initiative will help to break the cycle of unemployment by targeting tailored services that will deliver real benefits to children and young people.

"Levels of social deprivation, obviously fuelled by unemployment, are higher than almost any other area. Low levels of educational achievement have also played a part in this story, with seven out of every ten adults having no or low levels of qualification. These are the consequences of the old system of inequality here and this programme will help redress the balance.

"There is a deep pool of talent within the young people from these areas but too often they do not have access to the opportunities needed to fully unlock their potential. The ISCYP initiative is in the spirit of equality that is now at the core of our education system and will be an accessible single point of contact for educational and health-related projects that will help create improved life chances for young people."

Ms Ruane concluded: "The programme has been established following the recommendations made by the West Belfast and Greater Shankill Taskforce report which highlighted education as a key priority to support regeneration. The West Belfast Partnership Board will deliver the programme in the Upper Springfield, Greater Falls and Outer Falls areas of West Belfast. It has also already created 40 new jobs, in turn providing excellent employment opportunities for the local population."

Notes to editors:

1. The Integrated Services for Children and Young People programme is led by the BELB on behalf of the Health Action Zone. It will be delivered by the West Belfast Partnership Board.

2. Media queries to the Department of Education Press Office on 028 9127 9207. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.