The £400,000 project will help deliver youth services within the Greater Falls Neighbourhood Renewal area.
Speaking about the commencement of works the minister said: “I am pleased to announce the start of work to this invaluable project for the local people in the Greater Falls area. This area has been the focus of news lately for very tragic reasons and anti social behaviour caused by a minority group of people.
However, the refurbishment of St Peter’s Youth Centre will form a focal point for the community and rebuild a sense of pride and continuity for the local youth and residents of the area.
St Peter’s Youth Centre will provide a range of positive and constructive activities for young people in Divis. It will encourage them to seek recreational and educational activities through the various programmes and facilities this club will offer and I am very pleased that my department, as the major project funder, is able to make this happen."
The refurbishment project will take about six months to complete, after which the centre will offer programmes such as health and wellbeing courses, personal development and suicide awareness. In addition, there will be facilities for a boxing club and a computer club. Brian Gibson, Chairman of St Peter’s Immaculata welcomed the start of the project.
“This area faces huge problems of deprivation and badly needs a quality resource for its youth work. I’m delighted that, under government’s Neighbourhood Renewal policy, a partnership has been formed to fund the refurbishment and deliver services to the young people of West Belfast."
Notes to Editors:
1. The total project cost for the refurbishment is about £403,000 with £262,000 grant aided by the Department for Social Development, £101,000 by the Department of Education and £40,000 by the Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor. On completion, the ongoing costs of the centre will be met by Belfast Education & Library Board.
2. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy “People and Place” was published in June 2003 to close the gap between the quality of life for people in the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of society.
3. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy has 4 interlinking strategic objectives:
- Community Renewal – to develop confident communities that are able and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas;
- Economic Renewal – to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and convert them to the wider urban economy;
- Social Renewal – to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments;
- Physical Renewal – to help create attractive, safe and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
4. Media queries to DSD Press Office on 028 9082 9078. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
