The Education Authority (EA) has reminded organisations of the funding available to support the delivery of youth services.
This money is available in addition to core funding for youth organisations through three schemes targeting specific areas of need among young people.
EA Director of Children and Young People’s Services, Dr Clare Mangan said: “Youth organisations need to be fully aware of the opportunities to access funding that are currently available.
“Today we have invited applications to the Inclusion Scheme which provides funding for organisations supporting those who may be at greater risk of social exclusion, marginalisation or isolation. Support is directed at young people with special educational needs or disabilities, newcomers or those who have English as an additional language, young people in care and young people from the LGBT and Traveller Communities.
“Funding is also available through the T:BUC Camps Scheme as part of the Executive Office’s Together: Building a United Community strategy. This scheme aims to improve attitudes amongst our young people and to build a community where they can play a full and active role in building good relations.
“T:BUC camps will help young people to build positive relations and long lasting friendships with others across all parts of our community. Applications are invited from a range of providers including community and youth organisations, schools, and councils.
In addition, we are currently accepting a second round of applications for the Extended Provision Scheme. This scheme enables increased access to youth clubs and services for young people in areas of disadvantage on or near interfaces through late night and weekend opening.
“It is targeted at identified providers in areas ranked in the top 25% of multiple deprivation.”
Dr Mangan emphasised the importance of submitting a good application and said: “Organisations applying for this funding must carefully consider the criteria for each scheme and clearly demonstrate how they can meet the stated objectives in their applications.
Support is available through EA’s local youth offices and we are also running a number of workshops where further assistance can be provided as organisations work through the application process.”
Information on how to access all of EA’s youth funding schemes is available on the EA website at: www.eani.org.uk/eayouthfundingscheme
As budgets for 2017-18 have not yet been agreed, the Department of Education has provided the EA with funding for a period of 4 months, to 31 July 2017, to ensure continuity of services in the interim.
Any funding decisions beyond this period will be subject to the decisions of an incoming Northern Ireland administration.
