NICE Programmes & Vision
Post Primary Schools
Citizenship Growing Up In A Divided Society level 1
Overall Aim
To develop citizenship and community relations programmes with
Post Primary schools through the Citizenship Growing up in a
Divided Society programme
Objectives
To develop, in conjunction with schools, community relations practice as a valid and important issue within the school setting
To develop a programme to support young people to explore
prejudices and attitudes; and to develop an appreciation for
difference and reflect on living in N. Ireland
To develop a programme which improves young peoples abilities to learn skills in listening, hearing, self awareness and confidence
building
To explore the young peoples understanding of prejudice,
discrimination, sectariaknism, racism etc
To increase the young peoples understanding of the other
community and increase their awareness of different cultures
To develop understanding of prejudice, stereotyping and sectarianism and how they impact on their lives
To increase their knowledge of conflict and political processes and how these impinge on their lives
To spend time looking at different attitudes to issues and how this
influences behaviour
Outcomes
It is hoped that when the young people have completed the course they will have:
Developed a greater understanding of their own prejudices and how these influence others
Developed a knowledge of some of the issues involved in developing good community relations
Developed confidence in putting their point of view across and of being listened to
Explored a range of issues and feelings in relation to the problems in Northern Ireland
Developed a positive appreciation of difference
Developed a greater understanding of the interdependence of people and communities
Outputs
To register with the programme:
Stage 1 Citizenship Growing up in a divided society
250 young people in year 1
300 in year 2
350 in year 3
3
Post primary Schools
Citizenship Growing Up In A Divided Society level 2
Aim
To recruit and train youth volunteers to work for us and
with other organisations
To provide an intensive community relations and volunteer training
programme
Objectives
To build healthy relationships with the post primary schools involved in the Citizenship Growing Up In A Divided Society Programme, through liaison with teachers, School Community Relations Programme co-ordinators,
To select students from post primary schools we are working with schools to include, community relations, child protection, facilitation skills, leadership development and health & safety.
To guide and provide opportunities for these individuals to develop a structured and co-ordinated youth volunteer team and group of peer learners and friends.
To support and develop on going personal development work of these teenagers.
Outputs
To train volunteers in stage 2 of the Citizenship living in a divided society programme
30 youth volunteers in year 1
45 in year 2
60 in year 3
To provide ongoing support and assistance and opportunities both inside and outside the organisation for young people to use their volunteering skills
4
Ballycastle Residential Centre Programmes
Aims:
To provide pupils, specifically from schools community relations programmes from Seymour Hill and Holy Child, with residential experiences that are safe and positive for their personal development. These programmes are aimed at those pupils aged 9-12.
Objectives
Maintain and develop the ethos of the weekends, which is to provide young people with opportunities to develop relationships with people outside their own communities and backgrounds.
We will provide structured community relations programmes that will help stimulate trust building, a sense of inter-dependence and a space where young people can begin to learn about each other in an environment that is free of confrontation or threat.
Continue to recruit, train and support volunteers to support our residential work.
To strengthen volunteers skills in conflict management and community relations knowledge in order that they can better handle issues that may arise during residential work.
To recruit from existing pool of young people we have contact with and aim to register 30-50 new young people per year.
Outcomes
Young people will have been provided with strong opportunities to develop relationships and friendships, both with people within and outside their own school.
They will have the opportunity to develop a better understanding of those outside their own traditions and community, in turn giving them the chance to make decisions about other based on their own experiences, rather than being solely influenced by others and their opinions.
They will be able to form their own attitudes and beliefs, based own their own experiences while working in an environment that encourages trust and understanding.
They will be able to develop skills and values of team work and co-operation through taking part in activities that encourage working in groups towards common goals.
Young people will be more open to accepting difference and seeing diversity as a positive aspect of their society.
Young people will be able to experience activities that may not have been previously open to them, such as music, drama, outdoor pursuits and creative arts during residential weekends.
Outputs
To provide up to 10 residential weekends each year and 4 summer programmes.
5
Primary Schools Community Relations Programme
Aims
To continue providing a comprehensive, structured and varied Community Relations programme for Seymour Hill and Holy Child Primary that will be a positive experience for participants.
To provide a programme that has community relations as its heart.
To continue to work creatively with both schools that will be staffed by NICE with an increasing role for teachers on the day.
To strengthen relations between teachers and workers by meeting regularly to plan and review the community relations programme.
Outcomes
NICE will uphold and develop the status and relationships that we regard as exceptional with both main schools and work towards improving a programme that has been cited as an example of good practice in the field.
Teachers will remain fully informed of the programme structure, purpose and content throughout the three year cycle of the programme.
Young people will leave the programme with a heightened sense of awareness, sensitivity, understanding and acceptance of those from other traditional communities, as well as ethnic minorities.
Outputs
At least 130 young people will have participated in the programme each year.
At least one third of those young people will be able to participate in other programmes that we are able to offer them, both in Ballycastle and through programmes in Australia House.
Meet with teachers to plan and review programmes twice yearly.
Continue to be the main provider and to offer support and staff cover in other community relations focused work where we are not the main providers.
To offer mid-week programmes for those involved in community relations programmes to help develop relationships built within this programme and the Ballycastle residential programme.
6
International Work
Aim
To give our volunteers the opportunity to learn in an environment outside of Northern Ireland and to provide that same learning space for international students who come here.
Objectives
By working with our Transition Volunteers every year to further provide training in personal development and community relations.
By liasing with other youth work agencies who provide international experiences and providing opportunities for our young people to participate e.g. Spirit of Enniskillen award, Presidential Classroom, Anthony Robbins foundation etc.
By researching international youth work agencies to see how we can develop a learning partnership e.g. Proni in Bosnia and Kossovo/va, Washington etc.
By encouraging volunteers to think about using their skills to volunteer internationally with other charities, e.g. Interaid Romania, Bosnia etc.
By providing opportunities for volunteers to fundraise for their charity of interest. Providing personnel, administration and organisational support.
By encouraging agencies visiting here to learn about the conflict in an unbiased, person centred, forward thinking way.
Outputs
To have one international programme every two years
To organise three fundraising events each year
To run up to four workshops on themes relevant to the work of NICE and suggested by volunteers.
7
Youth Development Programmes
Aim
To provide a range of training opportunities for young people aged 16-25 on our current programmes, be they in school groups or volunteer groups.
Objectives
Political Education To continue the ethos of Community Relations by encouraging young people to look at local politics in a more favourable light.
School Twinning To encourage and support twin school approaches to Community Relations work by providing facilitated opportunities for post primary schools to work together.
Religion To continue the ethos of Community Relations by providing opportunities for young people to engage in workshops looking at religion and its significance in modern society.
Cultural Awareness - To continue the ethos of Community Relations by providing opportunities for young people to engage in a variety of experiential learning opportunities around the various cultural
traditions in Northern Ireland.
Outcomes
The participants will have developed a better understanding of those outside their own community.
Participants will have been encouraged to think creatively and make decisions about those who are different to themselves based on their own experiences, as opposed to being influenced by others and their opinions.
Participants will be able to form their own attitudes and beliefs, based on their own experiences and learning.
Participants will be more open to accepting difference and seeing diversity as a positive aspect of their society.
Outputs
To co-ordinate and facilitate one political education event per year for 12 participants.
To provide opportunity for two schools to build relationships and develop further links through our Community Relations work, per year.
To co-ordinate and facilitate one Religion themed event per year for 10 participants.
To co-ordinate and facilitate one Cultural Awareness event per year for 10 participants.
8
Youth Programmes: 11-14yrs & 15-17yrs
Aim
To provide a range of annual activities and events throughout the year, to motivate and keep young people involved with us. These can be fun or educational, and age appropriate for the two different age categories.
Objectives
To develop residential programmes appropriate to each age range for Ballycastle.
To provide one sporting activity per year for each age category.
To provide a Halloween activity for the younger age range.
To raise the profile and monies for Children In Need by organising one event per year where young people must raise money for others less well off than themselves.
To develop awareness and build relationships with our Australian friends around an event on Australia Day, January 26th.
To conduct one Community Relations activity during Community Relations week and get publicity for it.
Outcomes
Participants will build and maintain relationships from the schools community relations programme.
Participants will develop new learning through workshops and dialogue.
Participants will grow through fun, activity led encounters with members from other communities.
Participants will have opportunities to learn about and contribute to those less well off than themselves.
Participants will be more aware of issues like prejudice, stereotyping, sectarianism and how these effect their lives.
Outputs
To provide two residentials in Ballycastle per year for 12 young people in each age category.
To work with a minimum of 15 young people in each age band on one sporting activity per year.
To provide a Halloween experience for at least 15 young people in October.
To run one fundraising event for Children In Need with the older age group.
To organise one activity to celebrate our Australian connections on Australia Day with a minimum of 12 young people.
To organise a Community Relations event during Community Relations Week with one of the groups.
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