Young people from the Felden and Longlands areas of Newtownabbey will return to school with a real sense of accomplishment after participating in an action-packed summer scheme with canoeing, archery and more.
The cross-community six-week summer scheme was supported by Clanmil Housing and delivered by coaches from Community Sports Network and Belfast Activity Centre.
Billy Boyd from Community Sports Network said: ‘’This type of outdoor programme is a great way to get young people out of their homes and engaging in the great outdoors. As well as having lots of fun the young people also were encouraged to take part in healthy pursuits. It was great to work with Clanmil Housing who supported us in delivering this programme.”
Gerard Rosato, Community Cohesion Officer at Clanmil, added: “This summer scheme has been a very positive experience for the young people. They ranged in age from nine to 15 and it was great to see them getting to know each other whilst learning new skills such as rowing and archery and experiencing the benefits of effective team working.”
Clanmil aim to develop strong, vibrant communities where people of all ages and from all backgrounds get together and learn from each other. The programme was one of many initiatives delivered bringing real benefits to those living in Felden and surrounding areas
The summer scheme was a ‘bridging’ programme that was developed from the Felden Good Relations Plan. Bridging events and programmes are delivered to the wider community to encourage a range of good relations outcomes which relate to health and wellbeing, education and training.
Felden in Newtownabbey is one of Clanmil’s shared housing developments and was established in 2016 as part of the NI Executive Together: Building A United Community Strategy. In total, Clanmil currently has six shared housing developments across Northern Ireland and is promoting a further three.
The summer scheme was supported through the NI Executive Together: Building A United Community Strategy, which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society. The Felden shared housing development is also supported by the Department for Communities and the NI Housing Executive. £6.03m funding was invested in the scheme’s development and the roll out of the associated five-year Good Relations Plan.
Clanmil continues to work in partnership with the Felden local Advisory Group stakeholders and residents to develop the Good Relations Plan, which seeks to build good relationships and a sustainable community.