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Youth mental health project OUR Generation launches

Posted By:
Action Mental Health (AMH Works)

19th Nov 2024

The OUR Generation Project, supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme held its official launch at Newforge Sports and Events Hub on Wednesday 13th November. The event, hosted by CoolFM’s Curtis McCosh, was attended by project staff and young people who heard from funders and stakeholders across the project.

The launch event featured a Q&A with young people and project beneficiaries from the community and voluntary sector who had taken part in the previous OUR Generation Project under PEACE IV, which ran until September 2023

The Project is supported by the PEACEPLUS Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

OUR Generation is a partnership led by Action Mental Health, and the aim of the project is to empower and invest in our young people. Bringing together the expertise of nine partner organisations, the project is committed to delivering impactful initiatives under the specific objective of ‘Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing.’

The cross-border partnership consists of: Action Mental Health, Donegal Youth Service, Co-operation Ireland, Youth Action NI, Youth Work Ireland, Playboard NI, Boys & Girls Clubs NI, Include Youth, and Ulster University.

The Project will develop and deliver programmes to increase mental health literacy, enhance emotional resilience, build the leadership skills of children and young people (aged 9-25) and will lead research in mental health and the impact of trauma on our communities.

The project will run in education, youth and community settings across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland to contribute to peace and reconciliation through a range of cross-community and cross-border youth mental health and wellbeing models, peace and youth leadership programmes which will instil confidence in young people to act as agents of change, building peace for future generations.

 

Education Minister Paul Givan said:

“The €25m investment through the PEACEPLUS programme will create significant opportunities and will provide important support for young people with mental health issues. This is an important topic which has seen a continued rise amongst young people, not least following the Covid-19 pandemic.”

“The OUR Generation Project will complement the work being taken forward by my Department through the “Emotional Health and Wellbeing in Education Framework”. This includes the wellbeing initiatives, already in place, which are supporting young people in schools and youth work settings.

“I wish Action Mental Health and its partner organisations every success, as they progress to project delivery and I look forward to being kept up to date on their progress and outcomes.”

Gina McIntyre, Chief Executive of the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) said: “Congratulations to Action Mental Health and all the project partners on the launch of OUR Generation, a PEACEPLUS project that will benefit the lives of thousands of young people throughout Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.

“This partnership provides an excellent opportunity to create sustainable models of peace building and reconciliation by bringing people together, breaking the cycle of intergenerational trauma and delivering real improvements to mental health and emotional wellbeing. OUR Generation will provide young people, youth workers, teachers, care providers and volunteers with the knowledge and the tools they need to bring about positive change.

“PEACEPLUS aims to address the impact of the past by providing the pathways and support network for young people to build positive relationships with those from other backgrounds, increase their resilience, and work together to build a more cohesive and inclusive society. The OUR Generation project promises to deliver on that vision and I look forward to following the partners’ collective journey and the impact of their work in the months and years ahead.”

Dr Claire Campbell, Lecturer in Social Psychology at Ulster University delivered a short presentation on ‘Social Group Membership’, and how the Project aims to address peacebuilding.

David Babington, Chief Executive of lead partner Action Mental Health delivered the closing remarks at the launch.

He said: “Action Mental Health was delighted to be awarded PEACEPLUS funding for the OUR Generation Project. The partnership is well established and has been delivering much needed support to communities previously, it has a strong foundation on which to build for the duration of the funding. This time the project will contribute to peace and reconciliation through a range of cross-community and cross-border youth mental health and wellbeing models, peace and youth leadership programmes, and programmes which instil confidence in young people to act as agents of change, building peace for future generations.

“We’re delighted to be working with our team of partners once again, however we’re also really pleased to welcome 2 new project partners in Boys & Girls Clubs NI and Include Youth who will enhance our ability to develop and deliver mental health and resilience programmes to children and young people.”

The closing remarks were followed by a musical performance from Cori Strain; a young person involved with partner Youth Action NI, who sang a version of ‘Unwritten’ by Natasha Bedingfield.