Rio Ferdinand Foundation to deliver new project in Leitrim

The International Fund for Ireland (IFI) has announced €1,163,263/ £1,029,436 funding to provide support to a range of projects across Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. 

As part of this funding £98,221/€110,990 will come from the  Rio Ferdinand Foundation to operate on a cross-border and cross-community basis in the Fermanagh- Leitrim border region facilitating engagement with young people with limited opportunity for contact and developing sustainable relationships at a grassroots and statutory level. This will take place through a Youth Development programme, using the medium of sport, encompassing workshops, tournaments and cross-border statutory collaborative management and design. 

This package comes at a fragile time in peace building as political instability and the cost-of-living crisis threaten to cause polarization and further breakdown in community relations. 

IFI Chair Paddy Harte welcomed the latest funding package; “This support comes at a critical time and will benefit many communities under our current Programmes. Peace building work with those who are often hardest to reach has never been more important. Our projects are working tirelessly in a very difficult climate to engage with those who have not felt the benefits of the Peace Process. We are committed to delivering cross-community and cross-border outreach, encouraging challenging conversations to deal with the current issues as well as the legacy of The Troubles.  

“In the past 12 months, the IFI has engaged with over 19,000 people in capacity building, events, and training. Through tailored and unique support, 862 young people have achieved accreditations and 125 secured employment. These encouraging outcomes show that it is possible to achieve positive community transformation, but we must continue to build on this for future generations.” 

“However, the continuing suspension of the NI Executive and the on-going uncertainty around the NI Protocol are causing polarization and hardening views across some communities in Northern Ireland and the southern border counties. Unfortunately, this has led to increased mistrust, disillusionment, and the feeling of being left behind with little optimism for the future. 

“If we add the cost-of-living crisis into this mix, the stark reality is that many marginalised communities who feel they received little from the Good Friday Agreement remain the most vulnerable and need positive intervention. The current instability has created a large vacuum filled with opportunity for paramilitary groups to exploit and gain prominence. 

“We also recognise the importance of offering opportunities for young people who, without this support, would remain more susceptible to paramilitary recruitment or anti-social behaviour. We continue to successfully divert young people away from activity that could be detrimental to their future.” 

£118,364/€133,751 will go to Bundoran Community Development CLG for 21 months to deliver the W.A.Y. (Wild Atlantic Youth) Project to support 16 at risk young people in communities along the South Donegal Atlantic coast and in the South Donegal border area. Participants will have the opportunity to undertake accredited and non-accredited training and receive support to enhance their employability. 

£79,341/€89,655 has been allocated to Storytellers of Ireland (Armstrong Storytelling Trust) for the one year ‘Border Talk’ Project. This project will deliver cross-border, cross-community storytelling events and training programmes to promote the tradition of oral storytelling and develop a network of storytellers who can deliver cross-border events into the future, leading to increased cross-border activities and reconciliation among border communities.