#NORTHEASTINNERCITY PROGRAMME OFFICE REPORT – October 2021

2021 Funding:

A further round of funding proposals totaling €211,230 was approved by the NEIC Programme Implementation Board at its meeting held on 29th September 2021. This latest round of approvals brings the total amount to €6.4M of the overall €6.5M allocated by the Government to the North East Inner City Initiative for 2021. All 2021 projects approved to date are listed under the relevant Sub-Group heading on the attached table Appendix 1. The table will be updated on an ongoing basis as further funding proposals are approved. The projects approved at the September Board Meeting are as follows:

Sub-Group 2 – Maximising Educational, Training & Employment Opportunities

Doodle Den – €51,000
Doodle Den is an after school children’s literacy progamme, which is delivered to children in a fun interactive manner, children are referred to the programme by their teachers and a strong emphases is placed on parental engagement. The Doodle Den Programme is run in 3 schools in the NEIC area – St Vincent’s Boys National School, St Vincent’s Girls National School and Scoil Chaoimhin. The programme is delivered to groups of up to 15 children during 3 sessions per week.

There are 6 parent sessions per year and 3 family sessions, which allow the parents and family to support and promote literary development in the home.

Early Leaning Initiative – Educational Guidance for Second Level Schools – €50,000
National College of Ireland – ELI’s Educational Guidance programme is a project-based learning programme targeted towards 5th and 6th class students in primary school. The programmes aim is to raise awareness among students and their parents of the necessity of having a third level education. Educational Guidance was delivered in three secondary schools (Mount Carmel Secondary School, Marino College Fairview and Larkin Community College) and one youth service
(Belvedere Youth Club). The second-level programme builds on an existing programme that has been delivered successfully in primary schools for several years, with second-level students working in a more self-directed way to explore career pathways that they are interested in.

The programme consists of 6 in-class lessons delivered by the teacher, students complete a research project on a particular career, which are judged by corporate volunteers & provide feedback on students’ projects. Students also have the opportunity to attend A Day in the Life Careers Event as part secondary schools, teachers or Guidance Counsellors act as the lead on the delivery of the programme in their schools while ELI hold responsibility for programme coordination including: design and distribution of programme manuals, teacher training and resources, establishing links with local businesses, coordinating events, recruitment and training of corporate judges, and evaluation.

Sub-Group 3 – Family Wellbeing

Brighter Futures Restorative Practice- €43,000
Early Learning Initiative – National College of Ireland is proposing funding for Community Action Research – Cycle 4: which aims to develop a long-term restorative practice strategy that will sustain the progress to date and embed restorative practices within organisations, homes & communities across the NEIC. A key goal is to ensure that each organisation has an in-house restorative practice champion, who can encourage the organisation to train, mentor and support
their colleagues to implement restorative practice in their work with children, young people and their families

Youth Services Network Mental Health Awareness Workshop – €7,230 (Emerging Needs)
Youth Services Network which comprises of Belvedere Youth Service, SWAN youth service, LYCS, Ballybough youth service, Adventure Sports Project, Crinan youth services, Brad Og youth service have identified the need for a mental health awareness workshop to be held for young people residing in the NEIC catchment area. Workshops will be delivered over 6 weeks in conjunction with the NEIC youth services by a Psychotherapist who has experience delivering mental health workshops to young people.

Sub-Group 5 – Substance Use, Misuse & Inclusion Health

Initiative to reduce & prevent drug-related deaths –€30,000
93 drug-related deaths were recorded in the NEIC between 2012-2017. Funding of €30,000 is sought to develop and implement a drug death related prevention initiative for a period of 1 year. An NGO with relevant expertise will be commissioned to deliver the initiative. The initiative will prepare and implement a plan to reduce drug-related deaths in consultation with service providers, people who use drugs and families.

Sub Group 6 – Alignment of Services

Belvedere Youth Club Funding- €30,000
Belvedere Youth club (BYC) are seeking funding of salaries for two youth workers to continue providing a service for the remainder of 2021. BYC is a vital service and the funding will allow workers deliver a service and meet the needs of some of the most vulnerable young people within the community. The funding for the Youth Workers post was previously from corporate fundraising which has diminished significantly BYC they are hopeful it will return post pandemic.

Roma Mediation Programme

Joy Eniola NEIC Intercultural Development Coordinator launched a Roma mediation
programme. It was introduced as a response to the need for culture language support for the Roma community. The training programme has been developed in consultation with Roma women, groups with expertise in the field and a qualified trainer.

The programme commenced in September and will run for the 15 weeks twice weekly with 10 participants from the Roma Community. The ambition for the programme is that the participants will have the capacity to assist Roma people living in the NEIC to assimilate into the Irish Community. Workshops and formal
group sessions will aid in this training.

NEIC Programme Office said Bon Voyage to Michael Darragh McCauley one of the key drivers of the NEIC Sport, Recreation & Wellbeing Programme. Michael Darragh leaves to go travelling and all in the NEIC programme office and the community wish him well in his travels.