“As Northern Ireland marks 25 years of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement, a program like this is testament to the determination and innovative spirit of the people of Northern Ireland.”
– Steve Baker MP, Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office
Our Work
Community Development
Youth Link
Youth Link aims to utilize the collaboration of churches to foster exceptional youth work and ministry aimed at creating a just, peaceful, and thriving society based on the common good.
There are various educational aspects of their work; Youth Link aims to build an inclusive, peaceful society by educating, training, and empowering young people and youth workers to form positive, healthy, sustainable relationships within and across communities.
Youth Link also participated in the national education program ‘Remembering the Past; Shaping the Future: Curriculum resource development, dissemination, and integration’. This program was aimed at informing the young people of Northern Ireland about sectarianism, peace building, and community inclusivity.
The Partnership is pleased to collaborate with Youth Link Northern Ireland to provide financial support for third-level degrees centered around community involvement and youth work.
“I have developed academic skill…I learned how to deal with social and moral issues that might arise in my youth work practice, and as a result feel better equipped to deal with them.”
– Fionntan Tennyson, Youth Link participant
Centre for Democracy and Peacebuilding
Karise Hutchinson, Ulster University
The 2023 Fellowship Program featured 24 mid-career leaders from a range of career backgrounds, such as politics, economics, and civic society, and aims to develop Fellows’ relevant abilities and knowledge, concentrating on handling the intricacies faced in leadership roles in Northern Ireland and beyond.
The program is proudly supported by the Irish American Partnership, Northern Irish business leaders, and the Department for Foreign Affairs.
This Program is run by the Centre for Peace Building and Democracy in partnership with various distinguished individuals and organizations, and educational institutions including Oxford University and the Royal Irish Academy.
Throughout the six-month Program, the Fellows participated in workshops, seminars, and training in Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, Dublin, and Oxford. These sessions covered topics such as media training in a newsroom setting, climate change, energy, sustainability, conflict resolution, and negotiation tactics.
“In the absence of a functioning government here, a programme like the Fellowship is vital for a time like this as it encourages leaders to have difficult conversations and overcome obstacles together.”
– John Healy, Chair of the Fellowship Advisory Board