Beyond the Ball returns to West of Ireland
The IFI and Rio Ferdinand Foundation Partnership continues to promote Youth Leadership across the island of Ireland. Returning to West Ireland following the match day experience at Sligo in March 2024.
As the Beyond the Ball programme embarks upon year two, twenty young leaders from across eight counties in Ireland and Northern Ireland, a newly formed Youth Advisory Board, came together on Tuesday, 29th October at the Mary Robinson Centre in Ballina. They engaged in discussions on crucial topics such as leadership, employment opportunities, and community safety, which are at the heart of the programme's mission.
This week's event at the Mary Robinson Centre in Ballina saw the Youth Advisory Group undertake training and accreditation programmes hosted at Ballina Town FC and along the river Moy. The sessions empowered the young people with the skills and confidence to deliver their own projects in their home counties.
Tuesday's event was also an opportunity for the young leaders to join with representatives from the International Fund to discuss the future of the programme and participate in workshops with the An Garda Síochána to help shape the forthcoming youth engagement plan for policing across the Republic of Ireland.
The Beyond the Ball programme launched in 2023 is part of a major partnership approach to peacebuilding and cross-community reconciliation funded through the IFI's Communities in Partnership Programme (CiPP). Since its launch, over 300 young people have participated in the programme, with over half completing accredited training courses and qualifications.
“Since its launch “Beyond the Ball” has engaged with more than 1,000 young people across a range of initiatives and events, empowering young people to be agents for change within their own communities.
“The project, supported under the IFI’s Communities in Partnership Programme (CiPP) has also provided an important platform for deep and meaningful engagement between statutory agencies, youth organisations and communities with the objective of fostering collaboration to bring about positive change in communities.”
The Youth Advisory group plays a pivotal role in taking the programme to the next level. As a driving force in the development of Beyond the Ball, these young people will work alongside stakeholders to inform strategies related to young people and their communities, making them an integral part of the programme's evolution.
“It’s great to see the young leaders from the Beyond the Ball project coming together to continue their training. These young people represent different counties and communities, some facing significant economic and social challenges. Hearing their voices on the issues that impact them and seeing them influence policy is incredible.
”Big thanks to all the partners in Ballina who hosted the event, including the team at the Mary Robinson Centre and Ballina Town FC, to the International Fund for Ireland Chair Paddy Harte who travelled to share his thoughts with the group and to all the stakeholders involved.”
