Positive Futures Partnership Extended for 2022
Rio Ferdinand Foundation is delighted to announce the Youth In Action: Positive Futures Programme will continue into 2022, as its partnership with UEFA Foundation goes from strength to strength.
The 2022 Positive Futures Programme will build upon the success of the 2021 programme, which was established to tackle racism and division in Ireland by promoting community cohesion and the integration of ethnic minority and migrant communities through sports and education.
Sports and educational activities were delivered across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland throughout 2021 and engaged a staggering 348 young people in positive activities. A further 146 leadership and vocational qualifications were achieved, 45 young people were trained in wellbeing, culture, identity and resilience, and 40 young people were supported by this partnership, to plan, deliver and evaluate large scale social action projects in Portadown, Enniskillen and a further two events in Belfast.
Watch one of our Youth in Action programme films here
Gary Stannett, CEO said:
“The work of the Foundation across the island of Ireland has flourished in 2021 despite the Covid-19 restrictions, with a fantastic network of young people and community organisations working with us to create a vibrant programme of youth leadership and positive activities to tackle inequality and racism. Our partnership with the UEFA Foundation has been at the heart of our work here in the last 12 months, and this extension of that partnership not only underlines the commitment of the UEFA Foundation to delivering positive social change but also is a fantastic endorsement of our work together to date. I look forward to working with the UEFA Foundation and partners across the island of Ireland to deliver Positive Futures for young people.”
Our team worked with a network of local community and minority-led organisations in delivering our programme. As a result young people from Antrim, Tyrone, Armagh, Fermanagh, Sligo and Mayo accessed a training and development programme to enhance youth skills and opportunities, as well as a series of youth-led community events that promoted racial equality and inclusive communities.
The extension of this programme into 2022 will enable this work to continue in these counties and extend to several other counties across the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, reaching more young people and more communities.
The 2022 Positive Futures Programme will once more respond to the challenges posed by Covid-19 on youth opportunities and will continue to give young people the skills and networks to deliver positive social change and tackle inequality in their communities.
Rio Ferdinand said:
“I am really pleased to announce the extension of our partnership with the UEFA Foundation in 2022. I saw first-hand the impact of this work in Belfast during my visit in the summer, and in presenting the Hope Cup event for BT Sport and met some of the inspiring young people involved in learning new skills and delivering projects within their own communities. This partnership will help us to continue that work and bring new people in the programme to create stronger and more inclusive communities by putting young people in the lead.”