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| New Youth and Community Centre For Carrickfergus |
Thu 07 May 2009 |
A sum of £550,000 from the International Fund for Ireland is to be match funded by the YMCA with the purpose of building new premises in the centre of Carrickfergus for Carrickfergus YMCA at an estimated cost of £1.15 million. These premises will enable Carrickfergus YMCA to maintain and expand its social outreach activities amongst young people and their families form all communities in Carrickfergus and its neighbouring estates .
Carrickfergus YMCA is a cross-denominational youth organisation committed to Christian social action in the local community. It currently works with a number of partner organisations ,mainly in the voluntary sector , in all its project across the borough .A key vision for the new building is that ourselves and a number of partner organisations will be located in the building ,sharing resources and facilities to deliver the best possible service and development programmes to children , young adults and their families .
The current unsatisfactory premises at 10 Cheston Street make it impossible to the YMCA to provide services to all those who seek such services or would benefit from them.
Carrickfergus YMCA has been engaged in social outreach activities in Carrickfergus with children, young people and adults since 1873. Inspired by a Christian Ethos, it actively seeks to involve in its programmes persons of all religious beliefs and of none. It is concerned to promote community relations, social relationships, inclusion, and physical and mental well-being.
Carrick Community Forum has recently completed a series of meetings across the community which lists among its findings a need for a town centre youth facility and a Youth Information Point.
The proposed new premises will offer a wider range of opportunities and enable the YMCA to make contact with an increased number of young people and their families from across the greater Carrickfergus area, from all sectors of the community . It will enable the development and delivery of programmes designed to heal the rifts and divisions between the communities and areas within Carrickfergus.
Commenting on the International Fund's decision to approve this round of funding, Denis Rooney, Chairman, the International Fund for Ireland said: "The funding now unveiled reinforces the Fund's stated strategy and aims. It reflects how we are moving forward from the problems which many of us have lived through and these funds will further help to spur on the process of reconciliation on the island of Ireland. Much of the funding unveiled today, directed at youth based programmes, shows the long term commitment of the International Fund to the process of peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the border counties."
Carrickfergus YMCA and partners are heavily involved in providing accredited training and education programmes for adults and young people but is hampered in doing so by the very limited premises from which it now operates, the proposed new premises will enable and extension of the programmes and will directly contribute to the improvement of the skills and self confidence of disadvantaged young people.
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