Strive is a good relations programme for young people aged 14 to 24 led by Include Youth in partnership with Youth Initiatives, Newstart Education Centre, Northern Ireland Alternatives and Lifford Clonleigh Resource Centre. It is a youth led programme through our ‘Expert by Experience’ (EBE) approach, EBE’s are young people who have been through similar experiences, providing their expertise to design and deliver a programme that best meets the needs and interests of other young people. Strive is a cross community, cross cultural and cross border programme that engages young people in transformative good relations, citizenship and personal development work.

Since 2017 Strive has worked with over 600 young people.

We have been privileged to continue to with our school partners Malone Integrated College, All Saints College, St. Gerard’s School and Support Services, Park School & the St. Vincent’s Centre. We have supported young people in Newhill and Corpus Christi Youth Club alongside working with the young people from Newstart’s own EOTAS centre and Pathways EOTAS through Extern.

We continue to provide new opportunities for the young people to explore the country through adventure learning activities and outdoor based sessions which seeks to build the resilience skills of the young people.  Many of the young people have never been outside of their own area and they have reported how great their experience has been to have the opportunity to be in new areas and places and feel safe. The outdoor element of the programme is complimented by an intensive group and mentoring programme which seeks to support the young people with any presenting issues. Our school partners have reported enhanced attendance, improved behaviours and an improved school community through the impact of the programme.

Strive is supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) to the value of €3,979,780, with match funding being provided by the Irish government’s Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Northern Ireland Executive.