YI Downpatrick was named runner up in the Good Relations Youth Award at this year’s Good Relations Awards, delivered by the Community Relations Council and the Northern Ireland Youth Forum. The awards recognise individuals and organisations across Northern Ireland who are working to strengthen relationships and create opportunities for people from different backgrounds to connect. The Good Relations Youth Award focuses on young people who are contributing to positive communit

Camp Summit is back for 2026, and registration is now open. Taking place 13th–16th July at Ganaway Activity Centre, Millisle, this year’s theme is Right Here, Right Now. Camp Summit brings young people together from across our 6 hubs for a few days, focused on good relations, discovering faith, and building friendships. Through a mix of workshops, activities, and shared time together, it creates space to connect, reflect, and step into something different this summer. Registr

Young people from Youth Initiatives and Diverse Youth recently took part in the Belfast Anti-Racism Cup, a 5-a-side football tournament designed to bring people together from different backgrounds through a shared love of the game. The tournament created a space where teams from across communities could come together, including players with connections to countries such as Ghana, Sudan, Nigeria, Syria and Zimbabwe. The focus was on inclusion, participation, and creating a pos

Cross-City Challenge Day Champions Vlog Volunteers from all six YI Northern Ireland hubs, alongside YI Scotland, came together for a Cross-City Challenge Day that was built around connection, teamwork, and good relations. From the outset, teams were intentionally mixed across hubs, meaning most people started the day not knowing each other. It did not take long for that to change. As teams moved through the city, they worked through a series of challenges designed to get them

"Why?" is an interactive talking about race workshop designed to help young people learn about having empathetic, meaningful conversations around the topic of race. This Workshop IS: Games-based & interactive, practical & conversational, made with and for young people from any background. This Workshop IS NOT: Myth-busting, delivered by an ethnic minority (although it is heavily influenced by those with lived experience). This Workshop covers: Terms & slurs, ‘What is racism?’

The New Community Project, delivered by Youth Initiatives (YI) and funded by the National Lottery, Empowering Young People Programme, was a four-year, youth-led programme targeting 1,600 young people (aged 13–18) from high social-need areas of Inner East and Outer West Belfast. The initiative aimed to support young people in navigating the post- COVID-19 landscape by improving their mental, emotional, social, and spiritual wellbeing using Youthwork methodologies and aligning

On Monday, staff from across all six of our Youth Community Hubs came together in Derry/Londonderry for our annual staff retreat. It was a chance to step away from the busyness of everyday work and create space to pause, reflect, and pray together at the start of a new year. We discussed the theme “What If?” A simple question, but one that opened up honest conversation, creativity, and reflection. What if we were a little braver in our work this year? What if we trusted more?

Our West Belfast Community Hub had a very special visitor before the Christmas break when Santa Claus came to town!! Mr Claus took time to have some very important Christmas conversations, take some photos and hand out a few early Christmas presents to all of the boys and girls. Just around the corner, the Igloo Café was keeping everyone warm and well fed with Christmas chips and festive bakes, and the giant snow globe was a hit! The atmosphere throughout the day was brought

Youth Initiatives Good Relations Manager, Lynda Whinnery, recently shared about peace building and creating a hopeful peaceful Belfast at a Belfast City of Sanctuary

At the Community Relations Council Making a Difference Conference 2025, Youth Initiatives showcased our at our information stand, with Niamh McCarthy our East Belfast Strive worker showcasing a new good relations resource she designed. This interactive resource enables young people to explore the social injustices experienced by different communities across Northern Ireland, sparking reflection and meaningful conversations. Our Good Relations Manager Lynda Whinnery was invit