HEROES+ is a project for young people 14-24 with a learning disability/additional needs and/or excluded from school, providing innovative, transformative programmes that inspire them to develop their potential and be future community peacebuilders.

Cultural Bytes: Hub Festival

An incredible night at the Cultural Bytes: Hub Festival!
Our young people from Clady, Upperlands, Coleraine, and Ballymoney had the OpportUNITY to celebrate the diversity of cultures through delicious food, creative crafts, and an energetic African drum workshop, all for Good Relations Week. A special shout-out to Thomas and Saba for delivering amazing workshops that truly brought the event to life! ย From international games to tasting traditional Chinese food from Bonny, the evening was packed with fun, learning, and new experiences!
A huge thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this event a massive success!

Cultural Sharing Art Event

Karen Blasko, Ballymac Arts hosted a cultural art sharing event with The Falls Women’s Centre. Everyone who took part from Falls and Newtownabbey generously shared their henna art skills and crochet skills, as well as home baking. There was also an ink and print workshop, and a chance to chat over cakes and a cuppa. What we share makes us stronger!

Health Minister meets with Ukranian community in NI

The Northern Ireland Health Minister met with the Ukrainians in NI Community Group to hear about the charity’s work and the positive experiences of the Ukrainian people living here. The charity thanked the Minster for the support provided by the Department to the Ukrainian community in NI.

More than just exercise

๐—ฃ๐—ฟ๐—ผ๐—ด๐—ฟ๐—ฎ๐—บ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐˜€ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฎ๐˜ ๐—ฎ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐—บ๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ฒ ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฎ๐—ป ๐—ท๐˜‚๐˜€๐˜ ๐—ฒ๐˜…๐—ฒ๐—ฟ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ฒ!

The Community Sport Network’s ๐˜‹๐˜ข๐˜ฏ๐˜ฅ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ๐˜ฃ๐˜ข๐˜ญ๐˜ญ๐˜ฆ๐˜ณ’๐˜ด enjoyed a ‘๐˜€๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ถ๐—ฎ๐—น ๐—น๐˜‚๐—ป๐—ฐ๐—ต’ at the The Prom Cafรฉ after the session today in Larne thanks to Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland

The catch up and chat at these sessions are just as valuable as the exercise they provide!

Thanks to Halifax for their funding of the programme this past year.

Nerve Centre hosts Community Conversations

Alex Norris MP Visits Nerve Centre to Discuss Community Ownership Fund

This Good Relations Week, we welcomed Alex Norris MP, the Minister for Democracy and Local Growth, along with representatives from the community and arts sectors, to discuss the Community Ownership Fund (COF).

The Community Ownership Fund, a UK government initiative, aims to empower local communities by providing the means to take ownership of cherished local assets and amenities at risk of closure. This ยฃ150 million fund has been instrumental in supporting various projects across Northern Ireland, helping to preserve and enhance vital community spaces.

During his visit, Mr Norris had the opportunity to hear first-hand accounts from several beneficiaries of the fund, including Nerve Centre and community groups from Derry, Antrim, Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Belfast. They shared their experiences, highlighting the positive impact the funding has had on their local areas and the important difference it has made to their work. Projects ranged from saving historic buildings and repurposing decommissioned PSNI stations, to refurbishing cultural facilities to ensure they remain in community use. These stories showcased the fundโ€™s crucial role in fostering community resilience and pride

Nerve Centre, known for its innovative approach to creative technologies and community engagement, provided an ideal backdrop for these discussions. Its own success story of community-driven initiatives resonated with the themes of the Community Ownership Fund. The Fund is supporting Nerve Centre in repurposing its Magazine Studios building to drive creative and cultural development in the city, in a radically changed post-Covid context.

Mr Norris expressed his admiration for the creativity and dedication demonstrated by Northern Irish communities in utilising the fund. He emphasised the importance of such initiatives in strengthening local ties and preserving cultural heritage, particularly in a region with a rich and complex history.

Greenisland Library Crafts and Storytelling

The children had a great time making penguin pencil holders at Greenislandโ€™s Penguin Storytime and Craft to celebrate Good Relations Week and this yearโ€™s theme of OpportUNITY. You probably didnโ€™t know penguins are a symbol of unity!

This event is just one of the many Libraries NI hosted to embrace this year’s Good Relations Week theme.