News at Public Achievement

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs have just awarded funding to Achieve Enterprises - the trading arm of Public Achievement - for a project on the use of 'Stop and Search' powers by the police and their impact on young people.  The award follows our highly successful 'Beyond the Margins' project on young people, policing and human rights.

On 29 June, around 200 young people, youth workers and community activists walked up the drive of Stormont to highlight the importance of community relations projects with young people.  Organised by a collection of organisations that have seen their budgets slashed or removed entirely by the Education Minister, Catriona Ruane, the demonstration met a large group of Assembly Members on the steps of Parliament Buildings.

Public Achievement participated fully in the event, and our WIMPS team were there to cover the exciting events.

Young people in North Belfast have celebrated the completion of an exhibition project on their local heritage at a launch event in Mount Vernon Community House.

Paul Smyth, the Director of Public Achievement has just given a presentation to the European Network Against Racism in Brussels.  The special meeting is on ethnic profiling by the police, and Paul has been asked to present on our recent film and research project - "Beyond the Margins - Building Trust in Policing With Young People".

Young people involved in a Public Achievement project in Portadown have celebrated the completion of their exhibition on their local heritage at a launch event in Portadown Town Hall.

Professor Tony Gallagher, Chairperson of Public Achievement, has just been given a major senior appointment at Queen's University.  He is to become the new 'Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Academic Planning, Staffing and External Relations' starting on 1 May.

Anyone who has been involved with Public Achievement will know Bronagh - who until recently was our Office Manager.  Bronagh has helped to build the financial and administrative functions of the organisation and has been a key member of the strategy team.  She has just left to begin a new career with her husband Mark.

Public Achievement's trading arm Achieve Enterprises, has just published a research report with the Institute for Conflict Research as well as producing a film interviewing over 200 young people from all over Northern Ireland.  The underlying message of the report is positive - with key improvements in the relationship between young people and the police since the last comparable study in 2003.

Public Achievement has just begun a new and exciting project with the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service, and the Fire Services in the six border counties of the Irish Republic.  This is our first large-scale collaboration with public bodies, and has received over one million pounds in funding from the European Interreg IVa programme.  The focus of the project is on road safety in border communities, and Public Achievement is in a leading role, employing project staff, training fire fighters in civic youth work, and supporting projects for young people in border communities.

The Northern Ireland Community Relations Council is to core fund Public Achievement for the first time.  Their funds will support our coach training activities in communities across Northern Ireland.  This news comes as the Northern Ireland Executive announce that it has agreed a new 'Cohesion, Sharing and Integration' policy.

Once dubbed 'the most dangerous woman in Britain', WIMPS gets an exclusive interview with Shami Chakrabarti, the Director of Human Rights organisation Liberty, about young people and their human rights.

A team of four people from Public Achievement is currently in Cape Town, South Africa, working with the fabulous Bush Radio.  Staff members Debs and Caoimhe are accompanying Nathan (Shiv) and Una from the WIMPS Crew on a visit which will link our 'Away from Violence' projects in Northern Ireland to projects that Bush is running with young people in Cape Town.  They've set up a blog and you can follow their adventures here.

Baroness Scotland, the UK Attorney General has just given an award to four of the members of the WIMPS Crew.  Shauneen, Aiobheann, Una and Karen were visited by the Attorney General, and Justice Minister, Paul Goggins, at their school - St Dominic's in Belfast today.

Public Achievement has received the award for 'Participation and Involvement' at this year's Slugger O'Toole political awards.  This is only the second year of the awards and the event has been growning from strength to strength.  Public Achievement were nominated by Basil McCrea MLA for our participation work with young people.

On 9 November, the Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Naoimi Long launched the WIMPS Peace Channel in the surroundings of Crumlin Road Gaol.  The event was attended by more than 60 young people living in interface areas in north, west and east Belfast, as well as leading policy makers, practitioners and the City's High Sherrif.

Last weekend's bagpack at Belfast's Marks and Spencer store at Forestside netted £913.92 for the Away from Violence South Africa.  A big thank you to all the volunteers who helped on the day, and the shoppers of south Belfast who gave so generously!

Four members of the WIMPS Crew have been selected for an award by the Attorney General of the UK! Una Crossen, Shauneen Conlon, Karen Devlin and Aoibheann Fitzpatrick – all students at St Dominic’s College in Belfast entered the competition by creating and submitting a video highlighting many of the issues faced by young people.

 

PA is currently hosting a delegation of 10 trainers from the Lebanese Organisation for Studies and Training (LOST) who are in Belfast to receive 'Civic Youth Work' training, and to look at issues of conflict resolution.  Their visit is supported by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.

The largest Irish Festival in the United States has decided that Public Achievement should be the recipient of its annual award in the name of Irish President Mary McAleese. 

Public Achievement’s new WIMPSmobile has just been launched by Minister for Social Development, Margaret Ritchie MLA.  In spite of the rather poor weather at the moment, a break in the clouds allowed us to show the Minister the vehicle and the new equipment that comes with it.

Public Achievement are hosting a group of 10 youth workers from the Lebanon, who are coming to Belfast at the end of August to receive conflict resolution and civic youth work training.

We have now taken delivery of the WIMPSmobile, and are set to make films with young people right across Northern Ireland on issues they feel are important.

Public Achievement has recently completed a project with young people from the NICRAS (Northern Ireland Community of Refugees and Asylum Seekers) network which has just won a Gold Award at the Young People's Awards scheme, run by Belfast Community Safety Partnership.  These awards are given to individuals or groups for the work they do in making their community a safer place.  Projects aimed at improving relations in interface areas; tackling racism and discrimination; and dealing with drug and alcohol addiction were among those rewarded at the awards ceremony, which was attended by actor and musician Richard Fleeshman and the Lord Mayor Councillor Tom Hartley.

Public Achievement's Director Paul Smyth has just returned from a youth work seminar run by the Council of Europe in Budapest Hungary.  Paul was there to advise on a new project that seeks to ensure the social rights of young people from disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

Two students from St Dominic's High School in Belfast, have just finished a week-long placement with Public Achievement.  During their week they interviewed two Government Ministers and the Children's Commissioner, as well as running a workshop for other young people, and conducting 'vox pop' interviews on the streets of Belfast.

Three lucky young people have won 16GB iPod Nanos in our draw following the consultation with young people on the Department of Education's Community Relations policy.  Nevin Bunting, Joe McClean and Una Crossen will all receive a Nano in their choice of colour - thanks to the Department of Education.

Christopher Madden, Public Achievement Board member and WIMPS activist, is to attend the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America - Barak Obama.  We are delighted that he will be there, and we can't wait to hear his first hand account of events.

Complete our survey on young people's views on community relations here, and you will be entered into a draw to win one of 3 iPod Nanos (16 GB).

Zane Ibrahim - the 'Father of Community Radio' and founder of Bush Radio, South Africa, has just visited PA.

The Lloyds TSB Foundation for Northern Ireland has just approved funding for an innovative collaborative project between Public Achievement and Bush Radio, South Africa.  The 'Away from Violence - South Africa' project will be run by Bush Radio with young people in and around Cape Town - mostly young people living in the Townships - informal camps with very poor housing and huge social challenges.

Paul and Sean have just returned from a study visit to Israel with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service - and have hailed the visit a great success.

Paul and Sean are off to Israel for a visit looking at innovative approaches to road safety with colleagues from the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service.  The visit is in collaboration with Israeli road safety organisation 'Or Yarok' (Green Light).

Dr Jerry Stein of the University of Minnesota is back in Northern Ireland this week to talk about his Learning Dreams project with community activists in north Belfast and Poleglass.

Public Achievement staff and board members have just returned from a 3 day planning session to look at the future of our work across Northern Ireland and beyond.

Public Achievement Board Member and WIMPS activist, Christopher Madden recently had a meeting at Stormont with the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Willie Hay MLA.

Public Achievement is delighted to welcome two new volunteers - Martina Caterina (left) from Italy, and Zulema Cadenas (right) from Spain.  Both are joining us through the European Volunteer Scheme (EVS) in which Public Achievement is a hosting organisation.

Public Achievement staff are working hard to get our new premises ready.

There are two new faces at Public Achievement these days.