To make summer holidays both fun and useful for young people, the Ards and North Down Borough Council is running free summer schemes.
These events are part of the larger programme, PEACE IV CYP (Children and Young People), and feature sporting and recreational activities.
After the successful completion of The first Youth Shelter / Skate Park Summer Scheme at Comber skatepark, two more events are forthcoming and bookings are in progress. The Newtownards skatepark is due for August 15-19, and Portavogie skatepark is scheduled for August 22-26.
The PEACE IV Programme is part of an EU funded cross-border initiative and its full title is the EU Programme for Peace and Reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland. The programme was designed to support peace and reconciliation by promoting positive relations among people with different backgrounds to celebrate cultural diversity free from hate and intolerance.
This long-running programme is financed through the European Union and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). To date, there have been three completed PEACE Programmes (I,II, and III), with PEACE IV being currently underway.
Early years children and young people have benefited through all phases of the PEACE Programmes. One of the priority areas of PEACE IV Programme is to target young people aged between 14-24 through supporting shared education and cross-regional projects. The reason behind this focus is that these children are “most disadvantaged / excluded / marginalised, and who have deep social, emotional, and good relations needs,” according to the PEACE Programmes Learning Platform.
The first Youth Shelter / Skate Park Summer Scheme, which was part of the PEACE IV CYP (Children and Young People) Programme was held at Comber Skate Park from July 25 to July 29 in partnership with Thunder Park. The scheme brought children aged 11 to 14 together to participate in various sporting and entertaining sessions such as Stunt Scootering, BMX, Parkour, Skateboarding and Graffiti Art.
The young people also engaged with the PSNI, Street Pastors, alongside Council’s Good Relations and Community Safety teams.
Comber Skate Park has opened this year as part of the PEACE IV Shared Spaces project, and included installation of associated LED lighting, fencing, landscaping and path infrastructure.
Suitable for skateboards, scooters, BMXs, rollerblades, and rollerskates, the park can accommodate all skill levels. It provides an individual combination of ramps, kickers and rails with Fearless Ramps designing.
As two more rounds of the popular summer scheme are approaching, the Ards and North Down Borough Council has encouraged anyone interested to apply, saying places are available on the first come first serve basis.
For more information and to sign up go to:
https://engage.ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk/pcsp/youth-shelter-skatepark-summer-scheme-2022
