Off the Streets Community Youth Initiative was formed in March 1996 out of concerns from local parents, local City Council politicians and youth workers regarding the growing numbers of young people on the streets of the Greater Shantallow Area increasingly engaging in ‘anti-social’ and risk-taking behaviour including the abuse and misuse of alcohol and drugs as well as engaging in behaviours that create a climate of fear within the community.

It is one of the few existing Street Work Projects in Northern Ireland and the only one currently operating in the Derry City Council area. It has developed a range of work and practice that combines outreach, centre based, referral and group work. It attempts to address alienation felt by young adults (of both genders) but primarily young men who have effectively been ‘lost’ or at risk of being lost to all mainstream community / youth provision and educational providers.

This website was produced by young people from Off the Streets during a series of multimedia workshops at the Nerve Centre. Click here to read comments by the young people and their youth workers about the multimedia training.The development of this website was funded by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the British Council.

Off the Streets Community Youth Initiative
131 Galliagh Park, Galliagh, Derry, BT48 8DF
Tel: (028) 71358048
E-mail: offthestreetsinitiative@hotmail.com