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Galliagh
Youth Forum
Background
The
Galliagh Youth Forum was set up in February 2002 in a direct response
to the work of Off the Streets Initiative and NIACRO (Galliagh Community
Safety). Local community groups were approached and as a result 15 young
people aged 14-17 years old, stepped forward to be active in the Forum.
These young people attended a Residential in April 2002 and discussed
the role of a Youth Forum in their local community. A lot of team activities
and team building took place on the Residential. Throughout the year
some people dropped out due to other commitments and new young people
were voted in.
Introduction
to the Constitution
Through
the Education for Citizenship project in St. Columb’s Park House
the group established a Constitution and learnt more about Youth Forum’s
from their friends at the Foyle Youth Forum. Ciara Ferguson at the Greater
Shantallow Area Partnership was responsible for drawing up the groups
Constitution and helping them secure funding.
Funding
The
group received £3,330.00 from Awards for All this money was for
training for the group
The group received £1,00.00 from Youthbank this was to design
a series of posters aimed at raising awareness of suicide and the help
available for young people
In February 2005 the group received £500.00 from The Honourable
The Irish Society to print more of their suicide awareness posters.
In July 2005 the group were awarded £950 from YouthBank to produce
a 12 page information booklet on alcohol, drugs and sexual health.
In May 2006 the group were awarded £1000 to have a 30 minute drama
performance entitled "Respect Works Both Watys" professionally
filmed.
Objectives
The
Forum is established to:
- influence
and advance the quality of life of young people of the Galliagh
area and its environment without distinction of age, sex, race,
political, religious or other opinion.;
- to encourage
the provision of facilities and services for young people and work
to improve the co-ordination of services to young people in the
area;
- to give young
people an opportunity to express their views and to participate
in the planning and management of their own activities;
- to gather
opinions on issues affecting young people in the area, influence
policymakers and enabling inter-agency working to achieve more coherent
responses to young people;
- to establish
or to secure the establishment of a Drop in Centre (hereinafter
called “the Centre” and to maintain and manage or to
co-operate with any local statutory authority in the maintenance
and management of such a Centre for activities promoted by the Forum
in furtherance of the above objects.
- In furtherance
of the above objectives but no further or otherwise the Forum may:
- encourage
cross community and international activity by young people within
the area;
promote and carry out or assist in promoting and carrying out research
surveys and investigations and publish results thereof;
- provide or
secure the provision of information and advice on career, education
and training opportunities and refer those in need of professional
assistance to relevant agencies;
- organise or
assist in organising workshops and exhibitions on health issues
important to young people in the area of benefit;
- provide or
secure the provision of recreational and sporting facilities with
the object of improving the conditions of life for the youth within
the area of benefit;
- assist the
said inhabitants, statutory authorities, voluntary and other organisations
in a common effort to conserve and protect the local environment;
- recruit and
train volunteers with relevant skills to carry out the objectives
of the forum;
- to promote
and organise co-operation in the achievements of the above objectives
and to that end to work with all groups and individuals, including
the public, private / business and voluntary / community sectors.
What
we have done....
The
Youth Forum undertook a suicide awareness poster campaign (S.E.R.I.O.S
- Some Educational Relevant Information On Suicide). The group designed
and distributed 6 suicide awareness posters throughtout the City and
continue to distribute these. If you would like copies of the posters
please do not hesitate to contact us at Off the Streets.
The
Galliagh Youth Forum also worked for 4 months in 2005 with Galliagh
Women’s Group to produce a 30 minutes play that addresses adults
perceptions of young people. The play was shown in Galliagh Parish Hall
in September and attracted an audience of approximately 80 residents
and young people. After the success of this project the two groups got
together again in 2006 and showcased the play to an audience of 100+
in The Playhouse. The group applied for funding of Youthbank to have
this drama professionally filmed. They hope to distribute this to schools
and youth groups.
In
2005 the Forum secured £950 from Youthbank to design and distribute
booklets that contain information on drugs, alcohol and sexual health.
The booklets contain true stories from young people on their experiences
of using alcohol and drugs and advice on sexual health. The booklet
also contains helpline telephone numbers, facts and fiction and useful
website addresses.The booklet and drama piece was launched in Da Vinci's
on Tuesday 25th July 2006.
Click here to download the
booklet.
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