Special Project - Farney/Ligoniel Youth Group

A group of young people aged 15-17 years from areas of Belfast and Monaghan
came together for a certified training programme in Active Citizenship to equip them with the skills which would enable them to get more involved in their communities. The young people also carried out a research project as part of the training which involved them determining the areas and method for research activity. The research report was launched in May 2004. The research focused on identifying the needs of young people and barriers they currently encountered with a view to providing solutions.

The level of personal development and increased self-confidence was identified by each of the young people. The religious differences between the Catholic group in the South and the Protestant group in the North gave rise to a lot of learning. They discovered that formal religion was not such an important issue for them, as it was not perceived as being connected to their beliefs. Issues of identity were addressed and the focus of the project was on "who we are" not "what we are".

Young people identified specific changes in their behaviour as a result of their increased self-confidence which included:

• Better levels of listening
• Increased participation and engagement in the project
• Increased knowledge about their project and partners
• Better ability to take risks
• Increased levels of assertiveness
• Better ablility to stand up for own values
• Better ability to control their more emotional reactions

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