AQW 9022/22-27 Written question to the Minister of Education
To ask the Minister of Education to detail his plans to protect and enhance youth services in South Belfast.
Asked by Kate Nicholl MLA on 15 March 2024
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 15 March 2024
- Answer due by
- 4 April 2024
- Answered
- 28 March 202413 days after tabling
- Department
- Department of Education
- Priority question
- No
Answer
I recognise and value the impact of effective youth services, not just on education but also its contribution to a range of priorities for government including health, community development, justice, and the economy.
I have recently approved an interim DE youth work budget for 2024-25 of almost £36m which is ringfenced to ensure continued needs-based youth work across Northern Ireland, including South Belfast.
Within the existing 2023-24 budget, funding was provided for five EA statutory youth centres in South Belfast to support youth services, namely: Belvoir Youth Centre (full-time), Taughmonagh Youth Centre (part-time), Nubia Youth Centre (full-time), Charter Youth Centre (full-time) and Donegall Pass Youth Centre (part-time). In addition, five funding awards (details in the table below) were developed and subsequently awarded to voluntary youth sector providers in the South Belfast. This is to meet the identified needs of young people and support youth services in the area.
| Award Code | Provision/Area | Core |
| 23-LA-BS-001 | Core Youth Work Provision/Lower Ormeau Area | £96,823 |
| 23-LA-BS-002 | Core Youth Work Provision/Markets Area | £96,823 |
| 23-LA-BS-003 | Core Youth Work Provision/Upper Ormeau Area | £96,823 |
| 23-LP-BS-001 | Targeted Youth Work Programmes - 6 Health & Wellbeing; 4 Learning & Achieving; 6 CRED and Inclusion/Botanic | £24,915 |
| 23-LP-BS-002 | 2 Street Based Youth Work sessions per week for 26 weeks of the year + 4 Living in Safety and Stability Sessions/Botanic | £18,097 |
| Total Voluntary Sector Funding Allocated to DEA | £333,481 |
As set out in the Department’s youth work policy planning, funding, and delivery of youth work at both regional and local level is based on an assessment of need which includes significant stakeholder engagement to ensure that local plans for South Belfast meet the bespoke needs of its children and young people.
The Local Assessment of Need 2023-26 for South and West Belfast was recently reviewed and updated following further stakeholder consultation to reflect emerging as well as current needs of young people. As a result, additional funding opportunities in 2024/25 are planned to support targeted youth work provision. These are expected to be released in the coming week, pending approval by EA Board via an open application process for Voluntary Youth Sector organisations.
To continue protecting and enhancing youth services across Northern Ireland (and within South Belfast), my Department has commenced a review of the existing youth work policy, Priorities for Youth, with a view to developing a new policy late 2025 / early 2026. To ensure the voice of children and young people are central to the process, the Department is taking a co-design approach in this process.