Following the publication of the Department of Education document “Integration Works” – which presents guidance and information for schools considering becoming integrated, NICIE and the IEF held an information event on Tue 12 March 2019. (more…)

There was celebration and smiles in Millennium Integrated Primary School as it received confirmation that a new multi-million-pound build on the current site of the primary school would take place.

The decision was taken by the Department of Education and approved by the Department of Finance as part of the Fresh Start Agreement money that was promised to Integrated and Shared Education.

Millennium Integrated Primary has been providing integrated education in the Carryduff and Saintfield areas since opening with just 10 children in September 2000. The school moved to its present site in 2003 and continued oversubscription led the school to going to double enrolment in September 2013. In September 2019, the school’s enrolment will be 365 children in the primary with another 52 children in the nursery school. (more…)

Parents at Carrickfergus Central Primary School have voted overwhelmingly to take the school on the path to becoming officially integrated.

The school’s principal and board took the step of balloting parents after they found evident interest in integration among the school community. The vote (run by the Electoral Reform Services between 11th and 25th February 2019) showed 86% support for integration through the process known as “transformation.” (more…)

The Executive Office, in partnership with the Education Authority (EA), are inviting applications from groups, who are registered with the EA, to deliver a youth programme as part of the Youth Intervention Programme in 2019.  The application process opened on Tuesday 5th March 2019 at 4pm and closes on Thursday 11th April 2019 at 4pm.

The programme aims to target young people living in interface areas and areas where there is potential for heightened social unrest during the summer period of June, July and August.  A particular focus of the programme is in engaging young people on weekends, evenings and during times of high community tensions.  (more…)

A group of young people urged politicians to “listen up” when they presented MLAs with a report from an event to raise young people’s voices in the political sphere.

MLAs Colin McGrath, Kellie Armstrong, Colm Gildernew and Mike Nesbitt, along with Councillor Rachel Woods gathered at Stormont on Monday (04 March) to meet Laura McCance, Stuart Irwin and Michael Lynch of the Integrated AlumNI, Richard Lemon of the Integrated Education Fund and Nancy Eaton, a past pupil of Lagan College who compiled the ListenUP! – Young People’s Voices report. (more…)

As part of this year’s Imagine! Belfast festival, we’re organising an event on 27 March to encourage sharing of best practice regarding young people’s ‘political’ engagement within, as well as outside, our schools. It will include presentations and workshops to discuss how young people can be inspired and enabled to engage with political and societal issues. Belfast Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey will open the event and contributions will also be made by representatives of New-Bridge Integrated College, Politics in Action and Belfast YMCA. (more…)