Towards a Shared Future

TWN aim to address the problems that young women face living in or close to an interface area.

The project also targets this grouping as traditionally projects aimed at reducing interface tensions and promoting good relations are mainly focused on the needs of young men and thus do not meaningfully engage with the needs and interests of young women.

The project will use various means to reach 90 young women in various Belfast areas by involving them in art projects, personal development, cross-community outreach, peace and reconciliation training, drama, female sports and various other activities outside of traditional male led youth club activities.

The project will also offer good relations training through less conventional means by engaging with these young women around areas of interest, adding to their engagement and retention on the programme.

Associated with this, the project will include courses and activities that will help increase and build good relations and empower young women deemed at risk in a range of key competencies so that they are encouraged to become much more involved in their own communities.

The project will also use training methods like drama, art and sport to address residential segregation and intra-community tensions and inter-community tensions as young women will be targeted from both sides of the interface.

The culmination of the project will involve a 'Towards a Shared Future Young Women's Conference' were 180 young women will come together to discuss and develop the skills they need to hold political representatives to account on issues directly related to Good Relations.

This project will empower young women in a range of key competencies so that they become much more involved in civil society.

It will address personal development, citizenship, good relations and employability.