Journeys Youth Advisory Group ‘PowerUp’ Are Giving Youth A Voice
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May 8, 2025
PowerUp is a Youth Advisory Group representing the Journeys programme, a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
Springboard Opportunities in partnership with Roe Valley Residents Association, Cavan and Monaghan Education Training Board and Creggan Enterprises will deliver ‘Journeys’ over 4 years, bringing together young people from diverse backgrounds in Northern Ireland and border counties. The PowerUp youth advisory group includes young ambassadors of the Journeys PEACEPLUS programme who will advocate and amplify the voices of young people across these regions, carrying out research on issues impacting their peers, convening youth panels, promoting peacebuilding practices and developing key leadership skills.
The PowerUp group brought together over 180 of their peers at a youth panel event in the Shankill Shared Women’s Centre where they had the opportunity to engage in compelling discussions about the core theme of mental health and wellbeing. The themes emerged from a consultation designed and carried out by the group, which gathered an impressive 237 responses.
The panel was attended by young people participating in Springboard projects who reside in communities across Belfast that experience disadvantage and are impacted by the legacy of the Troubles. The event, which aimed to promote positive mental health, also provided a platform for young people to express key challenges and opportunities facing them and their communities. Participants engaged in interactive workshops where they were encouraged to voice their insights and experiences. Those in attendance took part in a Wellbeing Zone packed with support and information for young people to explore, including Lighthouse, a mental health charity who offered resources and strategies for positive mental health. Additional stalls offered acupuncture, mindfulness exercises, physical challenges and the benefits of outdoor activities. The panel event created a space for young people to connect, build relationships, and strengthen a sense of community.
A member of PowerUp said,
We decided to create a space that would directly contribute to helping people. We hope other young people walked away from the event feeling empowered in their own mental health and that this could be the start of a journey for them in better understanding the issues they face and establish better ways to cope.
A youth worker on the Journeys programme commented,
We are extremely proud of the young people who have designed and delivered this event, making it highly relevant to their peers. They have demonstrated positive leadership in creating a shared space where young people can have their voices heard. We are excited to see what they will achieve in the next stages of PowerUp and Journeys.
The event was widely regarded as a success, highlighting the importance of youth-led dialogue on vital issues.
This is just the beginning for the PowerUp youth advisory group who are set to lead on further youth consultations, build on their leadership capacity and travel on an overseas study visit to Cyprus in September. Here, the young people will experience another divided society and deepen their knowledge of good relations and peacebuilding in an international context.
You can watch a vlog on the Youth Panel here
Notes to Editors:
· The Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) is a North South Body with the statutory remit for managing EU funding programmes within Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland.
· PEACEPLUS is a cross-border funding Programme designed to support peace and prosperity across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The total value of PEACEPLUS is €1.14 billion.
· PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland administration.
Springboard Opportunities Limited
· Established in 1992, Springboard’s focuses on building capacity, encouraging citizenship and promoting peace and mutual understanding.
· They have a proven 30+ year track record and have worked with 15,000+ people in over 400 programmes, leading to exceptional outcomes of significant personal growth and increased aspiration.
· For more information, please visit www.springboard-opps.org
Journeys Initiative
Funded under the PEACEPLUS, Youth Programme Investment Area, Journeys is an innovative cross-community / cross-border initiative of tailored programme interventions to support distinct groups of young people from diverse communities in Greater Belfast, Limavady, Derry, Cavan and Monaghan to realise their potential and become active contributors in building a shared, united and more cohesive society. Together young people will build individual capacity, increase their employability and develop an appreciation of diversity and active citizenship. The initiative is led by Springboard with Roe Valley Residents Association, Cavan Monaghan Education and Training Board and Creggan Enterprises as partners.
For more information contact:
Chloe Magill
Engagement & Communications Coordinator
Springboard Opportunities Limited
112-114 Donegall Street
Belfast, BT1 2GX
Tel: 02890 315111 Email: chloemagill@springboard-opps.org
PEACEPLUS is co-funded by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland Executive.