Dear All

Welcome to the latest edition of our Neighbourhood Exchange newsletter. The Ballymena Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership continues to deliver projects for the betterment of your area. Under the Reform of Local Government, it was proposed that Neighbourhood Renewal which is a function which falls within Urban Regeneration, would transfer from the Department for Social Development (DSD) to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Delays in the passing of legislation has caused an overall delay which has resulted in the transfer of these functions being deferred for at least another year.

The vision remains the same, we actively encourage the community to engage with the partners to ensure that the projects delivered are those the community themselves require. There is great work going on in the area and I would strongly advise people to get involved.

Unemployment remains a concern and for this reason training and further education continues to be a priority for the Partnership.

If you require any further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. Kindest Regards,

NEIGHBOURHOODEXCHANGE

Mary O'Boyle, NR Development Officer Mid & East Antrim Borough Council

FUN & FRIENDSHIP WINS!

Local students have been enjoying coming together at the Seven Towers Leisure Centre for 90-minute sessions over the course of six weeks.The Basketball Twinning Project supports the delivery of services as

identified in the Neighbourhood Renewal Action Plans as follows:

Community Renewal – Key Area: Increase Community Activity and Improve Community Safety

This Sport Intervention Project is d e l i v e r e d b y P e a c e P l a y e r s International who are a non-profit organisation that brings children from communities in conflict together to play basketball. The coaches and mentors work to unite, educate and inspire young people to create a more peaceful world. This project twins Primary Schools together, giving children the opportunity to engage with children they ordinarily would not meet. It is a structured programme involving basketball coaching, playing

basketball and workshops designed to address community relations and personal well-being.

Social Renewal - Key Area: Improve Educational Outcomes

This Council led Community Sport Intervention Project aims to establish interaction, dialogue, education and health and well-being amongst young p e o p l e f r o m i n t e r f a c e a n d disadvantaged areas of Ballymena. This project provides 6 local Primary Schools with the opportunity to learn together in a safe, neutral venue through the promotion of the neutral sport of basketball.

This project is designed to encourage healthy lifestyles among school children from the Neighbourhood Renewal Area who are twinned with children from cross community schools.

Social Renewal - Key Area: Improve Standards of Health

Social Renewal – Key Area:Reduce Crime and Increase Community Safety

The Basketball Twinning project is designed to use the neutral sport of basketball as a catalyst for breaking d o w n b a r r i e r s a n d b u i l d i n g relationships. This structured programme addresses community relations, anti-social behaviour, drug awareness, hate crime etc. This encourages cross communi ty interaction.

This has been made possible thanks to funding provided by the D e p a r t m e n t f o r S o c i a l D e v e l o p m e n t ( D S D ) a n d t h e B o r o u g h ’s o w n Po l i c i n g a n d Community Safety Partnership (PCSP).

The schools taking part in the c u r r e n t p r o g r a m m e i n c l u d e : B a l l y k e e l P r i m a r y S c h o o l , C a m p h i l l P r i m a r y S c h o o l , Harryvil le Primary School, St B r i g i d ’s P r i m a r y S c h o o l , S t Colmcille’s Primary School and S t M a r y ’ s P r i m a r y S c h o o l Portglenone.

YOUTH EMPLOYMENT SCHEMEUnemployed and between the ages of 18 and 24? The Youth Employment Scheme (YES) can help you develop your employability skills and gain the experience you need to get a job. The scheme includes short work experience placements. These placements can last between two and eight weeks and will give you the chance to try out various tasks in a real work situation and develop skills needed to help you get a job. You can learn more about specific industries and job roles to help you make more informed choices about your future. They can also improve your levels of confidence and motivation. Find out

more on www.nidirect.gov.uk/youth-employment-scheme or by

contacting Alex Waide on 028 2563 7045.

BEST PRACTICE VISITFOOD FORTHOUGHT

Members of the Community Sub Group visited The Colin Partnership in West Belfast to see their latest project, a state of the art Healthy Living Centre. The structure is an innovative, environmentally sensitive building and is the first commercial building of its kind to be constructed from repurposed industrial shipping containers. Central to the building is a demonstration kitchen,

which is supported by a half acre allotment scheme. This venture is being run as a social enterprise project and is expected to be used by community groups, businesses and schools from the Colin area and beyond. This will see horticultural courses , cookery c lasses , and educational workshops and more taking place. Members were really impressed and found the visit to be most informative and thought provoking.

Mid & East Antrim Borough Council a r e c u r r e n t l y

refurbishing a number of play areas across the Borough. I am delighted to repor t that work is near ing completion in Ballykeel 2 and work is now underway at the Kincora Play Park in Ballee and at King George V Park, Harryville.

Nikella Holmes, Ballymena South Cluster, Community Development Worker has been successful in her application to the 'Live Here, Love Here' small grants fund. Ballymena South Cluster has been awarded £3000. This funding will allow Nikella to purchase much needed environmental equipment that will be accessible to the community in Ballee,

Ballykeel and Harryville.

It is hoped that this equipment could be used for Community Clean Ups and by local residents who would like to borrow the equipment. In addition Nikella also plans to purchase some planters and flowers which will improve the overall appearance of the area. Equipment will be safely stored in each area by the following groups:Ballee Community AssociationBallykeel Together Development AssociationHarryville Partnership

PLAY PARK REFURBISHMENTS

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONSBallymena Community Clusters collectively hosted their first ever Community Awards to recognise remarkable, local people who live, work or study within the Ballymena Cluster areas and help make a positive difference in their community. This event was held in The Braid Arts Centre and was very kindly sponsored by Ballymena Business Centre. The whole ethos of the cluster model is that it will provide improved opportunities for groups to collaborate and learn from each other whilst building capacity so that they become more cohesive and sustainable. Ballymena South Cluster is an excellent example of this and has shown how together everyone achieves more. This event was a fantastic evening which c e l e b r a t e d t h e h a r d w o r k o f individuals/groups which very often goes unnoticed. Community strength is a major bonus for Ballymena and whilst there are a number of challenges facing community based activity currently through diminishing funding, Ballymena South Cluster is continuing to grow and thrive thanks to the determination, creativity and inventiveness of volunteers.In total there were 12 award categories, two of the individual awards were presented to the Man and Woman of the Year.

Denver is the chair of Harryville Partnership and Harryville Men’s Shed. He is renowned fo r having a very caring nature and d e v o t e s a c o n s i d e r a b l e amount of time to e n r i c h i n g

community life in Harryville.He has been instrumental in establishing the Harryville Men’s Shed project which provides a social interaction space for those men in the community who seek to form friendships and learn new skills. Denver works tirelessly to encourage and support men eager to learn not only new skills but also vital education on health and well-being. Denver directly contributes to personal development, improved confidence and social inclusion within his community.

MAN OF THE YEAR WAS PRESENTED TO DENVER MCMEEKIN

WOMAN OF THE YEAR WAS PRESENTED TO KAREN SHANNON

K a r e n i s a volunteer for B a l l y k e e l T o g e t h e r Development A s s o c i a t i o n . She is Treasurer and helps to organise the Mature Adults Luncheon Club for 80 regular

members who enjoy a three course meal, health and well-being advice as well as regular day trips throughout the year.Karen is an extremely reliable, efficient and dedicated volunteer who directly contributes to improving the quality of life and well-being of her fellow citizens. Her dedication and commitment is to be commended.

Network Personnel has launched a new employability programme, ‘Jobmatch’, which is part funded by the

European Social Fund, Department for Education and Learning and Mid & East Antrim Borough Council. This

programme is free for anyone 18+, who is currently unemployed or economically inactive and keen to gain relevant accredited training and employment or who is

considering self-employment.

This project is part funded through the Northern Ireland European Social Fund 2014-2020. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, the Department for Employment and Learning and Network Personnel.

For further information, Telephone: 0845 362 0747or contact the Ballymena office on:028 2568 9509/028 2565 1616

Supported by the Northern Ireland Executivethrough the Department for Social Development

COMMUNITY INFORMATION

ROOM HIRE

Excellent Office Space andMeeting Room for Hire atBallee Childcare Centre.

For further information or to requesta booking form, please contact:

Grainne McCaffrey on 028 2563 3193 or emailGrainne.McCaffrey@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Citizens Advicecontinue to offer anoutreach service in theBallymena South areaon the first Wednesdayof each month

Ballee Community Centre10.00 a.m. - 12.30 p.m.Harryville Partnership Initiative1.00 p.m. - 3.30 p.m.

For further information please contact:

Nikella on 028 2563 1350

Hip HopDance ClassesBallee Community Centre

Wednesday evenings 6.00 p.m. – 7.00 p.m.

If you are feeling lonely or vulnerable or you know someone

who is, contact the GoodMorning scheme, who offer that

reassurance we sometimes need toget us through the day.