Economy Minister welcomes Positive ‘Journeys’ Shaping Young People’s Lives in Limavady

Economy Minister Dr. Caoimhe Archibald speaking to Karen Campbell, Roe Valley Residents Association, Steph O'Rourke, Springboard Opportunities, and Esther Baird, SEUPB, during a visit to the Roe Valley Residents Association Youth and Community Hub, Limavady. | Lorcan Doherty

placeholder image — Economy Minister Dr. Caoimhe Archibald speaking to Karen Campbell, Roe Valley Residents Association, Steph O'Rourke, Springboard Opportunities, and Esther Baird, SEUPB, during a visit to the Roe Valley Residents Association Youth and Community Hub, Limavady. | Lorcan Doherty

The project has given 1,000 14 to 24-year-olds the opportunity to participate in the North-South Journeys programme

Limavady community group, Roe Valley Residents Association welcomed the Economy Minister, Dr Caoimhe Archibald, to their Youth and Community Hub on Friday July 17 to witness the positive impact of the Peaceplus Youth Journeys Project.

The visit allowed the Minister to see first hand the effects of the youth project, which has given over 1,000 14 – 24-year-olds the opportunity to participate in the North-South Journeys programme since its September 2024 launch.

Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald said: “At its mid-point, it is encouraging to see the meaningful progress being made, with skilled staff working closely with young people to address individual needs and support them on their journey towards further education and employment.

“As I have seen today, programmes like Journeys are making a real difference on the ground - helping young people gain recognised qualifications, develop key employability skills and contribute positively within their communities.”

The Minister heard directly from young people involved in the programme about their experiences and personal journey, including re-engaging with learning, building their confidence and helping them make positive choices in their lives.

She also met with Karen Campbell, General Manager of Roe Valley Residents Association, Steph O’Rourke, Executive Director Springboard and Esther Baird from SEUPB to hear more about the valuable impact which this project has had upon young people from the Limavady area.

Economy Minister Dr Caoimhe Archibald is pictured at Roe Valley Residents Associations Youth and Community Hub in Limavady where she met some of the young people who have participated in the Peaceplus Journeys Project. | Lorcan Doherty

Karen Campbell, Manager of Roe Valley Residents Association, explained more about the project: “Roe Valley Residents Association are one of the partners in the North West for this Peaceplus funded project, with Springboard as the lead partner.

“The overall project is called the Journeys project but here in Limavady, we have called our projects Define and Lotus, so we are operating two cohorts at any given time.

“We are running a project for 14 – 16-year-olds, through our Define project, and 16 – 24-year-olds through our Lotus project.

“It involves six months engagement and is based around good relations, citizenship and employability.

“We are targeting 360 participants over the lifetime of our projects and are well on target to do so during Year 2, coming towards the end of our fourth cohort.

“The participants complete a six-month programme, which provides qualifications as well.

“The Peaceplus funding provides essential core activity for Roe Valley, it helps us to build our organisation, but even more importantly, it is giving young people a pathway for their own personal development.

“Some of the participants are not ready for education or employment but this six-month journey provides the groundwork for them to move forward.”

The Journeys Project, which is delivered by Springboard, is one of six delivery projects under the Peaceplus Youth Programme.

It is a key North-South funded initiative, supporting disadvantaged young people through targeted interventions, focused upon inclusion and skills development.