Peace II Measure 2.2

Priority 2 (Social Integration, Inclusion and Reconciliation)

Measure 2 (Developing Children and Young People)

This measure is being administered, on the Departments behalf, by the Youth Education Social Inclusion Partnership (YESIP). More information, about this measure, is on the YESIP website

The aims of this measure are to target those groups of children and young people who are at greatest risk of social exclusion and marginalisation in schools and the youth sector by building on the successful interventions started under PEACE I .

The main actions in meeting this objective are:

actions aimed at improving essential skills of disadvantaged young people;
innovative approaches which will encourage young people to remain in or return to education, to realise their full potential and prepare them for the world of work;
innovative approaches for young people with special educational needs and those from minority ethnic backgrounds;
projects which develop partnerships between schools and industry/commerce;
projects which provide innovative means of access to information, particularly through new technologies;
initiatives which encourage multi-organisational approaches which help meet the needs of vulnerable young people;
research and dissemination of good practice;
actions targeted at early school leavers and those at risk of being educationally disadvantaged;
community-based education projects; and
promoting new initiatives for integrated education.

Criteria for project selection are:

In addition to the generic selection criteria in Chapter 5 of the Programme Complement, projects must:

Involve innovative approaches to tackling the needs of young people;
Seek to build the skills base of young people;
Demonstrate how they plan to (re) integrate marginalized young people into education and/or employment; and
Consider the development of cross-border aspects.

Projects within this Measure should also be able to demonstrate how they can achieve some of the following:-

Involve the adoption of innovative approaches to tackling the needs of young people;
Seek to build the skills base of young people;
Comply with statutory regulations and best practice in relation to working with young people;
Demonstrate how they plan to (re) integrate marginalized young people into employment;
Integrate ICT skills into the context and delivery of the projects;
Encourage the development and implementation of interdepartmental strategies and inter-professional partnerships, which help meet the needs of vunerable young people; and
Encourage or facilitate an increased uptake of integrated education.

Target Areas, Groups and Sectors

The targeted groups are schools; youth organisations in the community and voluntary sectors with relevant specialised knowledge and experience.
The targeted sector is youth education in both formal and non-formal sectors.
In Northern Ireland it will apply especially in New Targeting Social Need (TSN) areas and in the Border Region to the National Anti-Poverty Strategy.

Outputs have been set as follows:

18,000 children and/or young people assisted –
Number of target areas assisted 220(to be monitored).
50 percent of projects supported will incorporate ICT
4,000 children/or young people completing and receiving accreditation for training undertaken
Greater levels of awareness and skills development in relation to ICT
Numbers achieving accreditation - Target 300
Number of children and young people centred projects supported - Target 170
Number of children and young people participating - Target 6500.

This measure, in Northern Ireland, will be funded from ESF grant of up to €23.41m with match funding of €7.8m from central government and €1.572m coming from private funding. In the Border regions this measure will be funded from ESF grant of up to €5.96m with match funding of €1.987m from central government.

The total available is €40.729m.

Implementing Body

Within Northern Ireland the Southern Education and Library Board on Behalf of Youth Education Social Inclusion Partnership and ADM-CPA in consultation with the Department of Education and Science in the Border Region.

Accountable Department

In Northern Ireland the Department of Education. In the Border Region the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs