Agenda item

            The Committee considered the following report:

“1.0      Purpose of Report/Summary of Main Issues

1.1            To provide the Committee with an update on the Council’s sponsorship of the Common Purpose – NI2035 Legacy Programme. 

2.0       Recommendation

2.1       The Committee is asked to note the programme update and consider the potential opportunities for the Council to support and engage with the programme. 

3.0       Main Report

3.1       Common Purpose – NI2035 Legacy Programme. 

            Background

            The Committee will recall that, at the meeting on 18th August, it approved the £10,000 sponsorship request from Common Purpose to support the delivery of the NI20235 Legacy Programme in Belfast.

            The programme aims to build on previous funding provided by Council in 2021 alongside other organisations such as Allstate Northern Ireland, Belfast Charitable Society, Belfast Met, Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland and Power NI which enabled Common Purpose to engage 40 young leaders aged 18-25 from different communities, backgrounds, beliefs and experiences to consider ‘What will the legacy of our generation be?’

            The success of the previous programme has encouraged Common Purpose to extend its delivery in Belfast and the new NI2035 Legacy Programme aims to engage with a new cohort of up to 100 young leaders across the City. 

            Update on NI2035 Legacy Programme

3.2       The NI20235 Legacy Programme is currently being developed by Common Purpose with support from Council officers. Whilst some elements of the programme have yet to be confirmed, a brief overview is provided below:

·        Delivery Dates: 24th and 25th January 2024 have been confirmed as the delivery dates for the programme (in person, over two full days). An introductory pre-programme session, lasting roughly 30 minutes will also be held online in advance of the programme to inform participants of the agenda and to discuss any questions or queries (date TBC).

·        Venue:

-       24 January 2024 – MCS Group, 10th Floor, The Ewart, 3 Bedford St, Belfast BT2 7EP;

-       25 January 2024 - Belfast City Hall, Belfast BT1 5GS

-       The City Hall will be used to host participants on the second day of the programme (25th January). The Banqueting Hall has been booked to accommodate the participants throughout the day whilst a tour of the council chamber has also been requested.

·        Participants: The programme aims to recruit and engage up to 100 young people aged 18-25. Participants will stem from a range of areas, backgrounds, and cultures to provide opportunities to build relationships and understanding amongst those taking part. As a project sponsor, Council will have the opportunity to refer a minimum of 10 young people to the project (staff, community networks, and partners). Common Purpose will be responsible for managing participant registrations and updating on progress.

·        Programme Overview: The Northern Ireland Legacy Programme will be an interactive and engaging initiative that will inspire young people to believe in the power of their ideas, the strength of their passions, and their potential to transform the place where they live and rewrite the narrative. Whilst the programme will focus on leadership activities and workshops it aims to provide a purposeful movement fueled by the energy and vision of young people to encourage them to ensure that their voices are heard to help shape a lasting change in Northern Ireland. 

Participants will hear from and engage with a wide range of guest speakers and facilitators over the course of the 2-day programme. Activities and workshops will focus on highlighting key issues and challenges in today’s society, visioning a future for NI and local communities, as well as identifying interventions that should be delivered to bring about positive social change. Participants will present their ideas, interventions, and visions to a panel of senior officers from Belfast City Council and partner organisations who will provide feedback and guidance to support young people to action their ideas and encourage them to develop ideas and interventions to address those issues. The full programme agenda has been circulated.

-       Council Involvement: In addition to assisting with logistical planning and recruitment of at least 10 participants, the Council will directly engage and support the delivery of the programme in several ways.

-       The Lord Mayor’s availability has been confirmed for the morning of 25th January. Common Purpose has requested that the Lord Mayor welcome the participants to City Hall, engages with participants by sharing his leadership experience and participates in a short Q&A session with the young leaders. A photo opportunity with the Lord Mayor has also been requested.

-       There will also be opportunities for senior Council officers to engage in discussions / workshops and sit on panels to provide feedback to participants on presentations and programme activities (officers TBC). This will also provide an opportunity for BCC officers to inform young people of the work that Council and partner organisations are delivering through the recently refreshed Belfast Agenda to improve outcomes for young people across the city.

            Next Steps

3.3       NI20235 Legacy Programme Marketing Materials and FAQs have been circulated with this report. Members are asked to circulate the materials through their relevant networks to raise awareness of the programme and the opportunities available for participants.

            The registration link for eligible participants can be accessed here or through https://commonpurpose.org/legacy/northern-ireland-legacy

            A further update will be provided to the Committee in due course.

            Financial and Resource Implications

3.4       The £10,000 funding has been sourced from in year departmental budgets thus there are no additional finance or resource implications contained within this report.

            Equality or Good Relations Implications/Rural Needs Assessment

3.5       There are no equality implications contained in this report as the initiative seeks to offer opportunities for young people of all communities and background.”

            The Committee noted the contents of the report.