Community anger over youth club funding cuts

A COALISLAND youth club has launched a campaign to oppose the decision taken by the Education Authority (EA) to cut back its funding.

It has emerged that both Ógras youth club and Dungannon Youth Resource Centre have lost vital funding, while it appears that no such cuts have been imposed in other areas including Belfast and Derry.

Shane McDonald, who is leader-in-charge at Ógras, told the Herald, that the loss of funding will seriously hamper their ability to provide all-year round activities to hundreds of local children.

CRUCIAL

Both local youth centres had their funding cut by £30,000, which they say is crucial to continuing their work with young people.

Mr McDonald explained that headquarter body, Youth Work Alliance, was advocating for Ógras since cuts to funding were announced in October last year.

He said, “They have been meeting with the heads of youth service who reassured them that this terrible decision would be reversed. However we were shocked that new funding specs released on Monday (January 23) indicate we remain at the October figure of £100,000 while other areas, including Belfast and Derry had the money restored back to £130,000. We need to know why young people from Mid-Ulster are being excluded.”

Ógras delivers a host of activities including ten Health and Wellbeing programmes a year, First Aid training and a two-week summer scheme attended by 250 children a day.

Mr McDonald added, “There is no provision made by the Education Authority for us to run the summer scheme. There is a big need for it in this area and it was previously in the specification but they have cut it out. They say there is no funding for it yet other areas are being funded.”

DETRIMENTAL

“This will have a detrimental impact on young people in Coalisland and wider area.”

Echoing these comments, Barry McGinley of Dungannon Youth Resource Centre (DYRC) said their staff are “angry for our young people”.

He added, “We are operating all year with 350 members. We have a multitude of activities and we provide a nice warm place for young people to be with their friends, especially since Covid. They get active in sports and arts and other activities. We also provide services including Health & Wellbeing, good relations, addressing bullying and safe-guarding, and what it means for young people to look out for each other.”

Mr McGinley said the cuts to funding will now mean that DYRC will have to decide whether to close their Friday or Saturday club as well as no longer being able to accommodate members with ‘special needs’ as staff resources will also have to be cut back.

‘KICK IN THE TEETH’

He added, “I don’t know how we are going to manage. It is a kick in the teeth to everyone in the Mid Ulster Council area concerned for young people. We are very angry for our young people. The Education Authority is basically saying that our young people don’t matter as they are only funding Health and Wellbeing in Belfast and Derry. The children of Dungannon and Coalisland deserve better.”

Independent councillors Dan Kerr, from Coalisland, and Barry Moneith, from Dungannon, have stated they have raised the issue in council and are calling for an ‘emergency’ meeting to raise concerns regarding the shortfall in funding.

The Education Authority has been contacted by the Herald regarding the cut to funding, but on going to press there has been no response.