Ardoyne Youth Enterprise
Who we are
Ardoyne Youth Enterprise (AYE) is a youth and community development organisation operating in the Ardoyne, Oldpark and Marrowbone areas of North Belfast.
We are a network of youth and community groups, founded by local community activists in November 1996 to increase communication between local and statutory youth providers, to develop youth resources locally and to ensure that our young people were getting the most effective resources and service possible. There are over 40 youth provider groups operating in the area, including youth clubs, community organisations, schools and residents groups.
Our mission is to maximise the opportunities and resources available to young people through an inclusive approach to youth services where best practice and youth participation are crucial to delivery.
Who we are
Ardoyne Youth Enterprise (AYE) is a youth and community development organisation operating in the Ardoyne, Oldpark and Marrowbone areas of North Belfast.
We are a network of youth and community groups, founded by local community activists in November 1996 to increase communication between local and statutory youth providers, to develop youth resources locally and to ensure that our young people were getting the most effective resources and service possible. There are over 40 youth provider groups operating in the area, including youth clubs, community organisations, schools and residents groups.
Our mission is to maximise the opportunities and resources available to young people through an inclusive approach to youth services where best practice and youth participation are crucial to delivery.
Membership
We have 16 registered member groups delivering services within Ardoyne, Marrowbone and Oldpark, and we provide support, advice and services for over 40 groups in and around the area.
Management
We have 16 registered member groups delivering services within Ardoyne, Marrowbone and Oldpark, and we provide support, advice and services for over 40 groups in and around the area.
Management
- Bill McComb - Marrowbone Community Association - Acting Chair
- Cara O'Kane- YEHA Project- - Treasurer
- Garrett Gorman - CRJI Ireland - Secretary
- Sean Oliver - North Belfast Interface Network
- Joseph Marley - Volunteer – Safer Neighbourhoods Ardoyne Project
- Sally Smith - GRACE Women's Development Network
- Breandan Clarke
- Deaglan Lundy - Johnson's Solicitors
- Simon Lennon (advisory role) - Operational Director, S3 Solutions
What we do
We manage outreach and detached youth workers who work with young people on the streets and signpost them to existing services.
We run community transport services.
We manage and facilitate good-relations initiatives and youth governance programmes across the area.
We deliver on the action plan for the Crumlin Ardoyne Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership, and we facilitated and drove a community partnership process which brought a state of the art 3G football pitch to Marrowbone Millennium Park.
We are currently developing a number of regeneration proposals.
We are continually developing strategic collaborations and communication between local providers to develop and secure youth service resources and opportunities for local young people.
We manage outreach and detached youth workers who work with young people on the streets and signpost them to existing services.
We run community transport services.
We manage and facilitate good-relations initiatives and youth governance programmes across the area.
We deliver on the action plan for the Crumlin Ardoyne Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership, and we facilitated and drove a community partnership process which brought a state of the art 3G football pitch to Marrowbone Millennium Park.
We are currently developing a number of regeneration proposals.
We are continually developing strategic collaborations and communication between local providers to develop and secure youth service resources and opportunities for local young people.
Current and upcoming programmes
With support from North Belfast Stragegic Good Relations Programme:
With support from Belfast City Council:
With support from the Education Authority:
In partnership with Ashton Centre:
Recent events
Films and publications
Available on this website: ardoyne.org/publications
on our YouTube Channel: YouTube/ArdoyneYouthEnterprise
and on our Facebook page: Facebook/ArdoyneYouthEnterpris/videos
More films on our Facebook page, including concerts from our Virtual Music Festival 2020.
With support from North Belfast Stragegic Good Relations Programme:
- OCN Level 2 awards in Mental Health Awareness, Youth Leadership, Youth Work Practice
- Diversity awareness and empowerment programme for young people in interface communities, with Monkstown Youth Club
- Welcoming Newcomers programme: workshops on immigration and asylum for youth and community groups and schools in North Belfast, and a series of visits to community groups for new migrant families
- One-to-one mentoring delivered with R-City
- Support for young people and community through Covid 19 crisis via online events and activities
With support from Belfast City Council:
- a community capacity building training programme, including OCNNI awards in Youth Leadership, Good Relations and Diversity, Introduction to Social Media,
- an online guide to youth and community services, expanded to include Covid19 community response throughout Upper North Belfast
- a community gardening and social action project for young men.
With support from the Education Authority:
- summer intervention programme for young people in Ardoyne and Marrowbone
In partnership with Ashton Centre:
- Uniting Opportunities programme, a youth empowerment programme through creativity, focusing on young people who may not usually engage with local youth clubs
Recent events
- Online 'Small Worlds' and 'Taste of South Africa' workshops for youth and community groups
- Virtual Music Festival 23-25 october 20 with Who Owns Ye, DJ Paddy Gormley and AYE
- Children of Lockdown, a story writing competition for children and young people with author Paul McVeigh
- Lockdown Challenge, a virtual talent show for children and young people during Spring 2020 lockdown
- Sunflower Challenge, in partnership with Ardoyne Association and Ligoniel Association, Spring-Summer 2020
- AYE Matter - The Silence of the Ceasefire Generation - a discussion on the role of young people in peace and legacy work in the North of Ireland, with Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People Koulla Yiasouma, Commissioner for Victims and Survivors Judith Hill
- AYE Matter – Get your Voice Heard’ – a youth engagement event with Belfast Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey, members of Belfast Youth Forum and local schools and youth clubs, in January 2019
- Visit to Lord Mayor’s Parlour with LM Nuala McAllister, for a group of North Belfast young women, in April 2018
- Launch of AYE Youth Survey with Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People, in December 2017
- GCSE Results day information session for young people on training opportunities and youth programmes, in August 17
- 'AYE Matter', a 'know your rights' information session by Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People Koula Yassouma for children from local primary schools, in March 17
Films and publications
Available on this website: ardoyne.org/publications
on our YouTube Channel: YouTube/ArdoyneYouthEnterprise
and on our Facebook page: Facebook/ArdoyneYouthEnterpris/videos
- Online readings by local writer Paul McVeigh from his novel The Good Son
- Happy Belfast Pride 2020 - Ardoyne youth and community groups message to Virtual Belfast Pride 2020
- MADE - films recording the work of the Monkstown Ardoyne Diversity and Empowerment Programme
- Where do I get help during Covid 19 crisis? a guide to community response services in Upper North Belfast, collated, edited and designed for North Belfast Advice Partnership
- Ardoyne and Marrowbone Sing 12 Days of Christmas: a community video, December 2019
- Speak Up Ardoyne and Marrowbone: a series of interviews with residents and workers of all ages and walks of life: 2018-2019
- Get Your Voice Heard - a report on a youth engagement event on young people’s participation in community and civic life, January 2019
- Out of Order: a series of films by young people on stereotypes and how they affect them, January 2018
- Ardoyne and Marrowbone do Jingle Bells: a community video, December 2017
- AYE Youth Survey 2017
- North Belfast projects reports in FOCUS magazine (an Urban Villages NI publication)
- What's Up Ardoyne & Marrowbone? A guide to what's on, where and when. Spring 2017
- Annual reports: 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17
More films on our Facebook page, including concerts from our Virtual Music Festival 2020.