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 18 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 18 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
- Sally Smith - GRACE Women's Development Network - Chair
- Cara O'Kane- YEHA Project- - Treasurer
- Garrett Gorman - Independent Board Member - Secretary
- Sean Oliver - North Belfast Interface Network
- Bill McComb - Marrowbone Community Association
- 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 youth community transport services.
We manage and facilitate good relations initiatives and youth governance programmes across the area.
We chair the Youth Sub-Group of the North Belfast Community Partnership and lead a number of partnership initiatives across North Belfast.
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 working on the redevelopment of a previously derelict building at Ardoyne Shops, which will serve as a youth and community development hub and digital learning centre for North Belfast
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 youth community transport services.
We manage and facilitate good relations initiatives and youth governance programmes across the area.
We chair the Youth Sub-Group of the North Belfast Community Partnership and lead a number of partnership initiatives across North Belfast.
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 working on the redevelopment of a previously derelict building at Ardoyne Shops, which will serve as a youth and community development hub and digital learning centre for North Belfast
We are continually developing strategic collaborations and communication between local providers to develop and secure youth service resources and opportunities for local young people.
our current programmes
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.
- Outreach detached team 5 evenings a week on the streets of Ardoyne, Marrowbone and Oldpark.
- Coordinating North Belfast DYE outreach programme to provide additional outreach detached teams from wider North Belfast youth services throughout the year. Participating organisations: Ardoyne Youth Enterprise, Ardoyne Youth Club, Blackmountain Action Group, BlueHouses, CCRF, Forthspring Intercommunity, Holy Family Youth Centre, Marrowbone Youth Club, New Lodge Youth Centre, North Belfast Alternatives, North Belfast Play Forum, RCity, Shankill Alternatives, Streetbeat.
- Accredited training delivered for/with youth and community groups - OCN Level 2 - Mental Health Awareness, Youth Leadership, Youth Work Practice, Diversity and Good Relations, Personal Motivation, Mentoring Skills and Practice, Youth Justice, Hair Styling, Safer Finances, Applying for Work, Inclusive Youth Work for Young People with ASD, Outreach and Detached Youth Work, Relationships and Sexual Health, etc. OCN Level 1 - Introduction to Social Media, Drug Awareness, Prejudice and Discrimination, Personal Motivation, Exploring Feelings and Emotions etc.
- Emerge - outreach personal development programme supporting young people out of the streets and into youth services.
- Youth Inc - North Belfast diversity awareness and empowerment programme for young people in interface communities - in partnership with RCity.
- Ways 2 Wellness - volunteer development for young women.
- Summer Football League - for young people aged 12+, in partnership with North Belfast youth organisations.
- Welcoming Newcomers: workshops on cultural diversity, immigration and asylum for youth and community groups and schools in North Belfast, multi-cultural events, and visits to community groups for new migrant families.
- One to one and group mentoring sessions for young people, help with job searches etc.
- Summer interventions: fun outings and activities throughout the summer.
- Online guide to youth and community services.
- Networking and advocacy for youth and community groups, membership support, information exchange, communications support.
- Chairing and facilitating North Belfast Partnership Youth Sub-Group.
- Facilitating North Belfast Youth Forum together with RCity Youth and North Belfast Partnership.
Films and publications
Available on this website: ardoyne.org/publications
on our YouTube Channel: YouTube/ArdoyneYouthEnterprise
and on our Facebook page: Facebook/ArdoyneYouthEnterpris/videos
- AYE OCNNI courses guide 2026-27
- North Belfast Youth Forum London Study Visit Report - October 25
- North Belfast Outreach Detached Youth Work model - a resource developed for youth workers, youth services and their statutory and community partners
- Where do I get help in North Belfast? AYE's guide to youth and community services - March 2023
- North Belfast Youth Together - a report on behalf of North Belfast Interface Pilot Project - April 2023
- Teaching Safer Finances in Youth Work Settings - a report for the Consumer Council - 2022
- AYE Enewsletters
- Annual impact reports: 2024-25, 2023-24, 2022-2023, 2021-22, 2020-21, 2019-20, 2018-19, 2017-18, 2016-17
- AYE Strategic plan for 23-26
- Where do I get help during Covid 19 crisis? . Updated March 2021
- 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
- Building Communities, United Communities - a report on projects funded by North Belfast Strategic Good Relations Programme 2017
More films on our Facebook page, including concerts from our Virtual Music Festival 2020.