Four Northern Ireland based projects awarded share of €100,000 Coca-Cola Thank You Fund

As young people across Ireland face an extended period of remote learning, 13 local community groups working directly with those most at risk over the coming months, have celebrated news that they will receive a grant share of this year’s €100,000 Coca-Cola Thank You Fund.

The three successful Antrim based non-profit organisations are The Breen Centre and Willowfield (Inner East Belfast) receiving €10,000 in funding each and Dreamscheme (Outer East Belfast), receiving €5,000 in funding while Greysteel Community Enterprises based in Derry also received €5,000 in funding.

Breen Centre offers musical and performing arts education to the local area. Their project, MiND, will bring young adults together to explore the medium of digital music, workshops and events. While professionally up-skilling and exploring these new opportunities, participants will also be encouraged to have a dialogue within the network about their personal welfare and mental health.

Willowfield Parish Community Centre will develop ‘Moving Forward’, with the funding – seeking to empower young people from the local community to overcome the many barriers they face in life – enabling and encourage them to reach their potential through a variety of initiatives under area of education, employment, physical fitness and personal development.

Specialising in youth support, Dreamscheme will use the grant to fund additional staffing costs and grow their project that addresses issues the youth in local estates have suffered due to the pandemic lockdown, such as increased mental health concerns, anxiety, and loss of opportunity. Through organised relationship building activities, up-skilling, and the opportunity to deliver activities for younger age groups, participants will build resilience, confidence and a practical plan for future employment.

Greysteel Community Enterprises will use the funding to develop an intensive, 6-month work ready programme for 20 young people to combat youth unemployment in the area. Partnering with local business, all 20 young people will be mentored to assess their skills levels and interests in order to build a customised portfolio of work experience. By the end, each participant will have gained the knowledge and confidence to enter employment.

Marking a decade of support for youth-orientated community-based initiatives across the island of Ireland, this year’s 10th anniversary Fund focused on those disproportionately affected by the economic and socio-economic impact of the pandemic, with a record number of applications registered from all 32 counties.

Launched in August as “A Fund to help with young people’s recovery post COVID-19,” grants totally €100,000 were awarded by a panel of judges to projects seeking support for initiatives targeted at 16-25 year olds – to help build their resilience, meet the education gaps that exist and tackle the mental health challenges they’re facing today and will continue to face.

23 shortlisted groups pitched their ideas to the panel during a series of virtual judging sessions, with seven of the thirteen recipient organisations set to receive a grant of €10,000 for the development of their local project. They include; The Breen Centre (Antrim), Willowfield (Inner East Belfast), Enactus Ireland (Dublin), Club Óige Árainn Mhór (Donegal), BeLonG To Youth Services (Nationwide), Akina Dada Wa Afrika (AkiDwA) (Sister from Africa) (Dublin), and Buddy Bench Ireland (Kilkenny)

An additional six organisations also received €5,000 for their responsive project ideas following their pitch to the panel including; Greysteel Community Enterprises (L/Derry), Dreamscheme (Outer East Belfast), Down Syndrome Tipperary (Tipperary), Ablevision Ireland (Louth), Belmullet Swimming Club (Mayo) and Dublin City Farm and Ecology Centre (Dublin).

Thanking all the organisations who applied for the 2020 Coca-Cola Thank You Fund, along with the judges who had the impossible task of selecting this year’s recipients Petre Sandru, Country Manager, Coca-Cola Ireland said; “We have been recording year on year increases in the level of applications submitted to the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund since we launched the programme in 2011. This year has been like no other.

“For the first time, the Fund received applications from all 32 counties and while we are so proud to realise our goal of providing an all-island support to groups working with those most at risk in their local communities, it is a stark reminder of the impact the pandemic is having on our young people.

“This fund was set up to empower local community leaders and enable an expanding network of youth-orientated non-profit groups and organisations to effect change and never before has this been more important. For some young people, their future is dependent on the frontline work of these local heroes and as a business we’re committed to supporting their efforts towards Ireland’s recovery.

“In these difficult times we have seen the renewed importance of community spirit and while I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate this year’s recipients, I also want to encourage each and every community leader, charity group and sporting organisation who took the time to apply to this year’s special 10th anniversary Fund to continue their great work. The need far exceeded what was available in funding, but your innovative ideas are the solution.”

Joining the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund judging panel once again this year June Trimble MBE, CEO, YouthAction Northern Ireland by saying; “The announcement of this fund closes off what has been an unprecedentedly difficult year for all of us, but none more so than those young people who were already in a vulnerable position before the pandemic hit our shores.

“We are facing into a real battle as we work to rebuild out local communities - some of whom have been totally devastated as a result of the crisis. For some, the end of the crisis will allow them to return to some sense of normality, but for others their only glimmer of hope is the support of the hardworking frontline heroes in their local community, with projects made possible by this year’s Coca-Cola Thank You Fund.”

Since 2011 the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund has now donated €1,155,000 to over 100 non-profit organisations involved in youth targeted community, social and education programmes across the island of Ireland.

For more information about the Coca-Cola Thank You Fund check out www.coca-cola.ie/thankyou