Success for Cross-Border, Cross Community tournament
On Sunday, 27th April, a heartwarming sight unfolded in Omagh as 125 young people, aged 14-18, came together for a cross-border, cross-community football tournament at Youth Sport in Omagh.
This tournament, organised by Youth Advisory Board members as part of a social action project change, was put together over the Easter Holidays as a celebration event to recognise and acknowledge the good work the young people have been doing on the Beyond the Ball community engagement program.
The Beyond the Ball community engagement programme, funded by the International Fund for Ireland, empowers social mobility. It creates opportunities for young people from eight different regions across the Island of Ireland: Drogheda (Co. Louth), Buncrana/Letterkenny (Donegal), Derry/Londonderry, Omagh (Tyrone), Enniskillen (Fermanagh), Manorhamilton (Leitrim), Sligo, and Belfast.
Since the programme's establishment in 2023, just under 1000 young people from underrepresented areas have participated in weekly education and training sessions, enhancing their skills, earning qualifications, and developing pathways to employability.
In addition to weekly football sessions, which build confidence and interpersonal skills, participants have also completed education and training qualifications in Community sport and leadership, leadership skills, equality, diversity, inclusion, and more—these skills and qualities they put into practice through social action projects to create change within their areas.
This tournament, held on Sunday, 27th April, at Youth Sport, Omagh, was organised and run by the young people in the Omagh group as part of their Level 1 Community Sport and Leadership award (CLSA). Throughout the program, they have developed many interpersonal skills and are now going on to complete their Level 1 Leadership skills.
This program has been a catalyst for personal growth for many young people, including Pheobe, Molly and Tony who started the program two years ago in Enniskillen and, having completed their Level 1 CLSA, are now completing their L3 Sport at South-West College.
“I have greatly enjoyed the time I have had with Beyond the Ball as I got to meet people from all over. I have gained lots of qualifications and experience. The tournament on Sunday was well organised and enjoyable. It was great to meet and play against people from all over, same with all the tournaments and getting the opportunity to go to different places.”
Tiernan, another young person from the Enniskillen group, who showed a passion for DJing through a music workshop held in conjunction with Devenish Partnership, MC'd the event on Sunday and kept the tunes flowing. The program has helped him
develop his skills and supported his journey as he gets ready to go to university in England to study music and DJing.
Their journey is a testament to the transformative power of this initiative, inspiring hope for the future of our youth.
These stories are just a glimpse of the bright future that awaits our youth, thanks to the opportunities provided by this program.
Aimee Fitzpatrick, Programme Coordinator Enniskillen and Omagh, for the Rio Ferdinand Foundation concluded:
“This program has had such a positive impact on the young people in each region throughout the country. Creating the opportunity to bring young people together from across the country, different backgrounds and different cultures to learn from each other. It is true that sport is a common ground, and young people can learn so many life skills and interpersonal skills from it. I have seen it first hand with this program from young people who are shy and would barley say hello to now leading sessions, the resilience as well as respect for each other and others. This doesn’t include the pathways into education and the positive impact the qualifications have had.”
