Cedar recently celebrated the success of the Community Inclusion Project at the Craigavon Civic Centre. This was a 15-month project funded by Peace IV partnership, which delivered Good Relations programmes with community partners in the Craigavon/ Banbridge area such as Portadown YMCA, St Mary’s Youth Centre, and Brownlow.
 
Thomas, a young participant aged 10, said: 

“I learnt a lot through this about how we can all get along no matter who we are or what background or community we come from. It doesn’t matter about things like that because when you make friends with someone it’s because you like the same things, it isn’t about your differences. I have met so many people I wouldn’t have had a chance to mix with otherwise and made friends that I would never have had without this project and that’s a really good thing.”

Mr Keary, a parent, stated: 

“Matthew has made friends; first time for everything. Matthew was able to come home and joke, chose clothes that he wanted to be able to fit in with his friends, and this was all down to the Personal Resilience Programme offered by the Cedar Foundation and the YMCA." 

The young people were presented with sweatshirts and enjoyed Pizza and snacks with their parents and partners including the local HSCT and community partners.

   

                   
 
                   

The project is funded by the PEACE IV programme, a cross-border initiative, financed through the European Union and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). It has been designed to support peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and the Border Region of Ireland.