Ballymena students among 750 young women helping improve lives across Northern Ireland through leadership projects

First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly joined the programme as mentors

Thirty-seven students from Ballymena have been recognised as part of a leadership and mentoring programme that has seen more than 750 young women deliver hundreds of community projects, benefiting almost 18,000 people across Northern Ireland.

Students from Slemish College, Ballymena Academy and St Louis Grammar School took part in the 2025–26 SistersIN programme, joining 756 young women aged 16 to 18 from across Northern Ireland in designing and delivering projects aimed at improving their schools and local communities.

Together, participants completed 480 leadership projects, contributing more than 9,000 hours of volunteering and reaching 17,755 people, according to a new impact report published on Thursday, August 6.

Leadership with lasting impact

Rather than focusing solely on developing leadership skills in the classroom, SistersIN encourages participants to identify issues that matter to them and create projects that leave a lasting legacy.

Students arrive at the SistersIN celebration event at ICC Belfast

More than a third (38%) of participants launched entirely new initiatives that are expected to continue after the programme ends.

The projects reflected the issues young women feel are most important. Mental health and wellbeing was the most common theme, followed by charity fundraising, extracurricular clubs, mentoring, community initiatives and sport.

The programme also widened access to leadership opportunities, with participation from young women attending schools in more disadvantaged communities increasing by 37% compared with the previous year.

Confidence grows through mentoring

Students took part in a panel discussion on the value of partnerships, sharing their mentee journey

The report found the programme delivered significant personal benefits for those taking part.

Girls who began the programme with lower confidence and self-awareness showed improvements three times greater than those who started with higher confidence levels.

Meanwhile:

• 92% said they felt better prepared to move from education into the workplace after taking part in mentoring and job-shadowing.

• 42% reported a noticeable increase in their leadership ability and said they were actively looking for opportunities to use their voice.

Teachers also reported improvements in pupils’ confidence, communication, resilience, teamwork and self-leadership.

A student from Slemish College in Ballymena said:

“It has made me feel that I should set a good example for the younger ones and has made me want to help my juniors at an early age… It has encouraged me that I’m doing the right thing.”

Supporting Northern Ireland’s future leaders

The programme pairs young women with mentors drawn from business, public life and the wider community, helping them build confidence, develop professional skills and expand their networks.

The experience also proved rewarding for those volunteering as mentors.

Nearly two-thirds (62%) said they gained a better understanding of Generation Z and the workforce of tomorrow, while 61% built new community connections through the programme. Nine out of ten mentors said they would volunteer again.

Isobella Williams-Greer sharing her story at the SistersIN celebration event at ICC Belfast

SistersIN Chairman Peter Dobbin said:

“Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not always evenly distributed. SistersIN exists to help change that by ensuring young women from every background and every part of Northern Ireland can access the mentoring, networks and experiences that help them thrive.

“This year’s participants have shown what happens when young women are given the confidence to lead. They have created projects that have made a real difference in their schools and communities, while developing the skills, resilience and ambition that will serve them throughout their lives. Northern Ireland’s future leaders are already here, and they are ready to make their mark.”

Growing programme

Founded in Northern Ireland in 2022, SistersIN aims to help address the gender leadership gap by supporting young women during a key stage of their education.

According to the charity, the 9,060 volunteering hours completed during the past year represent an estimated social value of £72,480, based on the National Minimum Wage for 16 to 18-year-olds, in addition to funds raised directly for charities through participants’ projects.

While the figures underline the scale of the programme across Northern Ireland, its impact was felt much closer to home.

Students from Slemish College, Ballymena Academy and St Louis Grammar School were among those who turned ideas into action, helping improve life in their schools and communities while gaining the confidence and experience to become the next generation of local leaders.