RAISE Programme: Ballymena initiatives among projects advancing with £3.7m backing

Castle Tower School in Ballymena has been confirmed among successful applicants for the Department of Education’s RAISE Programme.

Ballymena projects have been placed firmly in the spotlight after Education Minister Paul Givan announced more than £3.7 million in funding to support Locality Led Projects under the RAISE Programme across Northern Ireland.

A total of 61 projects have been selected to move forward to the next stage of the programme, which aims to raise educational achievement and tackle disadvantage through a whole-community, place-based approach.

Several initiatives in Ballymena, alongside projects in Antrim and Carrickfergus, have now progressed following assessment.

Announcing the investment, Mr Givan said:

“I am pleased to announce that 61 Locality Led Projects have been selected to move forward to the next stage under the RAISE Programme. This represents a significant investment in our children, young people and local communities across Northern Ireland.

“This funding will not only help raise aspirations and achievement, but it will also enable communities to take a fresh look at the challenges caused by deprivation and work collectively to overcome them.

“The RAISE Programme provides a powerful platform for collaboration, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to succeed. It enables communities to come together to remove the barriers to learning and achievement that many of our children and young people continue to face.

“Today’s announcement marks another important step forward in delivering the objectives set out in each of the RAISE Locality Strategic Area Plans. I look forward to seeing the positive difference this investment will make for children and young people across Northern Ireland.”

Strong focus on Ballymena

Among the Ballymena projects moving forward is Castle Tower Special School’s “Together We Thrive: Living Together, Learning Together”, which has been allocated £8,000.

Delivered in partnership with the Inter-Ethnic Forum, the initiative is expected to strengthen inclusion and engagement among minority ethnic families within the school community.

The project will address language barriers through translated materials, multilingual coffee mornings, a Parent Cultural Ambassador Programme and pupil-led heritage projects, offering a human-centred approach to building belonging and understanding.

Northern Regional College (NRC) has also progressed with its “Re-Engage for Success” project, valued at £149,980.

Working alongside The Bytes Project, the programme will support post-primary schools in Ballymena, focusing on re-engaging young people aged 14 to 16 who have become disengaged from education, helping them reconnect with learning and future pathways.

Meanwhile, Access Employment Limited (AEL) will deliver “AEL Transitions Plus” with funding of £73,810, in partnership with Young Enterprise NI Ltd.

The project will support SEN and AEN pupils aged 14 to 19 in Ballymena as they transition into further education or employment, offering bespoke training, live work experience, mentoring support and workplace tours designed to build confidence and real-world skills.

Projects across Antrim and Carrickfergus

In Antrim, DreamScheme Northern Ireland’s Antrim Youth Engagement Programme (£69,991) will deliver small-group workshops and mentoring across two post-primary schools, focusing on confidence, resilience, relationships, wellbeing and improved attendance.

The Antrim Area Learning Community has also progressed with “Bridging the Gap: Targeting Literacy and Numeracy at Key Stage 3 and 4” (£30,000), supporting teacher professional learning and targeted interventions across six post-primary schools.

Carrickfergus will see several initiatives move forward, including Victoria Primary School and Nursery Unit’s “Bright Minds Maths Club” (£40,320), a collaborative after-school numeracy programme across seven schools, and Carrickfergus YMCA’s RAISE Youth Mentoring Programme (£49,951), aimed at improving attendance, engagement and aspirations among Key Stage 3 pupils.

Home-Start East Antrim’s “Big Hopes Big Futures” programme (£60,000) will focus on younger children and parents in the Gortalee area, supporting school readiness through play, routines, parental coping strategies and the development of language, social and independence skills.

Next steps and funding process

The Department of Education has stressed that selection at this stage does not constitute a commitment to funding. Organisations must not commit to expenditure unless and until a formal Letter of Offer has been issued and accepted.

Members of the RAISE Programme Team will be in contact with organisations in the coming weeks to agree funding levels, project objectives, measures, targets and a costed workplan.

The £3.7 million investment will ultimately support projects designed to promote educational excellence, raise standards, increase pupil attendance and improve pathways for learners most at risk of underachievement.

A full list of projects moving forward is available via the Department of Education, along with further information on the RAISE Programme.