About the programme
The Future Leaders Programme is an all-island training program for young people, aged 14-17.
Its funded through the generous donations on 51 companies and some private foundations who also take part in mentoring and sharing their knowledge and skills with the young people on the programme. This helps equip them with leadership and confidence skills, helps build relationships across the island of Ireland, and encourages active roles in community development.
The program includes online and in-person components, social action projects, and accredited qualifications.
It started when we listened
The Future Leaders programme started by listening. Listening to what the Young people we were engaged with wanted, what would make them feel less alienated, and give them more hope for the future.
Many young people from underprivileged and marginalized backgrounds across the island of Ireland lack access to leadership opportunities, positive role models, and the skills needed to build a successful future.
The Future Leaders Program provides a solution by empowering young people through leadership development, personal growth, and social action projects, helping them find direction, confidence, and purpose.
Leah's story
Leah, 23, currently works as a youth worker in Dublin and lives with her mum in Finglas
As a teenager, Leah didn't see a future for herself, but everything changed when she joined our Future Leaders Programme.
Program goals and activities
- Empower young leaders: To give young people the skills, confidence, and networks needed to become leaders in their communities.
- Promote peacebuilding: To help participants from diverse backgrounds work together, build trust, and engage in peacebuilding on the island of Ireland and with the UK.
- Develop skills: The curriculum includes topics like leadership, problem-solving, confidence-building, social action, and personal development.
- Facilitate connections: Participants meet and collaborate with peers from different communities across the island of Ireland.
- Provide accreditation: The program offers accredited qualifications, helping participants with future opportunities.
My favourite part of this scheme so far has been participating in the paired reading, as I feel like it has helped me gain confidence in a leadership role, and develop skills to help me interact with others in a unfamiliar setting. I also enjoyed the residential as I really enjoyed meeting new people and getting to know a group of people I never would have met otherwise.
Lauren
Programme model
The programme consists of a three-tier model (see Figure 1 above) which provides participants with progression pathways structured around the themes of personal learning, social action, and good relations.
Young people enter the programme at Bronze level, where they are recruited through their school/youth group to take part in a locally-delivered youth leadership project. Local projects are paired on a cross-border basis and take turns to host reciprocal exchanges.
Following completion of Bronze, participants have the opportunity to progress to Silver and Gold levels through a competitive selection process. Successful applicants take part in an intensive all-island programme of activities delivered directly by Co-operation Ireland, with activities including leadership training, social action/lobbying for policy change, world of work experiences, and, at Gold level, one-to-one mentoring.
The programme works with smaller numbers at each stage, reducing from c.150 young people in the local partner-delivered projects at Bronze level to more intensive direct delivery by Co-operation Ireland staff with c.25-30 young people at silver and gold levels. An alumni phase is currently under development, with the piloting of activities to provide further opportunities for programme graduates.
Katies story
Katie is 20 and from Portadown in Northern Ireland, she had never been on holiday, and never met anyone from The Republic of Ireland
Although apprehensive about meeting new people she decided to come on Future Leaders peace-building residentials.
Program structure and delivery
The program is delivered through a combination of online platforms and facilitated workshops. It is supported our dedicated staff and other inspirational figures from fields like business and sport.
The programme has 3 Pillars
Good Relations
- Develop new relations and links with peers from different backgrounds, across the island and beyond.
- Have greater understanding of the identities and perspectives of other communities across the island
Personal Learning
- Have improved skills for working with others, including communications, teamwork and leadership
- Be more hopeful about the future with raised aspirations for study and emplyment
- Have Gained an accredited qualification
Social Action
- Have improved skills and knowledge for taking part in social action
- Have greater confidence in their ability to bring abotu change through social action
- Be more motivated to make a positivie contribution to the world around them
The Impact
In 2020, young people across Ireland were facing the twin challenges of Lockdown and Brexit. Through our partners support we were able to launch the Future Leaders Programme at the moment it was most needed.
Young people who felt uncertain about their future have instead found hope, skills, and a pathway into leadership. Over the past five years this support has helped us prepare over 900 young people to become community leaders and peacebuilders.
This has resulted in the following impacts:
911
911 Young People took part in Future Leaders across the five years of the programme.
40
40 local youth leadership projects took place in Dublin, Belfast, Cork, Limerick, Derry/Londonderry, Galway and Kiilmarnock (Scotland)
50
50 residentials delivered, bringing together groups from different backgrounds on the island of Ireland.
Bridging Divides
93%
made new friends from different cultural or religious backgrounds.
89%
report a deeper understanding of other communities across the island.
Building Confidence & Leadership
9 in 10
participants now see themselves as leaders (up from 6 in 10 before joining).
95%
report gaining skills that will help in their future education an careers.
Driving Community Change
40
40 social action projects delivered, tackling issues from homelessness to mental health.
40%
Participants are 40% more confident in their ability to improve their communities.
Accredited Achievements
449
449 qualifications earned in leadership activism, and youth work.
Real-world career exposure through ambassador-hosted workplace experiences in Dublin, Belfast, London and beyond.
By becoming an Ambassador in The Future Leaders programme, you can help empower the next generation of young leaders and peace builders, equipping them with the skills and confidence to make a positive contribution to the future development of their communities.
