Background to the Project
The Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime Programme is an ambitious, multi-disciplinary and transformational change programme working to deliver the NI Executive’s priority of addressing the challenging issues associated with paramilitarism in Northern Ireland. The programme is currently in its second phase (2021-2025). The overall aim of the programme is to achieve safer communities, resilient to paramilitarism, criminality and coercive control. More information about the background to the programme and phase 1 can be found here. This page provides information regarding applying for the final year of the phase 2 programme which ends in March 2025 for additionally identified areas.
The youth work Engage funding supports youth work organisations to engage directly with young people within communities who have been harmed by paramilitary groups and/or those who are most at risk of becoming involved in criminal gangs or risk-taking behaviour. Individual assessments of young people’s needs, identifies skill-based interventions delivered using trauma informed practices to develop programmes to increase the young people’s resilience and awareness of risk factors. In line with the public health model these are considered secondary and tertiary interventions.
Application Funding Submission Information
Application Closing Date:
29th May 2024 by 4pm
Return of Application:
Applications are made through a paper based application form available at the bottom section of this page.
Completed application should be return to:
eaministerialyouth@eani.org.uk
Programme Values
As part of the wider Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime, it embeds and Executive-wide approach with all partners funded under the programme. The programme values are based on the additional commitments to Northern Ireland Ministerial Pledge of Office that were made under the Fresh Start Agreement. These are to:
- Work collectively to achieve a society free of paramilitarism.
- Support the rule of law unequivocally in work and deed and support all efforts to uphold it.
- Challenge all paramilitary activity and associated criminality.
- Call for, and work together to achieve, the disbandment of all paramilitary organisations and their structures.
- Challenge paramilitary attempts to control communities.
- Support those who are determined to make the transition away from paramilitarism.
Funding provided on behalf of the programme must be used by recipients in a manner that is consistent with and uploads these values.
Programme Information
The Engage Programme is a targeted, tertiary level, positive youth development model, delivered by professionally qualified youth workers in the community to young people under the age of 25. The young people are identified as:
- Young people who have been victims of paramilitary/organised crime, violence, coercion and or exploitation
- Young people engaged in violence and criminality
- Young people at risk of criminal exploitation
The Engage Model is intensive and implemented for a maximum of 12 months (until the end of March 2025), aimed at reducing the intensity as individual goals (short and longer term) are achieved. Individual work is the key method of delivery to meet the needs of the young person with small group work used to support the development of peer support/learning. The core elements of the model delivery is:
- Creation of safe spaces
- Use of critical incident reviews
- Goal setting and review
- Providing opportunities
- Use of reflection and skills development
- Rewards and recognition of success
- Practitioner coaching and supervision
- Completion of young person baselines and exit surveys
Service Delivery
Delivery expectations are outlined within the published development plan. Successful organisations will be required to submit a one-year action based on all the outputs within the development plan. This will include agreement with the Education Authority on the agreed target number of programmes and young people that will be engaged.
Engage+
The Education Authority commissioned independent research through Queen’s University Belfast. This research evaluated Engage delivery through baseline data from young people and in-depth interviews across 15 engage sites. Responses to the baseline were compared to assess changes, understand observed changes, their implications for the programme and identified the following recommendations to improve the delivery:
- Standardising the Engage program to increase the likelihood of participants receiving consistent support that aligns with the elements contributing significantly to desired changes.
- Introducing the concept of “Engage+” as a refined iteration of the program targeting children and young people particularly vulnerable to violence and its harms, as opposed to those on the periphery or living in communities with elevated violence.
- Proposed targeted, tertiary-level positive youth development model delivered by qualified youth workers to young people under the age of 25 at risk of violence, criminality, and exploitation.
- Emphasis on relationship building and one-on-one interaction (mentoring) informed by evidence-based strategies and strengths-based approaches to support young people in a goal-oriented manner.
- Outcomes are monitored throughout the intervention, with progress leading to reduced intensity of support and signposting to more appropriate services.
Organisations will be required to deliver in line with addressing these recommendations as part of the delivery model.
Exact availability of funding per award is outlined on the cover page of each funding opportunity development plan. Outlined below is how these costs were established for the opportunity. This benchmarking and establishment of costs has been applied to both voluntary and statutory delivery through the Education Authorities business case for the programme.
Staffing and Salaries
Staff salaries for the programme will be provided to each successful organisation based on the number of JNC Qualified posts for the delivery of the targeted area. This will be based on the top salary point of that JNC grade and pay settlement as published by the Education Authority, which will also include employers’ national insurance contributions and pensions contribution in line with Education Authority’s contractual arrangements.
Programme Costs
All statutory and voluntary delivery of the programme will include a programme budget cost per Area Youth Worker of £5,000.
Management Costs
In addition, the established salaries and programme costs noted above, the Education Authority will provide a 10% management cost based on the total of these costs per project to all successful voluntary youth organisations. This can be used were applicable to cover organisation administration costs, overheads and mileage associated with the programme.
Submission of Costs as Part of Your Application
Whilst the Education Authority will provide the detailed breakdown of these costs per development plan, it will be for the voluntary organisation to determine how they apportion their costs across staffing/salaries, programme costs and overheads. It will however remain a requirement that the number of established posts and grades are achieved as part of the funding award for delivery.
Submitted costs will not form part of the assessment, however any application more than the noted available funding will not be considered. Budgets are based on a 1 June 2024 – 31 March 2025 delivery.
Benefits Realisation Reporting
The programme’s overall aim is:
- Safer communities, resilient to paramilitarism, criminality and coercive control.
End Benefits
There are two end benefits. These are longer term, measurable, strategic changes. Progress on these will be conditioned by success realising the four intermediary benefits below. Progress also depends on a number of strategic factors and dependencies beyond the programme’s direct control.
- People and communities are safe from the harm caused by paramilitarism
- Safer communities, resilient to paramilitarism, criminality and coercive control
Intermediary benefits
There are four intermediary benefits which are shorter term measurable changes which if realised and added together, demonstrate progress towards realising the two End Benefits. These are:
- People feel safer
- Protective factors increase
- Community resilience increases
- Attitudinal change improves
This project will focus on Protective Factors, a public health approach to violence reduction that aims to reduce the risk factors and increase the protective factors for individuals at risk. This benefit is about increasing the number and efficacy of individual protective factors that protect individuals from paramilitary involvement and harm.
Reporting Frequency and Method
You will be required to complete:
- An annual income and expenditure form by 30th April 2025
- Provide a quarterly income and expenditure monitoring form
- Receive an EA financial verification visit annually
Throughout the programme delivery period successful organisations will be required to:
- Complete an Education Authority target monitor
- Complete a monthly summary report
- Receive Education Authority moderation visits in line with funding allocation
- Provide a minimum of 2 case studies annually
- Use the baseline tool devised by Education Authority Youth Service/Queens University Belfast with young people at the beginning and end of the process
Application Eligbility and Assessment
Selection and Award
Organisations who meet the Eligibility Criteria (Essential) will progress to application assessment under the criteria outlined below. The assessment criteria will be used to score each application and based on merit (top score to lowest score).
Application Assessment
All applicants will be required to provide a response and evidence to the following questions. Each of your questions will be assessed against the established assessment criteria outlined to apply a score which will be totalled. Applicants are required to score at least “meets requirements” across all questions to be considered for award. All applicants will be required to answer all assessment questions:
- Phase 2 Programme Exit Strategy March 2025
- Mainstreaming Learning
- Strength Based Approach
- Reflective Practice
Detailed assessment and scoring criteria tables are available below for each question. pages per question.
Eligibility Criteria (Essential)
Applicant organisations must meet the criteria below to be eligible to apply and be in receipt of this funding.
Criterion | Assessment & Minimum Grade Required | |
1 | Currently in Receipt of either or both Local Area Based or Local Project Funding for the 2024-2025 period. | Education Authority will base this on the information we already hold on file for your organisation. Organisations not in receipt either funding for 2024-2025 will not progress to assessment |
2 | Be a registered and verified Local Voluntary Youth Organisation with the Education Authority which includes as part of verified status that your organisation has:
| Education Authority will base this on the information we already hold on file for your organisation. |
3 | Total Application costs in line with published available award | Total budget costs submitted do not exceed the published value of the award. Applications in excess of this value will not be considered for assessment |
Targeted Delivery Areas & Development Plans
Applications forms and Support Materials
