Over £148,000 Awarded to Tackle Violence Against Women and Girls Across Mid and East Antrim

More than £148,000 has been awarded to eight projects across Mid and East Antrim through the Local Change Fund. The funding will support community initiatives focused on preventing violence against women and girls, promoting respectful relationships and challenging harmful attitudes and behaviours.

More than £148,000 in funding to tackle violence against women and girls in Mid and East Antrim has been awarded to grassroots organisations across the borough.

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has awarded the funding through the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) Local Change Fund, supporting projects designed to increase awareness, encourage healthy relationships and address attitudes and behaviours associated with gender-based violence.

The Local Change Fund forms part of the Northern Ireland Executive’s wider seven-year Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls. The programme is led by The Executive Office and places a strong emphasis on prevention and addressing the underlying causes of violence, abuse and harm.

Eight Mid and East Antrim Projects Receive Funding

This is the second round of Local Change Fund awards in the borough, with successful applicants receiving grants ranging from £1,000 to £25,000.

According to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, the funding allocation has increased by almost 50% compared with the previous funding round following agreement with The Executive Office.

The eight successful projects are:

• Start360 – Ballymena – Rise Together
• Carrickfergus YMCA – Safe, Seen & Respected Youth Action Programme
• WayMaker Child Therapy CIC – Safe Futures: Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Abuse through Therapeutic Play and Family Education
• Larne YMCA – Respect Starts Here
• Irish FA Foundation – Fair Game for Respect: Power to Change through Football
• Voice of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) – Safe Vibes
• Larne Well-Being Hub – Athena: Breaking the Cycle
• Women’s Aid ABCLN – Heading for Healthy Relationships Schools Programme

The projects span youth work, sport, therapeutic support, education and community-based programmes.

For more local information, visit Northern Ireland Online’s Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne town pages.

Focus on Preventing Violence Against Women and Girls

The Local Change Fund supports grassroots organisations working to prevent violence, abuse and harm before it occurs.

The wider Ending Violence Against Women and Girls programme focuses on challenging harmful attitudes, behaviours and culture while promoting healthy and respectful relationships.

The Northern Ireland Executive launched the Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Framework as part of a long-term approach to preventing violence and creating change across society.

Community organisations have an important role within the strategy because they can work directly with young people, families and other groups at a local level.

Mayor Welcomes Increased EVAWG Funding

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Thomas Gordon, welcomed the additional funding and highlighted the role local organisations can play in changing attitudes.

He said:

“We are delighted to have been able to secure additional funding to support the projects delivering such important training to change attitudes, behaviours and culture. Through awareness raising amongst the communities here in the Borough, we can promote healthy, respectful relationships.”

The Mayor said the council remained committed to addressing violence against women and girls and ensuring women and girls feel safe throughout the community.

He added:

“The importance of collaborating with community groups to deliver this work and create the opportunities to positively influence the lives of our young people cannot be overstated; and it allows the key messages of the EVAWG initiative to reach as many as possible.”

What Is the EVAWG Local Change Fund?

The EVAWG Local Change Fund provides funding for community and voluntary organisations to deliver projects at a grassroots level.

Eligible organisations include those working in community development, arts, sport, youth services and faith-based sectors.

The funding forms part of the Northern Ireland Executive’s broader programme of action aimed at preventing violence against women and girls.

More information about the programme is available through:

• The Executive Office – Ending Violence Against Women and Girls
• Ending Violence Against Women and Girls Strategic Framework
• Mid and East Antrim Borough Council

Supporting Change Across Mid and East Antrim

The latest funding will allow organisations working across Mid and East Antrim to deliver programmes aimed at creating longer-term change.

Through education, youth engagement, football, therapeutic support, family education and community programmes, the projects will contribute towards the prevention objectives contained within the EVAWG Strategic Framework.

Readers can find more local stories and community updates in the Northern Ireland Online News section.

Northern Ireland Online will continue to cover community funding, local initiatives and projects taking place across Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and the wider Mid and East Antrim area.