Peace IV Youth Waterways Programme at Share Discovery Village

Young people from the Upper Lough Erne region are back out on the water at Share Discovery Village for the second half of a 16-week Youth Waterways Programme.

The Youth Waterways Programme is being delivered by Share Discovery Village on behalf of Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. It is one of 16 projects identified in the Fermanagh and Omagh PEACE IV Local Action Plan to benefit from a total funding package of £2.8m to deliver projects across three key strands; Shared Spaces and Services, Children and Young People and Building Positive Relations at a local level.

The project has been supported by the European Union’s PEACE IV Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB). Match-funding for this project was provided by the Executive Office in Northern Ireland and the Department for Rural and Community Development in Ireland.

The programme is aimed at two distinct age groups, ‘Island Life’ for 7-11 year olds and ‘Waterways in Motion’ which caters for young people aged between 12 and 16 years.

With the new school year now well underway, the second phase of the Youth Waterways Programme at Share Discovery Village has proved an exciting diversion from school work. The young people have already enjoyed an action-packed few weeks including a trip on the Inishcruiser to learn about the islands in Upper Lough Erne. The ‘Island life’ group completed sessions in bushcraft and archery, affording them an insight into the type of skills required to live in bygone days on these Islands. The ‘Waterways in Motion’ group  also managed to fit in one more Stand Up Paddle Boarding session on the water before the nights closed in.

Both groups have also enjoyed off-site trips. The “Island Life” team set off for a day trip by canoe; their treasure maps and clues leading them to the treasure trove on Trannish Island. The group also took the opportunity to explore the SHARE-owned Bothy dwelling on the island which is a unique and great shelter for weary explorers. The “Waterways in Motion” team also made their way to Trannish Island for an overnight stay at the bothy having first enjoyed a sunset paddle.

The darker and colder nights won’t stop the young people from learning new skills and having fun in the final few weeks of the programme which ends on the 24th October for the Waterways in Motion Group and 25th October for the Island Life group.