May 01
0

Young people demand answers from Government on Coronavirus

By | General, News, Newsroom

Young people in Northern Ireland are taking their concerns about the coronavirus directly to their political leaders.

Seven hundred and eighty young people aged 11-25 gave their views on an online survey carried out by the Northern Ireland Youth Forum (NIYF) to capture and establish their understanding and top concerns during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The survey, entitled ‘Our Voices Aren’t In Lockdown’, revealed that 73% of young people feel that they need access to more appropriate information relating to Covid-19 and 74% believe there is not enough testing going on.

The NIYF, which promotes the voice of young people in Northern Ireland, has organised a video conference where young people and political champions made up of MLAS will come together to discuss and debate the results of the survey. This online platform will take place on Wednesday 29th April.

NIYF Participation Development Worker, Natalie Corbett said: “Young people’s voices are as important as ever right now, they have lots of questions about the current situation and we want to ensure their voices are heard and that they know we are here to support them. These are very uncertain times and we look forward to getting those questions answered.”

While they clearly understood the stay home, stay safe message, many are looking for ways to contribute to help the most vulnerable people in their community.

One survey respondent commented: “If I had the chance, I would ask the Prime Minister or First Minister and Deputy First Minister if there’s anything we as young people can do to help in any way at all. Even if it’s a hand with voluntary work.”

The young people submitted more than 600 questions and their views will be relayed to MLAs and other decision makers in Northern Ireland. They are calling for more information on issues such as mental health, education and testing for Covid-19.

Among the questions asked by young people were:

  • ‘How are those with mental health problems being helped while in isolation and lockdown?’
  • Why is more not being done to provide the facts and only the facts rather than speculation as it has created a moral panic for the masses putting even more people in danger
  • Why are young people not being addressed about this like the Norwegian PM did? Don’t sugar coat it, be honest.

To see the full survey please visit NIYF’s Facebook page on https://www.facebook.com/NIYouthForum/videos/2999137530175048/ or website https://www.niyf.org/.

May 01
0

Halifax Foundation helps NI charity sector with nearly £388K to address Covid crisis

By | Business, Corporate, General, News

The Halifax Foundation for Northern Ireland has responded quickly to the Covid-19 outbreak, awarding £387,854 in just four weeks to 66 charities battling to support their local communities during this time of crisis.

On the day the lockdown was announced (March 23) the Foundation moved immediately to provide emergency grants to support these charities in a range of activities to benefit those most at risk, including running food banks and delivering food parcels to those in need, domestic abuse support, mental health provision and online employability support for those who have lost their job as a result of the outbreak.

Brenda McMullan, Executive Director of the Halifax Foundation for NI said, “We are truly humbled by the amazing efforts of our charity and community sectors during these very uncertain and unprecedented times. The Foundation is working hard to award additional funding to those that need it most, and we are aware that time is of the essence. We will also help charities post-COVID to rebuild and re-establish their services at a time when they will be needed to help rebuild society.”

One of the first recipients was Crumlin-based charity A Safe Space to Be Me which received £9,625 to help people in rural areas to access their local foodbank, obtain sanitation products, and support those who were self-isolating, particularly the elderly and vulnerable members of their community.

The Halifax Foundation for NI was also the first funder to match Belfast Charitable Society in supporting North Belfast students to continue to learn from home. Its £10,000 grant leveraged a further £40,000, enabling the purchase of 225 laptops and a series of educational resources for five secondary schools with the highest free school meal entitlement. The legacy of this project will live on as other students will be able to borrow equipment for years to come.

The Mid-Ulster Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (MACP) is another charity to benefit from a £10,000 grant. Following the outbreak of Coronavirus MACP had to stop face to face counselling and the funding will help it to buy online resources such as laptops, headsets and telephone equipment to enable them to use video conferencing to counsel those most in need, as well as providing clinical support for all of their counsellors.

Life Change Changes Lives in Downpatrick received a £2,500 grant to help them buy supplies as part of a project supporting those with mental ill health or addiction who are resettling back into the community after treatment.

Current grantees were also offered the opportunity to re-profile their grants to immediately respond to the COVID crisis, with the Foundation also providing flexibility and extensions to grants where needed.

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May 01
0

Into Film announces free home educational activities

By | Creative Industries, Film, News

An education resource designed for use in schools is now available free online for Northern Ireland families to assist with home learning during the coronavirus outbreak.

Education charity Into Film has a pack of useful teaching tools to help children of all ages with literacy, creative writing, critical thinking, film making and other skills to continue to learn while the schools are closed.

Into Film is a UK-wide organisation with a regional hub in Northern Ireland, which aims to put film at the heart of children and young people’s education, helping to support their academic, cultural, and social development.

Sean Kelly of Into Film said: “This will be a difficult time for families, and we want to make our resources and support freely available to everyone. These activities will provide help for teachers and parents by providing simple, easy and useful tasks that young people can complete unaided. Among other things, our activities will give young people the ability to turn any film or television viewing into an educational experience.”

The activities include writing film reviews, exploring film genres, curating cinema programmes and making your own movie.

Into Film’s review writing guides can help young people apply their film knowledge, critical thinking and literacy skills to any film, providing a valuable and entertaining means of honing their English and writing skills.

Young people can also submit their review to the Into Film website for entry in the Review of the Week competition, with great prizes to be won including film prizes and family cinema vouchers to help support cinemas when they reopen.

Online activities also encourage and support young people to make films that can be done on a mobile phone or tablet. And its ongoing Film of the Month competition offers the perfect way for young people to keep busy with a practical project that can be completed within the home, enhancing various skills including organisation, planning, IT and creative thinking.

Into Film’s aim is to support as many teachers and parents as possible in the coming weeks, by keeping children intellectually stimulated and entertained. To access  or download Into Film’s free resources go to: https://www.intofilm.org/news-and-views/articles/activities-for-young-people-to-do-at-home

To contact Into Film directly email: intofilmni@intofilm.org

Feb 24
0

Northern Ireland up for three UK youth film awards

By | Creative Industries, Film, General

Northern Ireland has three nominations in this year’s UK-wide star-studded Into Film Awards which take place in Leicester Square on March 18, hosted by top comic actor and author David Walliams.

The Into Film Awards discover and honour the most talented and innovative young filmmakers, reviewers and Into Film Clubs, as well as recognising the dedication of educators who use film as an education tool.

Nominees include 19-year-old Mercer MacWilliam Hughes from Lisburn who is competing for the Best Film (16-19) for ‘Bob’s Your Uncle’ about a bickering brother and sister who embark on a treasure hunt left to them by their late uncle in his will.

Mercer said: “I feel incredibly privileged to have been nominated and to able to share this story that means so much to me with an audience of young people who might be able to relate to some of the issues that I worked through in Bob’s Your Uncle. “

Drelincourt Primary School from Armagh is one of three schools in the running for Film Club of the Year (11 and under). The club, which is run by the P3 children, will be going to London as part of a 16 strong party of pupils and staff. The tiny rural school with its current enrolment of 20 pupils includes 80% of EAL (English as an Additional Language) children from a variety of countries including Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Bulgaria, Poland and of course Northern Ireland.

Club leader Sharon Walker and principal Eileen Trew said: “We are absolutely thrilled beyond words to be nominated for Film Club of the year. Drelincourt is a small school with young children and we are so proud of all they can do.  This nomination validates their outstanding achievements and I think is a real encouragement that even little schools can do big things through film.”

One of the club members, Chloe added: “I am so excited about our club being nominated because the P3’s work really hard to make a great film club for the P1 and P2’s.”

Another small rural school, St John’s Primary School at Dernaflaw, Dungiven, has been nominated for the Best Film (11 and Under) for ‘Change Starts With Us’ a film about bullying. The film was made by the P6 class of 12 pupils.

Teacher Gary Lynch said: “I am absolutely thrilled for my class to have gained such an achievement as they are a wonderful group to teach and have worked very hard together in creating their video. The children and staff are buzzing with excitement as we are taking the huge trip to London for the Into Film Awards with the possibility of meeting celebrities from the film industry.”

Cliona (9) added: “We were thrilled when we discovered the brilliant news that we were in the final three within our category. To win would be amazing! However even if we don’t win, we feel like we are already winners anyway as we have gotten this far in the competition.”

David Walliams, who attended the awards last year as a guest presenter, takes up the reins to host this year’s ceremony after being inspired by the wealth of young talent.

 “I love the Into Film Awards because it gives the opportunity to young people, from all kinds of backgrounds, to be a part of the film industry. As an actor, these young people are the future, and you want them to give you a job one day!  Anything that encourages creativity is important, we have an amazing film industry in this country which is often ignored by politicians and we need to support it. Into Film is an amazing charity,” he said.

The Into Film Awards, now in its seventh year, celebrates young people’s creativity in film, showcasing and highlighting the wealth of tomorrow’s creative talent.  Young people from across the UK whose short films and reviews have been nominated will be recognised at the star-studded ceremony, which has previously been attended by some of the biggest stars in the industry including Daniel Craig, Eddie Redmayne, Lily James, Luke Evans, Gemma Arterton, Charles Dance, Ruth Wilson, Bill Nighy, Simon Pegg, Martin Freeman and Naomie Harris.

The Into Film Awards are a key highlight in the year-round educational activity offered by charity Into Film, which provides educational resources and exclusive activities to schools and colleges in the UK.  The Awards are championed by Bond producer Barbara Broccoli, who is an Into Film Trustee, and the charity counts Eddie Redmayne, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Naomie Harris and Michael Sheen among its longstanding ambassadors.

 The Into Film Awards are sponsored by the UK film industry and supported by the BFI with National Lottery funding.

For more information about the Into Film Awards: https://www.intofilm.org/awards