Choice Housing – one of Northern Ireland’s largest housing associations – has marked Good Relations Week by bringing together more than 20 youth football teams from across the Ballymena area to take part in a cross-community tournament.
The event, funded by Choice Housing and supported by a number of partners including PSNI and Glasgow Rangers Football Academy, saw participating teams from migrant, PUL, CNR, and the Irish travelling communities.
The tournament, which brought together more than 250 young people and local spectators, provided an opportunity for the players to meet those from other communities, develop friendships, and share their passion for sport. Seven-a-side teams fielded by Ballykeel Youth Football Club won the Plate and Cup element of the tournament, while Yew Tree Ahoghill lifted the Cup in the 12 to 15 age group.
The event was supported by the Department for Communities (DfC) and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme has its origins in the Northern Ireland Executive’s ‘Together: Building a United Community’ strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society.
The Nursery Close shared housing development in Ballymena is also supported by the Department for Communities and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and £2.3m was invested in the scheme’s development and associated five-year Good Relations Plan.
Cyril Moorhead, Choice Housing’s Good Relations Officer, said: “At Choice Housing, our commitment extends beyond providing homes – it is about supporting the communities of which these homes are part of, facilitating much needed cross-community projects that are aimed at building relations within communities.
“Giving our young people the opportunity to develop friendships with other young people, which they may not otherwise meet, will broaden their horizons, and allow them to understand the experiences of others whilst sharing their own.
“Increasing youth engagement by using sport as a positive outlet and creating networking opportunities between local communities and organisations is one of many elements to Choice’s commitment to good relations,” he added.
An element of much of the good relations work carried out by Choice Housing is identifying the challenges local communities are facing, and using this to develop tailored projects that support these areas. This can often involve the housing association collaborating with partners and other organisations to deliver beneficial community relations.
