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Cross Community

The Bytes Project has a long history of delivering community relations and cross community programmes across our network of 10 centres. Over the past few years we have built a strong relationship between our centres and young people and we are delighted to support a range of activities which assists young people to work closely on community issues and work together on cultural diversity programmes.

The programmes explored issues such as racism, who we are and what we think of others, sectarianism, our communities, crime and justice, homophobia and sexism. Read on to find out what we learned and read our articles on our own points of views!

Ensuring Life Long Learning

There is no escaping the need to develop personal tools and techniques to facilitate tolerance and reconciliation with the young people who attend our Bytes centres. Because we are working on the hard edge of the community and youth sector, one of our main issues is to equip our young adults to deal with relationships and conflict. In 2006 a youth capacity building programme was rolled out across our 10 centres, with training delivered in cross community settings.

Suicide Awareness
training combined with outdoor activities was very effective. The learning activities had been designed to ensure each member had to communicate and work together; the day was a complete success and the young people showed to be enthusiastic with all activities. The activities encouraged the young people to complete tasks as a team and contribute their own ideas on how to solve particular problems, producing a common understanding and commitment to that goal.

OCN Conflict Management Training level 2
taught skills that are used in every area of every day life for these young adults. They have developed a basic understanding of conflict and forms of mediation while exploring the community relations issues they face daily. Preparing them to move into the very diverse working environment we now have in Northern Ireland.

The relationship building involving Bytes young adults will help ensure the shared future. The changing political reality alone cannot address the legacy of our past.