about

OUR Generation is a project supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

PEACEPLUS is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and represents a funding partnership between the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive.

OUR Generation is a partnership led by Action Mental Health, which aims to empower and invest in our young people. Bringing together the expertise of nine partner organisations, the project is committed to delivering impactful initiatives under the PEACEPLUS Programme’s specific objective of ‘Youth Mental Health and Wellbeing.’

The cross-border partnership consists of: Action Mental Health, Donegal Youth Service, Co-operation Ireland, Youth Action NI, Youth Work Ireland, Playboard NI, Boys & Girls Clubs NI, Include Youth, & Ulster University.

Funding for the OUR Generation project has been awarded through the European Union’s PEACEPLUS Programme. PEACEPLUS is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and represents a funding partnership between the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland and the Northern Ireland Executive.

The partnership builds on the highly successful PEACE IV OUR Generation project (which ran until Sept 2023) and will run in education, youth and community settings across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The Project will contribute to peace and reconciliation through a range of cross-community and cross-border youth mental health and wellbeing models, peace and youth leadership programmes, and programmes which instil confidence in young people to act as agents of change, building peace for future generations.

The Need

The legacy of the conflict has left an impact on many communities in Northern Ireland and Ireland, which is still evident across generations of adults and young people. Evidence indicates that children growing up in areas of conflict demonstrate higher levels of mental ill health and anti-social behaviours. The legacy of conflict through intergenerational transmission of trauma continues to impact on young people’s mental health and wellbeing, affecting their ability to engage with education, leading to underachievement and restricting their opportunities for employment. As a consequence, young people have limited ability to interact with young people from different community, cultural and political backgrounds. These consequences threaten their future and limit their potential contribution to peace and reconciliation and their future roles within their communities.

For more information on the background and origins of the project under PEACE IV, please visit our Archive section.

Legacy

OUR Generation will enhance the emotional resilience of children and young people and their capacity to form positive and effective relationships with others of a different background and make a positive contribution to the creation of a cohesive society, through receipt of best practice, non-specialist mental health and wellbeing supports developed and delivered on a collaborative, cross-border basis. The partnership builds on the highly successful PEACE IV OUR Generation project (which ran until Sept 2023) and will run in education, youth and community settings across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. The Project will contribute to peace and reconciliation through a range of cross-community and cross-border youth mental health and wellbeing models, peace and youth leadership programmes, and programmes which instil confidence in young people to act as agents of change, building peace for future generations. 33,000 children and young people and 5,000 key youth workers are expected to participate in the project, between now and December 2027.