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2023 Lisburn & Castlereagh Community Planning Partnership Statement of Progress

Introduction

While we have returned to some sense of normality after COVID-19, global events including the war in Ukraine, a cost of living crisis and constrained public finances have all presented new and real challenges. Different organisations working more closely together across many spheres within the partnership have created real synergies and co-operation.

The successes include partnership working, relationship building, increased collaboration and the kindness across our community. Some challenges have also been experienced and are detailed in this Statement of Progress.  However, we have continued to work together to ensure we continue to improve the wellbeing of our citizens through challenging times.  

Over the last two years our Partnership has worked closely on successful projects such as the Annahilt Village Plan while the PEACEPLUS funding will create future opportunities.

Overview of the Lisburn & Castlereagh Community Plan

The Lisburn & Castlereagh Community Plan vision is: An empowered, prosperous, healthy, safe and inclusive community.

The mission for the Partnership is: Working together to deliver better lives for all.

The Community Plan has five themes with associated outcomes, these are:

Theme Outcome
1: Children and Young People Our children and young people have the best start in life
2: The Economy Everyone benefits from a vibrant economy
3: Health and Wellbeing We live healthy, fulfilling and long lives
4: Where We Live We live and work in attractive, resilient and environmentally-friendly places
5: Our Community We live in empowered, harmonious, safe and welcoming communities

 

In terms of the above five themes the key outcomes delivered in 2000/21 are detailed below.

Read the Statement of Progress - Full Report

 

Theme 1: Children and Young People

The key outcomes to ensure our children and young people have the best start in life included:

  • 3 LAC apprentices moved into employment between 2021-2023
  • 13 LAC per annum have benefited from the HOPE Education Transition Academy – Literacy and Numeracy Programmes
  • 100 LAC children had transition Personal Education Plans completed – from November 2020 to present
  • 100% of the 2021-23 Youth Council members developed skills in planning and coordination; leadership and facilitation; media; co-working; and presentation skills
  • 389 children received targeted support for their speech, language, and communication development between November 2021 and June 2023
Theme 2: The Economy

The key outcomes to allow everyone to benefit from a vibrant economy included:

  • 279 new businesses’ plans were completed and 167 jobs created through the local Go for It programme
  • over 1,000 businesses receiving support through business support programmes: 450 businesses on Mentor Growth; 202 on Sales & Trade, 340 businesses on Digi-Growth and further numbers spread over Bid 2 Win and Digital Surge
Theme 3: Health and Wellbeing

The key outcomes to ensure we live healthy, fulfilling and long lives included:

  • in 2022-23 141 people were referred onto the Macmillan Move More programme
  •  38 events were held in October 2023 for Positive Aging Month
  • 87 people completed the Take 5 Ambassador training in 2022-2023 and an ambassador network has been established to support them
Theme 4: Where We Live

The key outcomes to ensure we live and work in attractive, resilient and environmentally-friendly places included:

  • 66 CAT1 (active elderly accommodation) units were completed in 2021-2023
  • over the time period 2021-2023 there were 293 social dwellings started in our area, with 223 completion
  • ex-MOD dwellings n Lisburn have been completely transformed into 30 homes for social rent and 29 affordable homes for those wanting to make their first step to get on the property ladder
Theme 5: Our Community

The key outcomes to ensure we live in empowered, harmonious, safe and welcoming communities included:

  • 6 people and their families are being supported through the Multi Agency Support Hub (MASH)
  • 17 bespoke training sessions and workshops have been delivered in local communities with the aim of increasing the capacity of residents to empower communities to develop into robust voices for their own communities
  • 37 volunteers living in our area gave over 4,020 hours of their time in support of the COVID-19 mass vaccinations centres and booster centres in Craigavon, Belfast and Ballymena from Feb 2021-Jan 2022
  • 148 people from within our area newly signed up to the online Be Collective Volunteer Management Platform to seek out volunteering roles for themselves from April 2021-March 2023
  • 152 new volunteering roles created within our area and added to Be Collective and the Volunteer Now Opportunity Search page 2021-2023
  • 78 local volunteers supported with their emotional wellbeing via online and face-to-face wellbeing workshops in 2021-22
  • virtual (phone and online) volunteer opportunities continued to grow steadily from 2021 to 2023 with 115 new virtual volunteering