UK Shared Prosperity Fund: Northern Ireland project information
Updated 4 February 2025
Applies to Northern Ireland
© Crown copyright 2025
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Detailed below is a list of the contact information and project summaries on the projects who successfully received UKSPF funding from April 2023 to March 2025.
1. UKSPF: Northern Ireland - Economic inactivity projects
Project name: Belfast Works Connect
Contact name: Rosemary McCusker
Contact details: 028 90236670 ext 224
Website: www.belfastworksconnect.com
Project locations: Belfast, Antrim & Newtownabbey, Lisburn & Castlereagh, Ards & North Down, Mid & East Antrim
Project summary: Belfast Works Connect is an innovative employability project aimed at supporting individuals who face challenges to employment. The project is led by Upper Springfield Development Trust (West) and incudes area-based partnership consisting of 4 charitable community organisations based throughout the Greater Belfast area including, Ashton Community Trust (North), East Belfast Mission (East), GEMSNI (South), Impact Training, Job Assist (Shankill).
Project name: Work It Out
Contact name: Cathy Norris
Contact details: c.norris@people-1st.co.uk / 07786272022
Website: https://people-1st.co.uk/
Project locations: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: Work it out provides bespoke mentor support for economically inactive people, providing support that includes providing job search, employment support, reducing barriers to learning and widening opportunities.
Project name: Empower
Contact name: David Cowan
Contact details: dcowan@usel.co.uk
Website: www.usel.co.uk/
Project location: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: Empower is an exciting new employment programme for individuals who are not employed and have a disability, health condition and those who identify as autistic or neurodivergent. Empower offers support to help individuals, gain qualifications, search for work, gain work experience, build self-confidence, complete job applications, and help individuals stay in work.
Project name: Women Breaking Barriers (Scaling up Women’s Education, Training and Employment Skills)
Contact name: Anne Mc Vicker
Contact details: anne.mcvicker@wrda.net / 028 9023 0212
Website: www.womenbreakingbarriersni.com
Project location: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: Women Breaking Barriers, engage women in training and skills development through an employment support programme, that includes intensive wrap-around support and programmes in improving wellbeing. It is delivered by a consortium of women’s organisations including Women’s Resource and Development Agency (lead partner), Northern Ireland Rural Women’s Network, Women’s Support Network.
Project name: PROSPER (People, Resilience, Opportunities, Success, Participation, Employment and Results)
Contact name: Norman Sterritt
Contact details: Norman.sterritt@trianglehousing.org.uk / Tel: 07703436730
Website: https://www.trianglehousing.org.uk/prosper
Project locations: Antrim & Newtownabbey, Belfast, Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon, Causeway Coast & Glens, Lisburn & Castlereagh Mid & East Antrim, Mid Ulster, Newry, Mourne & Down, Ards & North Down
Project summary: The PROSPER Consortium provides wrap-around support for economically inactive people, including those with disabilities, neurodiversity, autism and/or mental health issues to move towards sustained employment. Taking an individualised approach, this project supports individuals to achieve, employment/career progression, numeracy and financial literacy, accredited qualifications.
Project name: Maximise Employment
Contact name: Stuart Green/Rachael Whan
Contact details: Stuart.green@brysonenergy.org / rachael.whan@brysonenergy.org / 07976 722197/07803 833374
Website: Facebook
Project location: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: Maximise Employment is an Employability Project that seeks to help people aged between 16 to 64 and who are economically inactive back into employment. This service is available in all areas of Northern Ireland, they aim to empower people and give them the tools and practical support to enable them to enter the labour market.
Project name: Building Futures
Contact name: Helen Kerr
Contact details: Helen.kerr@womenstec.org / 02890 749810
Website: https://www.womenstec.org/building-futures
Project locations: Belfast, Newry, Mourne & Down
Project summary: The Building Futures Programme is a partnership between WOMEN’STEC, Bolster Community and Women in Business NI. The aim of the Building Futures Programme is to support women furthest away from the labour market in accessing skills and support to work towards sustainable employment or self-employment.
The programme provides a range of free courses as well as optional mentoring sessions to women. Small bursaries are also available for other courses that might assist in working towards employment.
Project name: YouthStart Consortium Project
Contact name: Clare Conlon
Contact details: clare@youthaction.org / 02890240551
Website: https://www.youthaction.org
Project location: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: The YouthStart consortium project is a 7-partner regional youth employability project, targeting economically inactive young people aged 16 -30 years. The consortium of 7 leading youth work organisations (YouthAction NI (lead,) Include Youth, Springboard Opportunities, Prince’s Trust, Start360, Northern Ireland Youth Forum, BYTES,) we use a youth work approach to build young people’s skills for life, learning and work. Delivering from our regional bases and sites across Northern Ireland, the project will, engage and support economically inactive young people from across the 11 Councils and help them gain employment and into further training/education.
Project name: Triax Success Northwest
Contact name: Conor Heaney
Contact details: conor@successnw.com
Project locations: Derry City & Strabane
Project summary: Success Northwest supports the economically inactive in the Derry and Strabane Council area. Working through eight Partner Hubs who are based within the communities through-out the Council area, we have a team of highly experienced and motivated Employment and Mentoring Officers who support the economically inactive across the Derry and Strabane area.
Project name: Niacro SkillSET
Contact name: Patrick Anderson
Contact details; Patrick.anderson@niacro.co.uk
Website: www.Niacro.co.uk
Project location: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: SkillSET is a project that aims to provide employment for those with convictions. SkillSET Project Workers will work alongside participants on their journey towards employment, empowerment, and independence as they prepare for release from prison or continue their rehabilitation in the community after receiving a conviction. SkillSET supports those who would like support with employment or support to pursue vocational training and employment in areas such as construction, hospitality, leisure and tourism and warehousing.
Project Name: Exploring Self-Employment and Enterprise Skills Together (Explore Enterprise)
Contact name: Shirelle McIvor
Contact details: shirelle.mcivor@enterpriseni.com / 02877763555
Project location: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: Explore Enterprise provides self-employment / employment support to economically inactive individuals aged 16+ throughout Northern Ireland. It provides an insight into starting a business or allows participants to take the first steps to gaining employment. Participants can develop a range of skills (interpersonal, enterprise and employability) through the provision of personalised one-to-one support tailored to the individual’s specific needs. We offer mentoring support, workshops and help people gain qualifications.
Project name: Employ Me
Contact name: Sinead McKinley
Contact details: mckinleys@src.ac.uk / 02830259669
Website: www.src.ac.uk
Project locations: Newry Mourne and down and Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon District council areas.
Project summary: ‘Employ Me’ is an employability project providing training, employment and wraparound support for economically inactive people aged 16+, our aim is to reduce job related barriers, develop skills, achieve qualifications, enhance employability and quality of life with a view to progressing to employment / self-employment.
Project name: Rural Economic Accelerator Programme (REAP)
Contact name: David Taylor
Contact details: David.Taylor@swc.ac.uk / 028 8225 0109
Website: https://swc.ac.uk/courses/social-inclusion/the-rural-economic-accelerator-programme
Project locations: Fermanagh & Omagh, Mid Ulster
Project summary: REAP is a project involving the Southwest College (SWC), Fermanagh and Omagh District Council (FODC), First Step Women’s Centre (FSWC) and South Tyrone Empowerment Programme (STEP). We are helping to improve the knowledge and skills of the economically inactive in Fermanagh and Omagh District Council area, in a way which benefits their lives, as well as the regional economy. REAP supports the following target groups- young people aged from 16- 24, women, 50+, people with a disability and health conditions and ethnic minorities.
Project name: Moving Forward Moving On
Contact name: Catriona Clifford
Contact details: catriona.clifford@extern.org 07436831556
Website: www.extern.org
Project locations: Belfast, Antrim & Newtownabbey
Project summary: Extern’s ‘Moving Forward, Moving On’ project works with people who are not in education, training, or employment and/or have a history of offending behaviour, and provides support as well as the appropriate tools they need to make a successful start in the world. Working throughout the greater Belfast area, the mentoring support service works with people from across the city, including those who may have previously been through alternative education projects.
Project name: SkillSET
Contact name: Audrey Allen
Contact details: aallen@amh.org.uk / Tel No 02890828494
Website: www.skillsetni.org
Project location: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: SkillSET is an innovative project providing specialised employment preparation and training for targeted groups across Northern Ireland, particularly those with disabilities and/or health conditions. SkillSET is a collaboration between seven voluntary sector regional and national disability organisations, all of which have extensive experience in supporting economically inactive individuals to secure sustainable employment. SkillSET delivers specialised support to individuals with disabilities and/or health conditions who face multiple barriers to employment and are farthest from the job market.
Project name: Migrant Access Programme (MAP)
Contact name: Maretta Nicolson
Contact details: m.nicolson@people-1st.co.uk
Website: Migrant Access Programme - People 1st (people-1st.co.uk)
Project locations: Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon, Lisburn & Castlereagh, Newry, Mourne & Down
Project summary: Migrant Access Programme is aimed at legally resident migrant and ethnic minority participants who are Economically Inactive and experiencing barriers to participation and employment because of language difficulties, lack of training or social exclusion, we provide mentor support that will meet their individual needs by job search, employment support, ESOL classes, employability focused conversation classes, motivation/confidence building, access to employability and cultural awareness workshops, interpreter services and referral support to appropriate support agencies.
Project name: GROW Partnership ((Growth, Resilience, Opportunities and Work)
Contact name: Alex McKee - Network Personnel
Contact details: info@networkpersonnel.org.uk / 028 7963 1032
Website: https://networkpersonnel.org.uk/
Project locations: Antrim & Newtownabbey, Causeway Coast & Glens, Derry & Strabane, Fermanagh & Omagh, Mid & East Antrim, Mid Ulster
Project summary: GROW’ (Growth, Resilience, Opportunities & Work) Partnership supports ‘economically inactive’ people to increase their confidence & skill levels to secure sustainable employment/self-employment. GROW is a ‘one-stop-shop’ addressing health, wellbeing & other barriers to work with small steps, rather than daunting ‘fast-track’ approaches.
GROW provides bespoke support to - 50+, Disabled/health conditions, Women, Ethnic minorities, young people, People with multiple complex needs.
Project name: YouthStart
Contact name: Catherine Vaughan
Contact details: youth@springvalelearning.com
Website: https://www.springvalelearning.com
Project location: Belfast
Project summary: YouthStart operates across the Belfast City Council area, working with young people aged 16-24 years old to support them gain employment. The project is delivered across four phases:
- Personal Development – reducing barriers, teambuilding, mental health & wellbeing workshops.
- Training – qualifications in Numeracy, ICT and Employability.
- Employment Academy – industry training and qualifications, site visits and guest speakers.
- Work Placement – four-week work experience in chosen industry.
2. UKSPF: Northern Ireland - Supporting local businesses projects
Project name: Go Succeed
Contact name: Cathy Keenan
Contact details: 08000270639
Website: www.go-succeed.com
Project location: Northern Ireland wide
Project summary: Go Succeed is the new business support service from local councils in Northern Ireland that can help businesses to start, grow, or scale a business. Whether you’re a budding entrepreneur just starting out, are looking to grow your business, or are planning to scale up, Go Succeed industry experts will provide tailored support and guidance to help you achieve your business goals.
Go Succeed has 3 stages to support businesses or entrepreneurs who are at various stages of their developmental journey.
- Support to start
- Support to grow
- Support to scale
3. UKSPF: Northern Ireland - Manufacturing, innovation, green growth and sector support
Project name: Invest NI
Contact name: Dr Lisa Braniff
Contact details: lisa.braniff@investni.com / 02890698594
Website: https://www.investni.com/
Project summary: Invest Northern Ireland is leading a project, totalling 16 different elements targeting support for research and development and growth support for business owners in Northern Ireland.
Invest NI will provide advice, grants, and leadership training to manufacturing businesses to adopt industrial digital technology solutions, as well as increasing investment in R&D and the diffusion of innovation knowledge and activities, through measures such as Knowledge Transfer Partnerships and Innovation Vouchers and grants. In addition, Invest NI will help businesses to sustain, grow and innovate, through networking, provide consultancy on energy and resource efficiency, a resource matching service to re-use commercial byproducts, and capital grants.
4. UKSPF: Northern Ireland - Multiply
Project name: Department for the Economy
Contact name: Raymond Kelly
Contact details: Raymond.Kelly@economy-ni.gov.uk / 028 9025 7805 (ext: 57805)
Website: https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/multiply-adult-numeracy-programme
Project summary: Multiply aims to address the chronic numeracy deficit among adults here by providing accessible, and practical numeracy courses and support. By empowering individuals with numeracy skills, this project aims to help Northern Ireland become a more numerate society, the Department for the Economy will utilise a range of numeracy initiatives, through local government, further and higher education, in partnership with the community and voluntary sector.
5. UKSPF: Northern Ireland - Communities and place projects
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
Received £754,069 of funding to support the following projects:
- Development and installation of a new 3G sports facility, Monkstown
- A new viaduct illumination scheme, Randalstown
- Development of a new play facility, Mallusk
- Environmental improvement schemes at 4 roundabouts will include 4,886 sq. metre of green space improvements, enhancing 4 roundabouts with landscaping and resurfacing
- Antrim Old Courthouse refurbishment
Ards and North Down Borough Council
Received £847,228 towards a suite of activities which aim to create positive outcomes for communities and places across the Ards and North Down Borough. Activities include:
- Improvements to navigational aids within Strangford Lough
- A storm defences study at Donaghadee Harbour
- Edges of the Island – Burr Point Enhancements, Ballyhalbert
- Ward Park playpark (partial funding)
- Ward Park dementia friendly garden
- The Commons outdoor gym
- Outdoor swimming infrastructure improvements
- Sea Park playpark
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
Received £1,131,880 of UKSPF funding to support a major public realm scheme in Banbridge which will deliver high quality physical enhancements to pavements, lighting, event infrastructure, tree planting and street furniture to improve the attractiveness and useability of the streets and spaces, and to provide a unique sense of place for town centre users.
The scheme will reconfigure the major junction in the town centre to align with new junction design standards that place pedestrian movements as the top priority.
The scheme will also improve connectivity and create a large civic space in the heart of the town centre for events.
Belfast City Council
Received £1,787,615 towards a package of activities aimed at building resilient, healthy and safe places across the city as well as a vibrant city centre. The activities have been designed to support quality place-making and regeneration; encourage people to visit and experience the city and support local economic and cultural activity:
- Sports pitch improvements (4 sites)
- Playground improvements (4 sites)
- “Vacant to Vibrant” disused building grant scheme
- Feasibility studies for key city centre sites and assets
- Assembly Rooms in Tribeca Joy Street/Cromac Street area
- Programme of animation and lighting for key city centre events
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
Received £733,367 to refurbish and reinstate Red Bay Pier for use by larger numbers of commercial opportunities including low level commercial fishing, recreational use including pier fishing, sight-seeing, canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, open water swimming, camping, caravanning and occasional use for access to boats and mooring.
The Pier will also be a vibrant asset for the rural communities either side in Waterfoot and Cushendall. bringing health and wellbeing benefits to locals and visitors alike through access to outdoors activities including open water swimming, fishing, canoeing and paddleboarding.
Derry City and Strabane District Council
Received £780,474 of UKSPF funding will be used to support the continued development of the North West greenway network development, which will provide over 4km of shred footpath and cycleways for residents and tourists.
In addition to this, UKSPF funding will support the Ballynagard Project, which will support development of a new playpark covering an area of over 1,000sq and community gardens of over 2,400m2 creating 3,400m2 of new greenspace in the council area.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
Received £604,497 towards community infrastructure projects:
- Ecclesville Forest multi-use trail
- Tully Castle infrastructure improvements
- Play park redevelopments (x4)
- Sallys Wood Play Park
- Irbinestown Old Rossory Play Park, Enniskillen
- Gortview/Lisanelly Play Park, Omagh
- Cappagh Villa Play Park, Omagh
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
Received £771,666 towards the following projects which aims to create positive outcomes for communities and places across the Lisburn & Castlereagh council area:
- Refurbishment of Castle Gardens toilet
- Reorientation of Hydebank Changing Pavilion to incorporate public facing toilets
- Drumlough/Rockview Park play area
- Crossnacreevy playground upgrade
- Ryan Park upgrade of play area
- Drumbo trim trail
- Maghaberry 3G MUGA enhancement
- Skateboard Park, RIBA Stage 3 Design Bells Lane
- Lighting to Lough Moss and Carryduff Park trim trail - design proposals
- Christmas Programme 2024 (including Lisburn Light Festival)
- Seasonal marketing and promotional campaign
- Ballymacash Sports Academy - Community Investment Grant
- Lisburn Rugby - Club Community Investment Grant
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Received £719,393 of UKSPF funding to support the development of a new community facility in Waveney Ballymena. The project consists of the construction of a new build community centre and adjoining changing facilities block to service neighbouring playing fields.
The new building shall comprise the following accommodation:
- Multi-purpose hall (badminton court size)
- Two multi-purpose meeting rooms
- Office
- Kitchen
- Changing facilities
- Storage
The new facility will act as a focal point for the area, offering volunteering and training opportunities for the local residents as well as sporting and physical activities.
Mid Ulster District Council
Received £777,876 of funding for the following projects in Mid Ulster:
-
Enhancement of public realm works in Maghera town centre (currently part-funded under LUF) to include high quality materials, street furniture, traffic signalisation, tannoy system, touch screen visitor information point, clock tower and festive tree.
-
Provision of brand-new festive lights in 4 town centres within the district to create a unique, attractive and welcoming experience for visitors during the key trading period for businesses.
-
Extension of CCTV provision to address the issue of anti-social behaviour within the night-time economy of Moy.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
Received £942,457 of UKSPF funding to support the following projects comprising: investment in community transport (in partnership with the community and voluntary sector) along with a programme of activity that will increase community engagement, and connections to health and wellbeing services utilising buses purchased.
In addition, across the 7 District Electoral Areas (DEAs), the District will benefit from:
- Improvements to open green spaces
- Smart bins installation
- Public convenience enhancement
- Improved accessibility to beaches
- Additional and enhanced delivery of tourism and cultural events, and communications
- Delivery of a regeneration focused showcase events and engagement programme: engaging key stakeholders on the ambitious regeneration programme of investment for Newry and Downpatrick
6. UKSPF: Northern Ireland - Green spaces projects
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
£101,395 towards the development of a pleasure garden within Hazelbank Park, Newtownabbey to mark the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. This will also serve as a key tourist attraction located at the gateway to the Causeway Coastal Route.
Ards and North Down Borough Council
£113,925 towards a playground at De Wind Drive in Comber, providing a wider range of play equipment for younger and older children, as well as inclusive equipment for those children with disabilities.
Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council
£152,191 towards 5 council owned play parks: Thornhill, Cline Road, Scarva, Ervine Place, Scotch Street.
Belfast City Council
£240,367 for installation of a new path and community garden in the Botanic Gardens and helping to create a learning facility for soil enhancement, food production and testing.
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
£98,600 to improve 3 currently derelict rural green spaces (Scally Park, Islandmore and Dromore Avenue) and refurbish one rural play area in Glenullin.
Derry City and Strabane District Council
£104,944 contribution to Strathfoyle Greenway, a 2.7km long greenway, with street lighting controlled by a smart system to minimise energy consumption and impacts on wildlife.
Fermanagh and Omagh District Council
£81,288 towards replacement of obsolete timber walkways at Killyfole Lough, a suite of signage and nature trail interpretation, a biodiversity programme to include education booklets that link to the signage around the Lough and an outdoor classroom in the adjacent ‘Secret Garden’.
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
£103,752 towards a Community Garden and an intergenerational sports area in Lough Moss, Carryduff, disability access paths in Billy Neill MBE Country Park, Dundonald and tree planting to replace those with ash dieback disease in Lisburn New Cemetery.
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
£96,732 to enhance the basic infrastructure of 5 parks and open spaces across the borough.
Mid Ulster District Council
£104,600 to restore multi-use trails, improved car and bicycle parking, vegetation clearance, signage and seating and picnic areas in Drumcairne and Derrynoyd Forests.
Newry, Mourne and Down District Council
£126,733 to improve the Fallows Trail, a circular walking route from Kilbroney Park through the forested areas of Rostrevor Forest to open largely unenclosed upland habitats. This 18km trail will provide a multi-use walking and running trail for both the local people and visitors.