Additional £0.5million for Residential Outdoor Education Centres

Education Minister Michelle McIlveen has announced a further £0.5million funding to support Outdoor Education Centres.

This new investment will provide financial assistance to centres as they continue to be impacted by the operating restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Welcoming the funding, the Minister said: “Today’s announcement of £0.5m will support our Outdoor Education Centres which were forced to remain closed for much of the first quarter of this year due to Covid-19 restrictions.

"The further extension of these restrictions into the 2021-22 financial year means there is a continuing need to extend extra support measures.”

Outdoor Education Centres provide curricular relevant, residential outdoor learning opportunities and offer vital educational opportunities for children and young people throughout Northern Ireland.

The Minister continued: “The provision of residential outdoor learning opportunities for children and young people contributes to many aspects of their development including emotional mental health and wellbeing.

“I recognise that in order to provide these important services, outdoor learning/education centres continue to require additional support for inescapable costs incurred due to the restrictions imposed this financial year.

“I encourage as many eligible organisations as possible to apply for this vital funding.”

The Covid-19 Residential Outdoor Education Centre Relief Fund 2021/22 will be administered by the Education Authority’s (EA) Youth Service and is open for applications from 8 November 2021: https://www.eani.org.uk/news/funding-for-residential-outdoor-education-centres

Funding has been provided as part of the Executive’s Covid-19 Relief fund.

Notes to editors: 

1. Residential Outdoor Education Centres continue to provide vital educational opportunities for children and young people throughout Northern Ireland, helping them get involved in an outdoor learning experience, developing resilience, risk awareness and independence.

2. The fund is open to voluntary youth organisations that have routinely provided curricular relevant, residential outdoor learning opportunities for children and young people aged 4-25 years before April 2020, and that can demonstrate a negative financial impact as a result of a loss of residential activity since the emergence of the Covid 19 pandemic.

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