About the project

St. Peter’s Immaculata Youth Centre (SPIYC), located in the heart of the Divis community in West Belfast, has been supporting children and young people for more than 70 years by providing a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment where they can learn, develop and thrive.

The centre delivers a wide-ranging youth programme that engages hundreds of young people each year, offering opportunities that promote personal development, education, health and wellbeing, leadership and community participation. Through youth clubs, mentoring, accredited learning, employability initiatives and leadership programmes, SPIYC helps young people build confidence, resilience and positive life skills while supporting those facing social and educational challenges.

This project was funded through The National Lottery Awards for All programme and marked the final project delivered through our latest funding, which has supported community renovation projects across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The project

Over two weeks, VIY worked alongside local young people to improve both the youth centre and a nearby primary school, creating brighter, more welcoming spaces for children, families and the wider community.

Key works included:

• Repainting the exterior of the youth centre
• Repainting outdoor wooden play equipment at a nearby primary school
• Refurbishing the youth centre’s art room, including building new storage for art supplies
• Designing and building new timber planters
• Creating a bespoke mud kitchen for the primary school

These improvements have enhanced spaces used by hundreds of local children and young people, providing inspiring environments for learning, creativity and play.

The young people

8 local young people took part in the project, gaining hands-on construction experience while working towards accredited qualifications.

Throughout the project, they developed practical decorating, carpentry and teamwork skills while building confidence and experience in a real community setting.

Community impact

Based in one of Northern Ireland’s most deprived communities, the project has delivered lasting benefits for both the local area and the young people involved.

Alongside creating improved community facilities, the project helped young people gain recognised qualifications, increase their confidence and develop practical skills that will support their future careers.

The project also welcomed a visit from Sinn Féin Councillor Tina Black, who met the young people, saw the work first-hand and praised the positive impact the project is having for the local community.