Young people aged 17–25 from across County Fermanagh are being encouraged to apply for the Fermanagh Young Leaders Programme, an opportunity to develop leadership skills, gain experience in grant-making and make a real difference in their local community.
Administered by Fermanagh Trust, the programme has been running successfully for a number of years. As a grant maker, Fermanagh Trust is keen to share its knowledge and experience of funding decisions, while supporting young people to take the lead in deciding how £4,000 of funding is awarded to local community projects and organisations.
Fermanagh Young Leaders is part of the Investing in Community Volunteers Programme, one of 13 programmes as detailed in the Fermanagh and Omagh PEACEPLUS Local Action Plan. The Local Action Plan has been developed by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council supported by PEACEPLUS and managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
The programme will run from September 2026 to April 2027, with weekly sessions taking place at Fermanagh House in Enniskillen. Throughout the programme, participants will gain hands-on experience in decision-making, teamwork, communication, research, interviewing and leadership while working together to identify community needs and assess funding applications.
Over the past number of years, young leaders have supported a wide range of inspiring local projects through their grant-making decisions. The experience gives participants practical insight into how funding decisions are made, while ensuring young people’s voices are central to supporting community needs.
The impact of the programme extends well beyond awarding funding. Former Fermanagh Young Leaders have gone on to attend international conferences in Berlin and Rome, while others have worked with community and voluntary sector organisations to ensure young people are included in decision-making at all levels.
Sonya Johnston, Deputy Director of Fermanagh Trust, said “We should never underestimate the skills, ideas and abilities that young people have to offer. This programme brings together young people from different backgrounds and abilities, creating opportunities to build relationships, learn from one another and develop important negotiation, communication and decision-making skills. Through the support of PEACEPLUS funding, participants gain first-hand experience of working collaboratively to make funding decisions that will benefit local communities.
“By putting young people at the centre of decision-making, we are helping to develop the next generation of community leaders while supporting the long-term future of the community and voluntary sector. Being part of the programme is a fantastic addition to any CV, helping participants demonstrate leadership, teamwork, decision-making and community engagement skills to future employers, universities and education providers. Participants will also gain an OCN qualification. We would encourage any young person aged 17–25 with an interest in making a difference to apply.”
For more information or to apply, CLICK HERE or email sonya@fermanaghtrust.org.