Castle Island, Enniskillen was the venue for a celebration event for the Youth on Water (YoW) project.

Young people and their families with Blue Green Yonder and PSNI Neighbourhood Policing Teams from Enniskillen and Erne West gathered for an afternoon of certificate presentations, a BBQ and water sports.

Funded by the Fermanagh and Omagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP), the afternoon was part of the Youth on Water project, that gave participants the opportunity to develop a range of water safety skills with the award of the Paddle Power BCU Certification.

Using the focus of water sports, the project also explored a number of deeper issues facing young people, including unconscious bias, community identity and anti-social behaviour.

The five-week programme developed as a collaboration with Blue Green Yonder and the PSNI was delivered at sites near to each community - at Castle Island, Camagh Bay and Knockninny - in order to further support the development of community identity, citizenship and the integrated nature of PSNI Neighbourhood Police Officers' relationships within the community.

Speaking about the project, PCSP Chairperson Councillor Paul Blake said: “This is a bespoke project that has the young people and PSNI officers taking part side by side in activities challenging unconscious bias and create meaningful dialogue through which relationships can be developed.”

Caolán Faux, Managing Director, Blue Green Yonder, said: “It has been our privilege to work with these young people, their families and members of the Neighbourhood Policing Teams in developing and delivering this programme, using youth work approaches to deliver programmes within communities, deepening their sense of integration, participation and connectedness with the community and the landscape in which we live.”

Fermanagh Neighbourhood Inspector Scott Fallis said: “It was a pleasure to meet so many young people and their parents at the celebratory event for The Youth on Water Programme.

"This programme was all about building relationships between young people and local neighbourhood police officers, and certainly many barriers to engagement were broken down over the five-week water activities.

"While there was plenty of fun and laughter in the water, some really important issues were discussed within the groups.

"The police service is very cognisant of the importance of listening to young peoples' views, ideas and attitudes, and these workshops paved the way for continued dialogue.

"I would like to thank Blue Green Yonder for its facilitation and commitment to the programme, and to Fermanagh and Omagh PCSP for providing the funding to allow this work to take place.”