Derry councillors urge action to address Galliagh On Street Community Youth ‘funding crisis’

On Street recently announced that an unsuccessful National Lottery funding application could mean that some of its programmes are at risk, and at December’s council meeting councillor Duffy said the organisation, which is an ‘anchor tenant’ at the Galliagh Community Centre, is now facing a funding crisis.

She put forward a proposal, which read: “Council will work proactively with On Street Community Youth to assist with funding for the coming year and identify sustainable, long-term funding solutions, enabling the organisation to continue delivering vital youth and community services from the council-owned Galliagh Community Centre."

“They do so much more than youth services,” Councillor Duffy said. “Particularly over the summer months we have seen the really successful Galliagh Féile being led by them.

“It has really worked to address anti-community behaviour that we’ve seen in recent years, so any danger to them at this point I don’t think we want to see.”

SDLP councillor Brian Tierney said that, as a board member of On Street Community Youth, he had been in contact with council’s Chief Executive and officers have been ‘working with management to try and find a solution’.

“If it wasn't for On Street Community Youth there would have been no Galliagh Féile,” he said. “There would be ongoing, high levels of anti-social behaviour. It is very likely there would have been a bonfire at the site at Galliagh Park over this last numbers of years, and the ongoing, low-level intimidation of residents across the estate would be continuing.”

He added: “Anti -social behaviour levels in our community are at an all-time low, community services and activities are at an all -time high, and that is due to the work of On Street Community Youth and others, with support from this council in terms of community facilities.

“It will be an absolute shame to see anything happen to that organisation or those facilities.”

People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin concluded: “It’s disgraceful that any organisation providing vital services to young people would be facing cuts or uncertainty about their future.

“We have become a child-friendly city, and we have to make sure we are fighting on every front to deliver on that promise.

“We know there are a lot of challenges for young people, there should be more funding for youth services, not less, and as a council we should do everything we can to make sure these services are supported in Galliagh and right across the district.”

Last month On Street Community Youth organisation warned some of its programmes were at risk after a funding application to the National Lottery was unsuccessful.

The Galliagh-based organisation described the National Lottery as its most supportive backer over the past two decades and acknowledged funding has become scarcer in recent years.

But it said the loss of funding will affect its various youth programmes.

“This will inevitably have a major impact on the ability of On Streets to continue to deliver the myriad youth and community services that have become so familiar and commonplace within Galliagh and across the wider community,” it stated.