Creggan’s young people encouraged to ‘live, learn and work locally’

In recent weeks, Creggan Enterprises’ Lifehack Project, based at the Rath Mor centre, has been working in partnership with Sean Dolan’s GAA Club, Radius Housing and P & K McKaigue Ltd to help young people who are interested in a successful career in construction.

Young people from the Creggan community are now being sought to participate in an innovative employability programme which will see a number selected to pursue an apprenticeship with P & K McKaigue.

The firm is currently developing the site at Piggery Ridge in Creggan which will eventually see the creation of 120 much needed new homes (operated by Radius Housing) and a new and improved Sean Dolan’s sporting facility.

With the support of the Lifehack Project - which has been working with young people in Creggan and surrounding areas since 2017 - stakeholders are seeking to provide essential training opportunities, trade skills and potential construction apprenticeships for successful young candidates. This will allow young people from Creggan to ‘live, learn and work’ locally and prepare them for the world of work in the high-demand and booming construction sector.

Lifehack’s Project co-ordinator Richie McRory says: ”The socially responsible approach taken by P & K McKaigue, Dolan’s and Radius is a very refreshing one. They have recognised that there is a massive pool of potential talent available within the Creggan area itself and wish to tap into and support this by investing the necessary time and resources to provide local young people with life changing opportunities here on their doorstep.

“Creggan is an area of high social and economic exclusion and it is easy for young people to develop a sense of hopelessness for their future; this can lead to other social issues such as poor mental health, substance use and

negative community behaviour. We welcome this opportunity and hope that it will not only have a positive impact for those involved, but also set an exemplar for future investment projects seeking to create a tangible social profit for local communities.

“Current participants of the Lifehack Project have said that they are very excited to get involved in the scheme and we have had significant levels of interest in this opportunity to date. That being said, all the stakeholders want to ensure that this opportunity is fully inclusive and open to as many young people from the Creggan area as possible.”

If you are between the ages of 16 and 25, are committed to putting in the required effort, and wish to be part of this opportunity, get in touch with the Lifehack Project at Tel: 028 7127 7488 or via its Facebook Page: Lifehackprojectderry