Thirty young people from the Carryduff area have taken to the water this week for an action-packed series of outdoor activities at Let’s Go Hydro, brought together by Choice as part of their Shared Housing week.
In partnership with Killynure Community Association, the initiative is designed to bring neighbouring communities together, with participants from Killynure, Killynure Green, and Meadowvale Gardens building new friendships, developing teamwork skills, and participating in a range of outdoor water sports.
The event kicked off the Shared Housing Week campaign which will see a total of 26 community focused events, projects and personal development sessions organised by the Choice Community Development team. The 8-day long campaign aims to offer even more opportunities for tenants of Choice schemes to get involved and engage within their local communities.
The event was supported by the Department for Communities and the Housing Executive’s ‘Housing for All’ Shared Housing Programme. The Programme has its origins in the NI Executive Together: Building a United Community Strategy which reflects the Executive’s commitment to improving community relations and continuing the journey towards a more united and shared society. £3 million has been invested in the Ballynahinch Road, Carryduff shared housing development and associated five-year Good Relations Plan.
Jonathon Blakely, Community Development Manager at Choice said: “This year's theme, 'People, Communities, and Partnership,' sits at the heart of everything we do, without these core pillars, we couldn't deliver on our ambitions. Building on last year’s launch, we wanted to go bigger while staying deeply local. Every event has been tailored directly to the needs and interests of the community.
“Our Shared Housing schemes enable us to engage with tenants, residents and community groups to identify meaningful community projects. This is all part of the shared housing approach promoting meaningful engagement between residents and surrounding communities.”
Choice currently has 8 shared housing development across Northern Ireland including Ballynahinch Road Carryduff. The 18 homes on the Ballynahinch Road Carryduff receive good relations support through the programme.
Choice works in partnership with the Castlereagh South Advisory Group, whose membership includes representatives from local community organisations, residents' groups, and statutory agencies.
Ballynahinch Road in Carryduff has seen an investment of £3million incorporating both the Housing Association Grant (HAG) and associated five-year Good Relations Support (GRS)
A key element of the good relations work for shared housing developments is identifying the challenges local communities are facing and using this to develop tailored projects that support these areas.
As one of the largest housing associations in Northern Ireland, Choice currently owns and maintains c.14,000 properties across the region, meeting the diverse needs of c.30,000 tenants and residents.
