GATEWAY PROJECT involves partners from Belvedere Youth Club (NEIC – north east inner city) & An Garda Síochána YDP (Youth Diversion Projects) – The ‘Gateway to Life Skills’ expedition linked Irish young people with the UN buffer zone peacekeeping community and a visit to the village of Pyla, Cyprus where there is a U.N. outpost.

The project, spearheaded by Det Chief Supt Brian Woods, An Garda Síochána (Irish Police ‘Guardians of Peace’) was based on a mix of life skills training, sport (football), intercultural learning and digital media. It involved 10 participants and 3 youth workers from the north east inner city of Dublin (Belvedere Youth Club) , and 20 Greek and Turkish Cypriot young people. The program which was delivered in a hybrid way, involved online preparation sessions and face-to-face meetings culminating in a full exchange activity program in Pyla. Brian is a champion of community engagement having over 32 years’ experience at the frontline of Ireland’s police force.

Det Chief Supt Woods. An Garda Síochána at Walter Scott House

The aim and specific objectives of the project are:

• To give a first international experience to young people
• Support personal development of young people through life skills training
• Support building teams and future networks
• Foster intercultural learning and dialogue
• Support teamwork and communication skills through sport.
• Make use of digital tools to tell their stories.

Main activities

The project involved icebreaker, and ‘get-to-know-you’ exercises, and a full introduction to the program with three nightly football training and competition sessions. There were excursions to Lefkara in the Troodos mountains, the Camel Park, Famagusta in northern Cyprus, the Salamis Roman ruins, and Varosha the ghost city for intercultural learning. Classroom learning took place on various live skills and outdoor sports competitions were organised also culminating in a filmmaking challenge promoting the town of Pyla.

Students from Cyprus and Ireland meet at the UCLan Cyprus Campus in 2024

Documentary

‘A Town Called Pyla’ is a documentary being made for RTÉ capturing the work to promote shared identity, shared space and shared islands, providing young people an environment to express their voices. Keep an eye out for announcements about the airing of this work.

The production team from RTÉ travelled to the town of Pyla, Cyprus alongside Det Chief Supt Brian Woods to film on location with the young people from Belvedere Youth Club, North East Inner City Dublin who were on the Gateway Lifeskills Project