Skip to content

OCN Cross Community Programme with Belfast City Council

23 boys from CIYMS Youth Cricket recently completed their OCN Level 1 in equality, diversity and inclusion in Sport with the Belfast City Council.

This was made possible through the Peace IV project “On the Right Track” – helping to promote cross-community partnerships. CIYMS Youth members were partnered up with boys from Our Lady and St Patricks College to play cricket and learn about how sport can overcome barriers to stigma, stereotyping and general bad sportsmanship towards others from different backgrounds.

They completed the OCN course work and now look forward to a team building day and a short weekend tour to Dublin, before being presented with their certificates. It was a very informative session which prompted everyone in attendance to better understand the need to be more inclusive and encouraging within our daily lives – especially when playing sport.

Richard Heasley CIYMS Chairman stated:

“I would just like to thank Belfast City Council and their Peace IV project for inviting our youth section to participate in this cross-community sporting initiative. It has been a great way to discuss how we as a club can be more inclusive. Our academy coach has been working with Our Lady and St Patricks boys and he has been very impressed with their cricketing ability. This has been a great way for us to establish a cross-community partnership”.

The course will finish at the end of the summer with many young boys from both groups getting the chance to play and interact through the cricketing timetable at CIYMS. The club is always keen to invite new Youth and Senior members to the club.

If you would like to join CIYMS Cricket Club please visit the contacts page at https://ciymscricketclub.org/key-contacts/

CIYMS Youth & Our Lady and St Ptricks College