Young people from north Belfast last week celebrated the success of a project they completed with older people to challenge stereotypes and discuss community safety.

The Bridging the Gap project involved youngsters from north Belfast’s Westlands Community Centre (WCC) and residents of The Savoy, a sheltered housing scheme in Bangor.

The Lord Mayor of Belfast Councillor Tom Hartley and Mayor of North Down Alderman Leslie Cree attended an event last Thursday to celebrate the success of the intergenerational project.

Koulla Yiasouma, director of Include Youth, an organisation that promotes young people’s interests, and that helped organise the project, said the young people from Westlands felt stereotyped by many sections of society, with police being just one of these.

But he said: “The young group was willing to admit that they too held stereotypes, particularly around older people.”

Koulla said Include Youth teamed up with Age Concern and The Savoy to actively challenge these views and allow “an exchange of experiences and perceptions”.

Nevin Bunting, 15, from WCC, said: “I really enjoyed talking to members of the other group. I can see that we all have a part to play in making our communities better places.

“Sometimes, the way in which we look at or view individuals can actually stop us from getting along with each other and I can see how we need to give each other a chance,” he said.

Koulla added: “They talked together over a period of a couple of months and identified ways of making a difference — from providing more facilities at night right through to increasing police visibility in the area.”

Ossie, from The Savoy, said: “We can often be guilty of putting everyone in the same category, though we are all individual, and it is important to remember this.

“We live in the same society and the same issues affect us, so there is common ground which we all have similar concerns about.”

The project was organised by Include Youth in partnership with WCC, Age Concern and Clanmil Housing in North Down.

Include Youth is an independent organisation which actively promotes the rights, best interests of and best practice with young people in need or at risk.

This is achieved through Policy Advocacy, Practitioner Support and Services to Young People.

For further information on Include Youth and forthcoming projects log onto www.includeyouth.org.