About the sessions

Cross-community connection spaces for young people & adults to navigate the exposure to racial violence through arts-based strategies
Over the past few days, we’ve watched events unfold across Belfast that have left many of us, especially our children and young people, feeling frightened, confused, and unsafe.

With public transport disrupted, schools closing early, and racial violence causing deep fear and anxiety on our streets, our young people are being exposed to things no child should have to face.

At eduSOIL/ DFC Northern Ireland, we believe that even in the hardest times, young people have the power to create change. But first, they need to feel held and safe.

That is why we are opening up online support sessions for children, teenagers, and adults from the community to share their feelings and concerns about recent events.

🎨 What are these sessions?These are digital safe spaces designed to people a break from the anxiety of the streets and social media. Led by our team, they will focus on:

• Immediate Support: A calm, welcoming space to connect with peers and know they aren't alone.
• Creative Processing: Using gentle, arts-based activities to help them express and navigate feelings of fear, anger, or confusion and to reconnect with innate positive qualities
• Solidarity: Reminding them of the strength of our diverse, cross-community network.​
  

🕒 Daily Schedule (Choose the right session):

💻 Session A | 16:30 - 17:30

• Best for: Younger children and teenagers under 16
• Focus: Gentle creative activities, reassurance, and a calm environment

💻 Session B | 19:30 - 20:30

• Best for: People over the age of 16
• Focus: Processing deeper anxieties, navigating scary social media content, and finding hope.
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To people, especially young people feeling scared or angry or just exhausted right now: you matter. Your feelings matter. And we’ve got you. Let’s look out for each other and keep our young people safe. 💛
These sessions are led by Juanita Rea, Visiting Scholar at the School of Arts, English and Languages, founder of eduSOIL and Director of Design For Change NI, South Africa and Sudan.
Since 2011 eduSOIL has supported 16,000 people in 12 countries. Since 2023, Art For Change has been delivered in NI partnership with Design For Change Global and with support from Arts Council Northern Ireland and Queen's University Belfast School of Arts, English and Languages (AEL)and the Civic Engagement and Social Responsibility Directorate.
eduSOIL CIC is 100% volunteer led, with no core-funding. If you can please make a donation via crowdfunder or skip platform fees and make a bank transfer to support Juanita and the team of volunteers who are primarily from the global majority and directly affected by the racial violence to to continue doing their work.
https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/empower-youth-social-leaders-in-ni

Join online sessions