Hundreds of young people unite through multi-activity summer camps in Dundalk and Virginia

This summer, the H2O Heroes team at DkIT delivered the United Youth Initiative (UYI) summer camps, welcoming over 350 young people across six vibrant weeks of activities in Virginia, Co. Cavan and on the DkIT campus.

Funded by the PEACEPLUS programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body - SEUPB, the initiative is delivered in partnership with Healthy Kidz, Peace Players, the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Ireland and DkIT.

The camps provided free access to a dynamic mix of sports, science, art, and environmental education.

The initiative aimed to build confidence, promote positive relationships, and foster cross-community connections among participants from Northern Ireland and the border counties.

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Running in early and late July, all camps were fully booked, highlighting the strong demand for inclusive, educational, and engaging youth programmes.

DkIT said it was delighted to support such a meaningful project that aligns with its commitment to community development and outreach.

UYI will be rolling out 12-week after school and youth programmes from September. 

Caroline Gilleran Stephens Lecturer in Environmental Biotechnology and H20 Heroes Co-ordinator at DkIT said: “It was fantastic to host so many young people in both Virginia and Dundalk and watch their confidence and friendships grow throughout the duration of the different camps.

"The participants were so enthusiastic and their positive attitudes towards learning more about the environment and encouraging one another were infectious.

"A huge thank you to our camp co-ordinators, parents and of course our young people, the success of this initiative wouldn’t have been possible without you.”