The Ulster Project's Mission is to help young, christian-based potential leaders from Northern Ireland and the United States become peacemakers by providing a safe environment to learn by practicing the skills needed to unite people when differences divide them.
Under the sponsorship of the various U.S. city Ulster Projects, teens, (half Catholic and half Protestant; half girls and half boys) from their paired Northern Irish communities, come to the United States to live in private homes for a month. The teens live with host families who are of the same gender and same side of the Catholic/Protestant "faith line" and are matched by a committee by the participating American churches.
Accompanied by adult counselors, the Northern Irish participants range in age from fourteen to sixteen years, having been evaluated and selected by their teachers and clergy for their leadership potential. At this age, the youth have not committed themselves to any underground militant group and are old enough to profit from this experience.
During the month, the entire group of Northern Irish and American teens meet almost daily for activities, including encounter sessions, social activities, community service projects, and worship.
Because the Project works so well developing mutual trust and friendships among the Northern Irish youth and their families, participating Northern Irish leaders plan reunions and meetings after the youth return to Ireland, encouraging the continuation of those friendships formed during the Project month.
We send monetary donations to the ALLIANCE and MASSILLON- CANTON Projects to help them continue their good work next summer.
To read more about these projects, visit the websites:
Alliance:
http://www.aaupusa.org/
Massillon/Canton:
http://www.mculster.com/
Ohio also has projects in Youngstown and Cincinnati.
If you live near am Ulster Project site, consider hosting team members, or teens if you have teens in the house. It is a very worth-while month!
May peace ever prevail!