To consider a request from:
· Mr. Liam Corr, Belfast Boxing Development Officer, to address the Council in relation to the decision of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 21st February, under the heading “Financial Reporting – Quarter 3 2019/20”, relating to a request from the Ulster Boxing Council for funding towards the hosting of the 2020 EUBC School Boys and School Girls European Boxing Championships from 7th June - 11th July 2020;
· Mr. John Jo McGrady, Chair of the Belfast Youth Forum, to address the Council in advance of Councillor Mulholland’s motion on Relationship and Sexual Education; and
· Ms. Mandy McDermott, Director of Compass Counselling, to address the Council in advance of the motion on Compass Counselling being proposed by Councillor Matt Collins.
Minutes:
2020 EUBC Schoolboys and Schoolgirls
European Boxing Championships
The Chief Executive informed the Council that a request had been received from Mr. L. Corr, Belfast Boxing Development Officer, to address the Council in relation to the decision of the Strategic Policy and Resources Committee of 21st February, under the heading “Financial Reporting – Quarter 3 2019/20”, not to provide additional support of £100k towards the hosting of the 2020 EUBC Schoolboys and Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships.
The Council approved the request and Mr. Corr, together with Mr. C. Toland, Ulster Boxing Council Secretary, and Mr. S. O’Hare, Ulster Boxing Operations Manager, were welcomed to the meeting.
Mr. Corr referred to the success of the recent bid to host the 2020 EUBC Schoolboys and Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships in Belfast and pointed out that it would be the first major amateur boxing event to be held in the City since 2001. The Championships, which would run from 7th June till 11th July, would be held in Queen’s University’s Physical Education Centre and would attract around 750 competitors. It was estimated that 10,000 people would visit the City over the course of the Championships and that 13,500 bed nights and between £1.5 million and £2 million would be generated. The event would also be streamed across a number of media platforms.
In terms of other funding sources, he pointed out that Sport Ireland, the Department for Communities and Tourism NI, had been approached but had yet to respond. Mr. Corr concluded by highlighting the short timeframe which existed to allow for preparations to begin in earnest and by stressing the need for the Council to provide the additional support for the event.
Mr. Toland pointed out that the Council’s Boxing Strategy had played a central role in promoting boxing across the City and referred to the marked increase in the number of boxing clubs since its implementation. He stressed that the hosting of the 2020 EUBC Schoolboys and Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships would build upon that work and that additional support from the Council was essential to ensure their success.
The Lord Mayor thanked the boxing representatives for their presentation.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that it would have an opportunity to discuss the issue later in the meeting.
Relationship and Sexual Education
The Council was informed that a request had been received from Mr J. J. McGrady, Chair of the Belfast Youth Forum, to allow a group of young people from the Youth Forum to address the Council in advance of Councillor Mulholland’s motion on Relationship and Sexual Education.
The Council approved the request and Mr. C. Fay, Mr. B. Matchett, and Ms. S. McCullough were welcomed to the meeting.
Ms. McCullough provided a brief overview of the work of the Youth Forum and drew the Members’ attention to its recent research project, entitled “Any Use?”, which had examined the issue of Relationship and Sexual Education in schools. The project, which had involved Queen’s University and Common Youth, had been undertaken in response to concerns which had been expressed by many young people around the poor quality and content of the relationship and sexual education being provided by schools and had produced strong evidence to support those concerns.
Mr. Fay reported that almost 800 young people across Belfast had taken part in the Youth Forum’s research project. Respondents had used terms such as basic, unhelpful, inconsistent, biased and almost non-existent to describe the Relationship and Sexual Education which they had received. He pointed out that young people were not asking for a school’s ethos or the views of parents to be ignored but for the opinions of young people on their relationship and sexual education to be given equal consideration.
Mr. Matchett pointed out that the motion being presented later in the meeting called upon the Council to support the three recommendations resulting from the “Any Use?” report and stressed that, if passed, it would send a positive message to those involved in curriculum and educational policy making, in the context of addressing young people’s relationship and sexual education.
The Youth Forum representatives were thanked by the Lord Mayor.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that it would have an opportunity to discuss the issue later in the meeting.
Compass Counselling
The Chief Executive informed the Council that a request had been received from Ms. M. McDermott, a Director of Compass Counselling, to address the Council in advance of the motion on Compass Counselling being proposed by Councillor Matt Collins.
The Council acceded to the request and Ms. McDermott, together with Ms. S Irwin and Ms. P. Whelan, were welcomed to the meeting.
Ms. McDermott informed the Council that Compass Counselling had been established four years ago in response to an unmet need to provide support to communities in North and West Belfast affected by high levels of social deprivation, addiction, suicide and self-harm. The organisation provided professional counselling, holistic therapies and bespoke educational/informative training programmes to community groups, professional and statutory agencies and those experiencing mental health issues and life-changing events.
She highlighted the fact that Compass Counselling required immediate investment to ensure its survival and urged the Council to support its call for the Minister of Health to demonstrate his commitment to tackling mental health, as outlined within the New Decade, New Approach deal, by saving it from closure.
Ms. Irwin reported that Compass Counselling had provided around 900 sessions per year since it had opened. The number of staff employed within the organisation had increased from three to twelve over the past four years and currently comprised Directors, clinical supervisors, accredited counsellors, holistic therapists, positive psychology mentors, nutritional advisors and final year placement counsellors. Staff worked in a voluntary capacity and the organisation was self-funding, mainly through fundraising and contributions. She pointed out that the increased demand for the organisation’s services had grown to the extent that it now required significant support to continue to operate.
Ms. Whelan outlined the valuable support which she had obtained from Compass Counselling during a difficult period in her life and confirmed that she was now a volunteer in the organisation and was training to become a counsellor. She too highlighted the need for the Council and others to do everything within their power to save this vital service.
The deputation was thanked by the Lord Mayor.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that it would have an opportunity to discuss the issue later in the meeting.