The Belfast Agenda Statement of Progress 2023-2025

Creating inclusive, innovative and sustainable growth, learning and opportunity

• £2.3 million has been allocated to the Department of Education RAISE Programme and two associated programmes, Creative Connections and T-Rex, over the next two years to address educational disadvantage and increase attainment in Belfast.
• 4,885 people accessed Belfast Employment Academies via Belfast Met and Belfast City Council.
• 2,100 people have accessed apprenticeships and 1,815 individuals have been supported through English for speakers of other languages programmes (ESOL) via Belfast Met.
• RSA Cities of Learning Digital Badging programme has increased from 3,753 to 27,113 issued digital badges and skills passports.
• Supported over 1,913 people through Gateway to Choices, a triage service directing individuals to tailored employability and skills provisions.
• Supported over 120 social enterprises through Social Enterprise Fund allocating £150,000.
• Launched Go Success in November 2023, supporting 2,600 new start and existing businesses with support, mentoring and advice. 300 new businesses established and 400 jobs created.
• Digital Transformation Flexible Fund supported 17 businesses with over £250,000 awarded.
• Through Invest NI's export support services, 75 Belfast-based companies were assisted to sell outside Northern Ireland for the first time with a further 161 assisted to sell to new markets.
• Secured £94m in investment for Belfast’s SMEs through Invest NI’s access to finance schemes.
• Continued delivery of Belfast Region City Deal projects which aim to deliver £400 million GVA, £1 billion of private sector leverage and 20,000 jobs. Key progress made at Studio Ulster’s advanced virtual production facility at Giant’s Park, Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre, iReach Health, Momentum One Zero, Augment the City, Belfast Stories, Lagan Bridge and BRT2.
• 70 organisations have signed up to the Belfast Business Promise and 172 pledges awarded with 23 progressing to Member Status and 11 achieving ambassador status.

Improving educational outcomes

 ‘All children and young people deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential and achieve the best educational outcomes and life chances possible. We must realise our ambition for change in improving educational outcomes.’ 

Partners recognise the fundamental contribution of education to improving the wellbeing and life opportunities of children, as well as the wider benefits to our communities and economy. We’re committed to working to ensure that every child and young person is supported in their wellbeing and learning so that they develop the skills and capabilities to fulfil their potential and progress into a positive destination, such as employment or further and higher education.

RAISE: 

‘A whole community and place-based approach to tackling educational disadvantage’

Announced in May 2024 by the Minister of Education, the RAISE Programme (Raising Achievement to Reduce Educational Disadvantage) is a whole community and place-based approach to tackling educational disadvantage in 18 localities across Northern Ireland including four in Belfast, supporting the Department of Education’s vision that “every child is happy learning and succeeding.” It focusses on two objectives:

• raising aspirations through a whole community approach to education, and
• raising achievement and addressing educational disadvantage.

Delivery highlights and progress

• Established four Locality Reference Groups across Belfast, involving schools, community groups, statutory bodies and other stakeholders to help inform and shape strategic area plans.
• Submitted plans to the Department for review, with the first call for locality-led projects advertised in September 2025.

Whole community approaches to education

Collaborative programmes build connections between schools, families and communities to support attainment and transitions. We are committed to enhancing the scale of the impact of our work and identifying opportunities for partnership delivery with community partners.

EastSide Learning 

Eastside Partnership have delivered a number of whole community approaches to education, supported with funding received from Department of Education’s WRAP Programme and The Executive Programme on Paramilitarism and Organised Crime (EPPOC).

Delivery highlights and progress

• EastSide Early Learning Community in partnership with Save the Children has a community of 93 partners including the statutory, community and voluntary sectors. The partnership aims to create a long-term impact on outcomes for children aged 0-8 years old.
• STEM Camp including a visit to Ulster University Engineering Department for P5-P7 pupils.
• Between 2023-2025, ESL hosted 5 ABC Clubs in partnership with local primary schools, with 113 pupils (P5-P6) participating.
• Reading fair held in March to support reading and literacy for children and adults.
• An Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance Programme was delivered to improve school attendance.
• Summer learning programmes with local community summer schools were hosted.
• Count on Dad's programme to encourage learning and sharing with fathers and children.

Seamless Transition Through Education (STEP) 

STEP is a bespoke early intervention programme developed with funding received from the Department of Education’s WRAP Programme and EPPOC. STEP seeks to build a positive whole community approach to education in south Belfast and works to develop the education infrastructure by connecting schools and five community-based partners. 

The consortium of community and voluntary sector organisations working on STEP is led and co-ordinated by Forward South Partnership and consists of community partners - South Belfast Sure Start, Barnardo’s, Sólás and Belfast South Community Resources. 

Together the partners deliver a holistic, place-based early intervention programme specifically designed to provide support to families and children, helping them get the best start in life. The underlying ethos is that children will fail to thrive if the wider family unit of which they are a part of is not thriving.

Through focusing on community connectedness, STEP contributes to peace building and tackling paramilitarism, raising aspirations, improvements to emotional wellbeing, and empowerment.

There are seven key strands to this work.

• Perinatal support.
• 2–3-year-old loving learning programme.
• Transition programmes for nursery to P1 and P7 to post primary.
• Family support and parenting programmes.
• SEN family support and reach programmes for post primary.
• Emotional wellbeing and resilience interventions in schools and community settings.
• CPD for teachers and those working with young people across south Belfast.

Each year, around 2,300 children and 800 parents are engaged in STEP in South Belfast. It works with a core network of 7 primary schools and 6 nurseries, but programmes can work across a larger number of schools. The project has resulted in improved emotional wellbeing, increased confidence and a stronger sense of community connectedness. A strong collaboration has been built between the partners, and the programme has helped build community capacity in the area.

Greater Shankill Partnership

Greater Shankill Partnership have developed a whole child, whole family, whole community, whole system approach to transforming the lives of children and young under the umbrella of the Greater Shankill Children and Young People Zone. This work has been supported from DE funding. Working in partnership with Queen’s University, eight local Primary and three post-primary schools, a bespoke Teacher Professional Learning guide sharing best practice has been co-designed and delivered to cohorts at leadership level, senior management and at induction of new teachers.

This approach led to the eight primary schools forming the first Area Learning Community (ALC) at Primary school level in Northern Ireland. In February 2024, Queen’s University and Greater Shankill Partnership signed a Memorandum of Understanding to continue this and other work. 

Citywide GCSE Support Programme

West Belfast Partnership Board, in partnership with the other Area Partnerships, delivered a GCSE Support Programme, providing targeted tuition in Maths and English for students with predicted low grades, supporting 680 students over two years and increasing the percentage of school leavers progressing into a positive destination.

We have also supported an accelerated reader programme for 1,055 pupils as an early intervention, conducting over 3,216 assessments to improve comprehension and encourage independent reading.

Addressing severe to chronic pupil absence

Addressing chronic pupil absence is recognised in our community plan as essential action in the journey towards helping reduce educational inequalities. In 2023, the Education Authority’s (EA) School Development Service launched a post-primary attendance programme in the Belfast area, aimed at supporting schools to improve pupil attendance. Attendance in all participating schools improved and the pilot programme left schools with tools and approaches to sustain this improvement. Key learning from this initiative has been incorporated into the joint attendance guidance from the Department of Education and Education Authority.

Supporting children with Special Educational Needs 

As a compassionate city, partners are committed to maximising access, opportunities and choices for children with special educational needs and disabilities, both at school and in their communities.

Delivery highlights and progress

• Established 69 new specialist provision classes in mainstream schools, catering for 604 nursery, primary and secondary school pupils, enabling inclusive learning for children with SEN within mainstream settings.
• Opened Deanby Centre Special School as part of a £1 million refurbishment, which offers educational opportunities for 72 nursery and primary school children with SEN, including classrooms, sensory, therapy and hygiene facilities.
• Opened Fleming Fulton School Hydrotherapy Pool in June 2025 for ages 3 to 19, benefitting pupils and neighbouring schools by aiding movement, relaxation, flexibility, confidence and emotional wellbeing.
• Launched an immersive classroom at W5 in 2025 developed in partnership between the Education Authority, BT and W5. This 5G-enabled space offers sensory and visual interactions, to stimulate learning using cameras and HD projectors to bring content to life with lights, sounds and smells. The classroom is prioritised for Special Schools and specialist provisions are available free of charge, supporting learners with additional needs. 
• Piloted Deaf Classroom Assistant and upskilling academies via the Labour Market Partnership to provide additional support to children with SEN in school settings. The Academy has supported 10 people who are deaf and who sign BSL or ISL up to Level 6 to complete Level 3 Classroom Assistant. This Academy is unique in Northern Ireland.

Case study: Fleming Fulton Principal, Karen Hancock, has commented: 

Hydrotherapy offers incredible benefits for all children including those with disabilities. The buoyancy of the water allows for movements that may not be possible on land, reducing pressure on joints and muscles while encouraging strength, promoting muscle relaxation, flexibility and coordination. The benefits of hydrotherapy go far beyond the physical – it builds confidence, fosters independence and provides moments of fun and freedom that are essential to a child’s emotional wellbeing. 

…The hydrotherapy pool is more than just a facility, it represents a step forward in our commitment to ensuring every child, regardless of ability, has the opportunity to thrive, grow and experience the joys of learning and development in an environment that supports their unique needs.

Supporting learners in Irish Medium schools

In 2024-2025 the Education Authority facilitated the first bespoke programme for Early Career Teachers in Irish with 10 Irish-medium schools in Belfast participating. In August 2024, the Education Authority, in partnership with St Mary’s University College, Belfast, facilitated a professional learning programme for Irish Medium educators on the use of Digital Technology to support immersive pedagogy. Seventeen educators in Belfast availed of this capacity building opportunity.

The Labour Market Partnership have funded upskilling Irish medium Academies in partnership with GaelChúrsaí for 115 people to become Level 3 or Level 5 qualified Classroom Assistants. 

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Supporting people into employment

Partners have been working to drive enhanced productivity and create better jobs through investment in innovation and skills. Developing inclusive pathways to good employment has been identified by partners as a key area of focus.

Belfast Labour Market Partnership

The Belfast Labour Market Partnership (LMP) focuses on improving Belfast’s employability outcomes and labour market conditions by working with a range of partners, helping connect employers and employees and being responsive to meet local need. Convened and developed by Belfast City Council with funding from the Department for Communities and Department for the Economy, the following key achievements are a snapshot of what’s been delivered throughout the reporting period.

• Issued 27,113 digital badges as an RSA City of Learning since November providing credentials and skills passports matched to real time job vacancies.
• Convened a Belfast Health and Work Steering Group to design a joined-up employability and skills ecosystem, promoting a more inclusive labour market.
• Supported over 1,913 people through Gateway to Choices, a triage service directing individuals to tailored employability and skills provisions.
• Built a provider network with over 450 members from more than 200 organisations, including community groups and Jobs and Benefit Offices staff.
• Placed 1,695 people in Belfast employment academies from November 2023 to August 2025 with 896 completing so far and 699 still participating on an academy. Of those successfully completing, 745 (83 per cent) have secured a new or better job.
• Delivered Irish Medium Employment Academies for 154 people and Upskilling Academies for 115 people working as Classroom Assistants to gain the Level 3 or Level 5 qualification were developed and delivered.
• Supported 1,380 people through the “Multiply” numeracy programme (UKSPF – funded by Department for the Economy), targeting those with no Maths GCSE, across 17 projects worth approximately £420,000.

Belfast Metropolitan College

Belfast Met supports learners through diverse programmes, fostering skills development, apprenticeships and pathways to employment. Over the past two years the college has supported 12,098 individual learners across 20,554 enrolments, with 92 per cent reporting satisfaction and 88 per cent of both FE and HE leavers progressing to further learning or employment. An impressive 2,100 learners have undertaken an apprenticeship (Level 2 or 3) or a higher level apprenticeship (Level 4 or 5).

Delivery highlights and progress

• Step-up programme - aimed increasing access and participation from under-represented individuals supported 609 participants, with 76 per cent progressing into further training or employment
• Skills fund programmes – Funded by the Department for the Economy, these four 2025 initiatives helped reduce barriers to returning to employment: 

1. Back to Business: 12 women returners completed 14 weeks of Level 2 Business Administration training plus 4 weeks' placement at Falls Women’s Centre, focusing on digital tools, communication, project management, and employability.
2. Digital Marketing: In partnership with Shankill Women’s Centre, 10 women completed 8 weeks to achieve OCN Level 2, covering core principles, confidence-building workshops, and industry insights for workplace readiness.
3. Career Reboot: In partnership with Women in Business NI, 28 women (not in paid work or working under 16 hours a week, often with caring duties) completed 5 weeks of blended learning on CV development, interviews, confidence, resilience, and OCN Level 2 Customer Service.
4. Breaking Barriers: In partnership with Ulster Supported Employment Ltd and Belfast Met’s inclusive learning team, 20 participants completed 10 weeks on soft skills (communication, teamwork, job-seeking), with themes in IT, digital literacy,

Back to business participant quote

After a career break due to family responsibilities, found it challenging to re-enter the workforce. Completing the course significantly boosted my self-esteem. I not only gained a qualification but also improved my digital literacy, communication, and time management skills.

Breaking barriers

It has been a great stepping stone to getting the confidence to start back to employment, and with the ever-changing computer systems, it has definitely helped me feel less overwhelmed.

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Belfast Digital Skills and Employability Programme 

Supported by Bank of America, this delivers 30 Digital Skills Academies over three years for targeted groups like women returners, adult learners, those with disabilities (including neurodivergent) and newcomers. 

Highlights and progress

• Launched in October 2023 at Springvale Campus; 235 participants enrolled in 13 academies to date.
• The participant retention rate is 86 per cent and overall positive progression rate is 93 per cent with learners progressing onto further training, apprenticeships or employment.

Skill Up Programme

The programme has successfully supported over 2,048 learners and provides upskilling and reskilling through accredited qualifications in priority areas like Health and Social Care, Childcare, IT, Green Skills, Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, Hospitality, Tourism and transversal skills (leadership, management, business, marketing).

Through the Skill Up Programme, Belfast Metropolitan College has tailored its course offerings to meet the diverse needs of its learners. This included Cybersecurity Skills courses designed specifically for neurodiverse learners and a Level 2 Coaching and Mentoring programme aimed at women in the Renewables sector. The college also continued its commitment to supporting the Hospitality and Tourism sector by collaborating with industry partners to develop targeted courses that address existing skills gaps, particularly through its Get into Hospitality initiative.

Assured Skills Academies

The college delivered 15 Assured Skills Academies to 235 participants delivering qualifications and employment in key growth sectors such as data analytics, software development, professional business services and childcare. 

Delivery highlights and progress

• First Early Learning and Childcare Collaborative Assured Skills Academy (November 2024): 13 learners completed 12 weeks of training and hands-on experience, with 10 securing jobs with four childcare employers.
• Department for Infrastructure (DfI) Skills Academy (September 2024): As part of a collaboration to support workforce development in the civil service, the programme provided full-time and part-time pre-employment training in civil engineering, with 29 participants securing roles in the Department for Infrastructure.

Supporting local business and enterprise

Over the past two years, we have worked with our city and regional partners across the public and private sectors to understand the issues facing businesses and to develop support interventions to address key areas of concern.

In November 2023, delivery began on Go Succeed, a new approach to business start-up and growth support available across Northern Ireland.

In Belfast, significant numbers of budding entrepreneurs and existing businesses have engaged with the service since its inception.

Delivery highlights and progress

• Almost 1,700 early stage and new start businesses are accessing business advice, guidance and mentoring support to help establish their business or move it forward with a focus on growth.
• Almost 900 existing businesses are accessing support to develop new markets, introduce new processes and grow their workforce to meet the demand for their products or services.
• More than 300 new business have been established.
• More than 400 new jobs have been created.

Given the importance of the social enterprise sector in Belfast, we have put in place targeted support to help place these businesses on a more sustainable financial footing, including increasing the value of earned income outside of public sector investment. Over the last two years, we have supported more than 120 social enterprises by providing specialist mentoring, advice and guidance. We have also supported 24 social enterprises through our Social Enterprise Investment Fund – allocating almost £150,000 over that period.

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Securing investment and creating jobs and opportunities

Digital Transformation Flexible Fund

The Digital Transformation Flexible Fund aimed at supporting micro and small businesses with digital transformation projects supported 17 Belfast businesses with over £250,000 awarded in March 2025. A peer support network and wraparound support was established through Go Succeed to support businesses with their application and to help them apply the technologies within their business once successful. 

Invest NI Support

Invest NI promotes innovation, exports and funding to help local businesses grow competitively on a global scale. 

Delivery highlights and progress

• Supported 203 Belfast based companies through Innovate NI, to complete the Innovation Recognition Assessment, guiding them through a structured process to test, develop and commercialise ideas for value creation.
• Supported 75 Belfast companies to export outside of Northern Ireland for the first time and 161 to enter new markets via export services.
• Hosted ongoing business breakfasts and drop-in clinics with partners to foster collaboration.
• Secured approximately £94 million in investments for Belfast companies from April 2023 to March 2025 through access to finance schemes. These target SMEs, which are the backbone of our economy providing three-quarters of all private sector jobs and turnover.
• Invest NI’s commitment of £100 million across three funds is expected to unlock at least £150 million in private investment, managed by independent FCA approved fund managers who provide decisions, guidance and mentoring. Funds include NI Small Business Loan Fund, Techstart and Co Fund Loan and Equity funds.

Belfast Region City Deal 

The signing of the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) in December 2021 was a key milestone for the city and wider region as it secured a financial commitment of the UK Government, NI Executive and BRCD partners, to work with industry to deliver a £1 billion programme of investment that offers a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to accelerate inclusive economic growth for the region.

Over the lifetime of the deal, the following benefits are anticipated.

• Support the creation of 20,000 new jobs. 
• Connect local people to new and better jobs. 
• Place the region at the top table of digital innovation. 
• Deliver £400 million in Gross Value Added (GVA) directly on-site and within the region. 
• Target delivery of almost £1 billion of private sector leverage. 
• Create compelling world class visitor attractions. 
• Help to regenerate major towns and cities.

Over the past two years we have made significant strides forward in progressing the BRCD.

Delivery highlights and progress

• Studio Ulster launched at Giant's Park. 
• The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre is well into construction and anticipated completion by January 2026.
• Construction has commenced at the clinical health focused iREACH Health. 
• Construction has commenced at the AI and Data focused Momentum One Zero located at the Titanic Quarter. The connected health focused CDHT project has an Outline Business Case approved, has now signed its funding agreement and commenced demolition works on site.
• Four skills assessments have been completed in the following sectors: construction, advanced manufacturing, creative industries and digital. The Life and Health Sciences is currently underway and anticipated to be completed by the year end.
• The UK Digital Twin Centre is being delivered by Digital Catapult and was officially launched in May 2025.
• The Innovation Challenge Fund pilot project, Augment the City, is now successfully progressing into its final phase and three companies have been awarded £100,000 each to develop prototypes for innovation tourism experiences and over the next six months will turn their concepts into prototypes to be trialled in real-world settings.
• The Outline Business Case (OBC) for Belfast Stories, a £100 million visitor destination, public space and creative hub close to Cathedral Gardens, has been developed and following Departmental review and approval, the Contract for Funding will be signed in early 2026.
• The Lagan Pedestrian and Cycle bridge is progressing towards appointment of a design and build contractor in Autumn 2025, with construction anticipated to commence in Spring 2026. Once completed the bridge will offer a quicker and safer route for pedestrians and cyclists between Belfast City centre and the south and east of the city and encourage a shift towards sustainable transport modes.
• The infrastructure minister has announced the next steps for Phase 2 of the Belfast Rapid Transit (BRT2) project in February 2025, which will see the Glider service extend to north and south Belfast, with an additional £13 million allocated from the Department for Infrastructure to deliver a park and ride on the O’Neill Road. The OBC is being finalised and following approval, work is expected to begin on this first phase in 2026.

Case studies

• iReach - £62 million investment in creating a Health Clinical research centre which is patient centred, pro innovation and digitally enabled. 
• AMIC - £100 million investment in creating an innovative powerhouse for advanced manufacturing.
• Studio Ulster - One of the most advanced hubs in the world for real-time filmmaking, animation, in-camera VFX and immersive media. Studio Ulster is not only transforming film and TV production workflows - it’s also shaping the next generation of talent and driving sustainable economic growth.

Belfast Business Promise

Belfast Business Promise is our new membership and accreditation initiative for employers committed to inclusive growth and improving best-practice standards in Belfast. Built around eight pledges, such as providing fair wages and supporting the local and social economy, the scheme sets aspirations for excellence and its flexibility makes sure all employers can take part, regardless of size and sector.

To date, 70 organisations have signed up to the Belfast Business Promise and 228 pledges awarded across our business community; 23 organisations have progressed to Member status, and 11 have achieved Ambassador status. 

Belfast is the first council to become Living Wage accredited in the region. Belfast Business Promise is a lever in addressing this issue with 20 organisations becoming LW accredited. 

Delivery highlights and progress

• Nine Promise Learning Days have been hosted, with 80 per cent attendance rates. 
• Four Peer Support Networks and workshops convened.
• Forty-five businesses supported with implementation of an ‘Outreach Action Plan’. 
• Thirty-three businesses supported with the development of a ‘Climate Action Plan’ and access to resources supporting carbon reduction goals whilst embedding a culture of sustainability across the community of organisations.
• Forty organisations have achieved JAM Card Friendly status.