Children and young people in Northern Ireland have long been regarded as the way forward for stimulating reconciliation through developing cross community friendships to help Northern Ireland become a less divided society. Schools have been seen as the pathway to facilitate increased social contact, reduce prejudicial attitudes and alleviate racial and ethnic divisions.

The Limavady Shared Education Campus (SEC) is the first project of its kind in Northern Ireland. The project is providing two new shared facilities – a shared Sixth Form/Careers/Media and Drama Centre on the St Mary’s HS site and a shared Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) centre on the Limavady HS site.

It brings together pupils from different religious and community backgrounds showing how diversity can be recognised and accepted, through the building of relationships in a shared campus setting.

Shared Ambassadors young people from both schools, play a key role in championing the success of the shared campus and its links with the wider community. Attitudes and behaviours of the Shared Ambassadors spread throughout each school and influence the wider community, leading to improvements in good relations and peacebuilding in the wider Limavady area. The Ambassadors participate in key cross-community events celebrating and embracing culturaldiversity.