Projects
Projects Mark has designed and run with communities in the past, each ready to be set up again for communities in County Down and across Northern Ireland.
Below is an overview of each project: what it involves, who it is for, and what it achieves. Any of them can be adapted to suit your group or area. To talk about bringing one to your community, or to suggest a new one, please get in touch.
IGNITE: Making Ideas a Reality
A free support and networking group for all ages (16+) who have big ideas for social and community projects and are seeking help to bring them to life. We facilitate training and networking for budding social entrepreneurs to help define and focus their ideas. Our training covers the practical skills of forming committees, running meetings, writing constitutions, applying for funding, promotion, networking and much more. Sessions can also include inspirational talks from successful local entrepreneurs and experts.
iGNITE is designed as a six week rolling programme with a different theme each week (Defining Ideas; Motivation and Moving Forwards; Forming the Foundations; The Essential Admin; Getting Ready to Go; and Up and Running), repeating approximately every 3 months, so you can join at any stage and stay for the sessions missed. There is no limit to how many sessions you attend.
Engage Gaming Youth Club (EGYC)
Playing Games for Life! A regular evening of gaming for kids using a variety of game styles such as Dungeons & Dragons, Role Playing Games, Tabletop, Board Games and PC Multiplayer Games, Drama and Theatre games, to help tap into the vast creativity of young people's minds. Gaming in these ways enhances skills in visualisation and imagination and teaches creative problem solving, working co-operatively, and thinking "outside of the box", all essential skills for success in life and work today.
We aim to provide a place for the less sporting or physically competitive children and young people to relax, feel safe and accepted, make friends and learn to play together in new ways through fun and exciting gaming events and activities. Participants are supported and monitored by experienced and highly vigilant youth workers and facilitators, and can also access the training and mentoring offered through Engage's many other projects and programmes.
All our Staff and Volunteers have full criminal records checks and receive additional training from Engage.
Engage in Nature
Outdoor Rural Adventures, Camping Experiences and Nature Walks designed to educate Young People about the environment, the countryside code, and learn outward bound skills such as map reading, camping, outdoor cooking, wood craft and survival skills.
Engage in Nature provides the opportunity to experience a journey of discovery, allowing participants to develop their skills and abilities in creative problem solving; increase their versatility and adaptability, surviving without modern conveniences or technology, guided by experienced and qualified facilitators.
Community Elders Meetings
Open meetings in local community centres or halls across the local area, inviting local people across the spectrum of influence in the local community, also inviting Community Police Officers, Youth and Community Workers, Council Officials etc. These meetings provide an open discussion forum focusing on resolving community issues, community projects, networking and sharing information on local support services and training.
The C.R.E.A.T.E. Community
The long term aim and ambition of Engage and Co-Create is to establish a rural therapeutic community, 100% ethically designed and structured based upon the latest science and technology, researched and tested through the work of Co-Create and Engage.
The C.R.E.A.T.E. Community (Co-operative, Rural, Environmental, Arts, Therapeutic and Educational Community) would be built using the latest knowledge and understanding of self sufficiency, designed to meld into the landscape with minimum environmental impact, and architecturally designed using the latest knowledge on social design of communities.
Ideally it would include a small farm with crops and a small selection of animals, near accessible woods and a lake; Arts facilities including an open stage, music, dance and drama studio, art and craft facilities, teaching rooms, and capacity to cater for and sleep up to 30 guests plus staff and volunteer accommodation. The whole community social structure would be based on the principles of equality, contribution and co-operation.