Detail on St Colmcille’s Pilot:

St Colmcille’s Pilot – funded by OET and Ulster Garden Villages Our current project in Downpatrick works with some of the most disadvantaged children in the area – those children are vulnerable not just to risks that fall under department of health but also justice and education. The outcomes of their EAL programme will and indeed already has, contributed towards a more balanced life for these primary school children. It gives them skills to empower them to work to level up the unacceptable health inequalities they face and break the cycles of deprivation and abuse faced by many in their community. By developing this resilience and skill set at such a young age, it is hoped that they help to create a more economically and socially active population thus reducing the need for NHS services. This example is only a tiny percentage of the need in Northern Ireland, but this funding and delivery model has allowed One Equine Trust to build on this with assistance from additional funders. We aim to grow provision of services and expand the impact of EAL on current healthcare challenges whilst building up resilient and supportive communities.