Call launched for projects to strengthen school, home and community links in RAISE Localities

Education Minister Paul Givan has launched a call for proposed projects to strengthen links between schools, pupil's families and the wider community across twelve RAISE Localities.

Organisations are being asked to submit proposals to enhance links between pupils' homes, schools and communities in the twelve RAISE Localities which identified improving these links as a priority objective in their Strategic Area Plan.

Paul Givan said: “Children and young people are most likely to learn and achieve their potential when they are supported. By creating strong community, school and home connections, we can increase the support available to pupils to remain engaged in learning and encouraged to reach their goals. Nowhere is this more important than in areas where deprivation has created barriers to education.

“The RAISE Programme empowers communities to work together to address specific challenges that have been identified in Strategic Area Plans. Informed by the views of children, young people, parents and carers as well as key stakeholders delivering services in the locality, they offer a roadmap for organisations to contribute to a whole community approach to tackling educational disadvantage.

“The RAISE Home School Community Connections Call will provide almost £2m of funding for allocation to successful projects towards building better school, community and home support for our children and young people in areas where the need for stronger links is a particular issue.  Projects will have a focus on attendance, supporting parents and removing barriers.  

“I would urge interested organisations to submit proposals which can deliver positive outcomes for these 12 RAISE Localities, against the objectives set out within the call documents.”

The twelve RAISE Localities for which proposals are being sought are;

• Antrim
• Ballymena
• Carrickfergus
• Coleraine
• Derry/Londonderry
• Dungannon
• East Belfast
• Enniskillen
• Millisle and Donaghadee
• Newry
• North Belfast
• South Belfast

Further information on the RAISE Programme including the Strategic Area Plans and Calls for Locality Led Projects can be found on the DE website at: https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/topics/raise-programme-education

Proposals for the RAISE Home School Community Connections Call must be submitted via the RAISE online platform by 12:00 PM on 22 April 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted. The platform can be accessed at: https://raise.whole.school/project-bid-form/signup

All applications will be assessed by a panel comprising Department officials and external experts.

Notes to editors:

1.The RAISE Programme aims to raise educational achievement and reduce educational disadvantage through a whole community, place-based approach.

2.The RAISE Programme is funded through the Shared Island Fund and represents an investment of £20million/€24million over two years from 2024-2026, with the potential for further funding.