Phoenix Education Centre NI - March 2026 Newsletter
March has been another exciting and productive month at Phoenix Education Centre NI as we continued our mission of supporting individuals, families, and communities through education, mentoring, wellbeing, and personal development. Across Belfast and beyond, our team has been working hard to deliver meaningful programmes, strengthen partnerships, and create opportunities that empower people to reach their full potential.
Throughout the month, Phoenix continued to grow its presence within the community and wider education sector. We were proud to launch our new Educational Forum, bringing together professionals, organisations, and community voices to encourage collaboration and shared learning around the future of education and youth support. This marks an important step in our commitment to creating spaces where ideas, experiences, and solutions can be shared for the benefit of local communities.
We also continued progressing exciting plans for the future development of Phoenix, including discussions around capital projects and new facilities that will help us expand our impact in the years ahead. Alongside this, our programmes focusing on wellbeing, resilience, violence prevention, and educational support continued to make a positive difference in the lives of participants across Northern Ireland.
Spotlight: Executive Director, Emma Shaw, wins awards in the Emerging Leaders category of the CO3 Leaderships Awards 2026
March brought a proud and memorable moment for everyone at Phoenix Education Centre NI as our Executive Director, Emma Shaw, was recognised at the CO3 Leadership Awards 2026.
Emma was first nominated and then shortlisted in the Emerging Leader category, recognising her outstanding commitment, vision, and leadership within the community and voluntary sector. Following the awards ceremony, we were absolutely delighted to celebrate Emma being announced as the winner of the Emerging Leader Award 2026.
This achievement reflects the incredible passion and dedication Emma brings to Phoenix every single day. Through her leadership, Phoenix has continued to grow its reach, strengthen community relationships, and create meaningful opportunities for young people, families, and communities across Northern Ireland.
Emma’s commitment to educational equality, community empowerment, and partnership working continues to inspire both staff and participants alike. Everyone at Phoenix is incredibly proud of this well-deserved recognition, and we congratulate Emma on this fantastic achievement.
Community Corner
Community engagement remained at the centre of everything we did throughout March. Phoenix continued delivering projects that focused on wellbeing, resilience, education, and violence prevention while strengthening relationships with organisations, funders, and strategic partners across Northern Ireland.
Our Ending Violence Against Women initiatives continued throughout the month, creating important conversations around safety, support, and awareness within local communities. Alongside this work, we also delivered the Bounce Back programme in Mid-Ulster, supporting participants in developing confidence, resilience, and practical life skills.
March also saw Phoenix engaging with researchers, local businesses, and new funding partners as we explored opportunities for future collaboration and growth. Meetings with Belfast City Council Directors and planning teams allowed important discussions to take place around support for future capital projects and the long-term vision for Phoenix Education Centre NI.
As always, we remain committed to ensuring that local voices are heard and represented in conversations around education, youth work, and community development.
CEO Highlights - March 2026
March was an incredibly productive and impactful month for our CEO, who continued representing Phoenix Education Centre NI across a wide range of important regional and national engagements.
During the month, our CEO attended the Royal Visit at Walkway Community Association alongside the Duchess of Edinburgh and continued delivering projects focused on Ending Violence Against Women and the Bounce Back tender across Mid-Ulster. Attendance at the Confidence in Policing event at Templemore Baths and the Northern Ireland Office’s event on Ending Violence Against Women provided further opportunities to engage in important conversations around community safety and support.
Networking and partnership development also remained a major focus throughout March. This included attending the British-Irish Association networking event, building new relationships with businesses and funders, and meeting with researchers and strategic partners. Our CEO also attended the launch of the new Peace and Reconciliation Strategy, where there was an opportunity to meet Helen McEntee TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Significant progress was also made in relation to the future growth and development of Phoenix. Meetings took place with Belfast City Council Directors and project planning teams regarding support for future capital projects, while work also continued alongside architects and design teams on proposals for a future new-build facility.
March also included attendance at the St Patrick’s Day event hosted by the British-Irish Joint Secretariat at The Merchant Hotel, where networking discussions took place with the Prime Minister and Secretary of State Hilary Benn. Alongside this, engagement continued with the Curriculum Review Panel, Boys Impact Hub, and wider educational stakeholders as Phoenix continued strengthening its voice within the sector.
The month concluded on a high note with the successful launch of the Educational Forum and the fantastic achievement of winning the CO3 Emerging Leader Award 2026.
Coming up in April 2026
April is already shaping up to be another busy and exciting month for Phoenix Education Centre NI. We are looking forward to continuing our educational and mentoring programmes while expanding opportunities for community engagement and partnership working.
Work will continue on plans for our future new-build project, alongside ongoing development of the Educational Forum and wider strategic partnerships. Participants can also look forward to a range of wellbeing activities and workshops taking place throughout the month.
We are excited to continue building momentum and creating positive opportunities for the young people, families, and communities we support.
Thank You & How To Stay Involved
As always, we would like to thank everyone who continues to support Phoenix Education Centre NI. Whether you attend our programmes, volunteer your time, work alongside us as a partner, or support our work within the community, your contribution makes a real and lasting difference.
The continued encouragement and support we receive allows us to keep creating opportunities, raising aspirations, and supporting communities across Northern Ireland. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who plays a part in the Phoenix journey.
To stay up to date with our latest news, events, and opportunities, be sure to follow Phoenix Education Centre NI on social media and keep an eye on our website for future updates.