A GROUP of young men from Ardoyne and Shankill have embarked on a trip of a lifetime to South Africa.

The 'My Choice' programme by R City takes participants from initial engagement through a process of acknowledgement, understanding and reflecting on decision making to the consequences of high level risk taking behaviour.

The steps in the programmes include choices and consequences, self-awareness, gang culture and international experience.

In preparation for this challenging experience, the young men participated in a year-long programme run through the Passionist Peace and Reconciliation Office based in Ardoyne in partnership with the R City youth organisation based in the Spectrum Centre on the Shankill Road.

Director of the Passionist Peace, Fr Gary Donegan CP explained: “This programme is a unique opportunity for young people coming from areas such as Ardoyne and Shankill to gain a broader outlook on life and to have their eyes opened to the hardships endured by people living in the townships of Cape Town.

"Coming face to face with the realities of life in the townships helps them to put their lives and challenges into perspective.”

This sentiment was echoed by Alan Waite, Director of R City.

“My Choice allows young people to look at the choices they make in life and how they will impact upon their future life prospects," he added.

"Choices have consequences, and our young people have responded in an amazing way during this particular programme that they began in early 2022.”

In preparation for this trip to South Africa, the young men looked at their values in life and their perceptions of and behaviour towards people from different communities. They were also challenged to set goals for their lives and to engage in positive service opportunities within their respective communities.

Initially this was done in two separate groups, but in the run up to the South Africa trip the two groups were brought together with the common cause of planning and fund raising for this opportunity of a lifetime. 

Key to the success of the My Choice programme is bringing young people to a situation that is completely outside their comfort zone.

While Cape Town is a beautiful city, as soon as the young people step off the plane at the airport it is clear that they are in an entirely different world.

For the first few days of the programme, the group were introduced to the reality of life in the township of Bontheuwel, an area synomonous with gang culture. Poor housing, few facilities, little employment, poor educational opportunity, no green spaces, it is easy to see the draw of gangsterism for young men living in such communities.

While gangsterism destroys the lives of many, belonging to such groups provides a sense of belonging and loyalty in a world where life prospects are extremely limited. 

It was with this background that the group met members of gangs with names such as JFK, Hard Living, the Dixie Boys, the Americans. They were told about gang culture and its importance in the lives of their members, but this was more than balanced when they heard the experience of former gang members and how life in a gang had impacted upon their lives.

This message was enforced in subsequent meetings with the mothers of gang members and, in a particular emotional meeting, hearing from the son, the wife and the mother of people who had been murdered by one of the many gangs in the Bontheuwel community.

A visit to Bosasa Juvenile Detention Centre brought home the reality of making poor choices in life when the group met young people from the ages of 13-18 who were in prison because of gang related offences.

The first day in the prison was devoted to meeting and to listening to the stories of the young inmates. One particularly moving story was that of a 13 year-old who was in prison for committing four murders, his first at the age of ten.

The second day had an entirely different tone as the group organised a football tournament between themselves and the young inmates. The harshness of the previous day was replaced by the laughter and the cheers of young men from different parts of the world who shared a love of football.

The prison experience provided the opportunity for the group to reflect upon the influence of gangsterism and armed groups in their own community and how so many lives have been negatively impacted by this reality.

Further visits to a drug rehabilitation centre and to the local police station gave the group a genuine behind the scenes reality check on life for young people who are drawn into gang activity and the associated drug culture.

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The sixth day called for a complete change of scene and the group embarked upon a six hour drive to the township of Blanco in the district of George.

The following eight days were dedicated to providing service to the local community. From painting out unseemly graffiti, to putting on football tournaments for young people, providing hot soup for the children of the community and delivering food packs to local homes that was made possible by the generosity of the Ardoyne and Shankill community.

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It was here that the potential of these young people from Ardoyne and the Shankill came to the fore. No one could fail to be moved at the genuine rapport the Shankill and Ardoyne lads had with the children of the community.

The most common reaction was astonishment at the ability of the children and people from this community to smile and to be genuinely happy in the face of such awful living conditions.

One particularly moving moment for all involved was when Michael and Pearse Doherty, brothers of Odhran, a past participant in the My Choice programme who tragically lost his life in 2021, presented a bracelet to Odhran’s friend Tameka from the George community. Odhran and Tameka had a great friendship and it was a very emotional moment when Michael and Pearse honoured this friendship by the presentation of the bracelet. 

To provide a balance to the emotional impact of engaging in such work, the group had the opportunity to climb mountains, cross rivers, participate in a safari to spot the wild animals of South Africa and to get a real glimpse of the beauty of this amazing country.

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for young people who are so often labelled as ‘troublemakers’ or ‘problems’ within communities to realise and to use their gifts and talents to make a real difference in the lives of those less fortunate. It was also an opportunity to have a look at the choices they make, and to make a commitment to change the life of their own community for the better.

The final few days of the journey finished with some much deserved relaxation time back in Cape Town.

Brian McKee from the Passionist Peace and Reconciliation Office said: “This programme surpassed all expectations. Young people from the proud communities of Ardoyne and the Shankill have shown a depth of talent and of compassion that speaks volumes for the genuine goodness to be found within these communities.

"They have discovered in a very real way that there is indeed more that unites us than divides us. We hope that this experience of South Africa and the My Choice programme will help them make positive life choices for their futures.”