Support The Work of Aspire Today
Aspire NI exists to work with children in Northern Ireland in poverty to help close the educational attainment gap that exists between rich and poor.
Aspire NI exists to work with children in Northern Ireland in poverty to help close the educational attainment gap that exists between rich and poor.
At Aspire, we believe that where a child is born shouldn’t dictate their future. We believe that each child deserves an equal opportunity to achieve in school.
The Educational Attainment Gap, is the the gap that exists between rich and poor. If you are born in the UK, into a low-income family, you are less likely to achieve in school. This means you will have fewer employment opportunities. This means the cycle will continue from generation to generation.
Aspire NI is a registered charity, in Northern Ireland with a mission to close the educational attainment gap that exists between rich and poor. Aspire's main programme, consists of 3 main services. Aspire Sessions, Aspire Academy and Camp Aspire. All these services are completely free of charge, to anyone on the Aspire programme.
Over the last 8 years at Aspire, the team has grown and we are able to provide far more now than we ever dreamed. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of our partners and givers. Unfortunately, over the last 8 years, poverty levels have risen exponentially. Today in 2024, 103,400 children in Northern Ireland are living in poverty. When we began, this figure was only at 69,000. So now, more than ever, young people need our help and support.
At Aspire, we believe that where a child is born, shouldn’t dictate their future. We believe that each child, deserves an equal opportunity to achieve in school. We try our best to work with schools, to provide this. Aspire works exclusively with young people, from low-income backgrounds, from primary school age right up to school leaving age. We do this to provide as much support as we can to those who need it most so that they also have the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their economic background.
Aspire NI has been able to grow into various areas across Northern Ireland. Thanks
to the generous support of our monthly givers, corporate partners and funding.
Without this generous support, Aspire NI would be unable to expand. It is the goal of
Aspire NI, to continue to grow, across all of Northern Ireland. If you are a business leader,
Church leader, or would like to see more support in your town or city, in closing the
Educational attainment gap. Please consider partnering with Aspire NI and we will utilise
your funds, to continue to expand Aspire NI, across the country. Please, feel free, to reach
out to us directly, if you would like to explore this further.
Aspire NI as an organisation, consists mainly of 3 core elements. Aspire Sessions, Aspire Academy and Camp Aspire. Aspire NI’s main service, is the Aspire Programme. The Aspire programme consists of 3 components. Aspire Sessions, Aspire Academy and Camp Aspire. We are working in 25 schools, with over 350 young people, from low-income backgrounds.
We are turning up weekly, to provide Aspire Sessions. At Aspire Sessions, we create a supportive and helpful learning environment for young people. We play games, bring snacks and offer tutoring and support with the work they are doing currently in school.
We also spend time, sitting with young people and building relationships with them. Caring for them and trying to be there for them in a capacity that teachers often can’t provide, due to the size of the classes they typically work with. For at least an hour a week, they have supportive adults in a room, championing and believing in them.
At Aspire, we believe that where a child
is born shouldn’t dictate their future. We
believe, that each child, deserves an equal
opportunity to achieve in school. And we
try our best, to work with schools to provide
this. At Aspire Sessions, we create a supportive
and helpful learning environment for
young people. We play games, bring
snacks and sit with young people. For
at least an hour a week, they have supportive
adults, in a room, championing and believing
in them. Less than 50% of young people, who
are free school meal eligible, achieve 5 or
more GCSEs grades A*-C. This year 89% of
our young people at Aspire, achieved this.
We run Aspire Academy, because we
believe that your parent's wage, should
not limit, your options in hobbies and skills.
We provide young people, with monthly
workshops, in a range of areas from art,
cooking, sport and even skateboarding.
We do this so young people, don’t feel like
their options are limited. Because we
are so aware, that these things have a cost
attached to them - whether it be paint and
pens, to skateboards and helmets. It’s
unfair, that the choices young people
have in hobbies are dictated by finances.
The situation young people find themselves
in, resembles the inequality we see in the
world, that as people of faith, we work against.
The highlight of our year is our summer
camp. This past summer, we had our 6th
Camp Aspire. We had young people from
both nationalist and unionist areas, come
together for a week and hang out, canoe
and airsoft together. Thanks to our
kind donors, were able to create summer
memories, that will last a lifetime. But it’s
more than that. We sat with these young
people and discussed Northern Ireland.
We looked at our troubled history. But also
planned a dream city for the future. These
13 and 14-year-olds were talking about
how our schools should be run, how our
towns should be run and what role faith
communities could play in it.
Aspire NI's impact has been recognised across the UK. Aspire was a winner of the CSJ award in 2022, which recognises and honours the best grassroots charities fighting poverty across the UK. Aspire, has been on a mission, to close the educational attainment gap that exists between rich and poor for 8 years. There are currently, 103k young people living in poverty in Northern Ireland.
We have seen over the past 8 years, the impact the Aspire programme can have. 89% of pupils on the Aspire programme achieve grade C or above in at least 5 GCSE subjects. For young people, not on the Aspire programme and eligible for free school meals, this number is less than 50%.
Less than 50% of young people who are eligible for free
school meals across the country, achieve more than 5
GCSEs at grade C or above. However, 89% of young
people, on the Aspire programme, achieve 5 GCSEs at
C Grade or above.
89% Young people participating
in the Aspire Programme
achieve a grade C or above in more than five GCSE subjects. In contrast, fewer than 50% of those eligible for free school meals who are not on the Aspire programme attain the same level of academic achievement.
200+ Young people weekly take part in the Aspire program.
25+ Schools currently benefit weekly from the Aspire program.
We hope to provide our service to more schools.
