Education Minister Paul Givan has opened a call for proposals to reinforce connections between schools, pupils' families and local communities across twelve RAISE Localities in Northern Ireland.

Organisations are being invited to bring forward locality-led projects that improve home, school and community links, reflecting priorities identified in each area's 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 areas covered by the call are Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Coleraine, Derry/Londonderry, Dungannon, East Belfast, Enniskillen, Millisle and Donaghadee, Newry, North Belfast and South Belfast.

Further details on the RAISE Programme, including Strategic Area Plans and other Locality Led Calls, are available on the Department of Education website: www.education-ni.gov.uk/topics/raise-programme-education

Bids 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 applications will not be accepted. The platform can be accessed at: raise.whole.school/project-bid-form/signup

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

The RAISE Programme aims to raise educational achievement and reduce disadvantage through a whole-community, place-based approach. It is funded through the Shared Island Fund, representing an investment of £20 million/€24 million over 2024–2026, with potential for further funding.