Over 17,500 people across Northern Ireland have been positively impacted by a group of 756 young women who led almost 500 community projects in the past year, according to a new report released today by SistersIN.
SistersIN is a leadership and mentoring programme that empowers, educates and inspires young women aged 16-18 by pairing them with mentors from across business, public life and the community. Rather than waiting for leadership opportunities to find them, participants are encouraged to identify issues they care about and create projects that make a tangible difference.
In the last 12 months, more than 750 SistersIN participants designed and delivered 480 leadership projects through the charity’s programmes, contributing 9,060 hours of activity to their schools and local communities. More than a third (38%) of SistersIN participants created entirely new initiatives that will continue beyond the current programme, showing leadership in practice, not just in theory, and leaving a lasting legacy in their schools and communities.
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A student from Lisneal College, Co Derry-Londonderry, said, “I have gained more confidence and self-belief. My mentor was fabulous and taught me a lot of valuable information that I will definitely use throughout my life.”
To understand the impact of its work in communities across Northern Ireland, SistersIN commissioned research involving more than 750 participants, alongside their teachers and mentors. The findings show that charity’s programmes are helping young women develop the confidence, skills and ambition to lead. The report shows:
The report also shows that teachers reported significant changes in the classroom. Almost all teachers (90%) that took part in the SistersIN research said they had seen measurable improvements in pupils' self-belief, communication, resilience, self-leadership and teamwork thanks to the charity’s work.
A teacher from Carrickfergus Academy said, “Taking part in the SistersIN programme has been a fantastic opportunity. It has been truly inspirational to see our young ladies grow in confidence, develop new skills, and push beyond their own preconceived limits.”
SistersIN participants design a wide range of projects aimed as part of their support from the charity. These projects provide an insight into the issues young women in Northern Ireland are most motivated to address.
Mental health and wellbeing emerged as the most common project theme, featuring in one in six initiatives. Charity and fundraising came a close second, followed by clubs and extracurricular activities, mentoring, community impact and sport.
The report suggests that when young women are given the opportunity to lead, they choose projects that strengthen both their schools and their wider communities while addressing the issues they believe matter most.
The programme also widened access to leadership opportunities, with participation from young women living in deprived areas* increasing by 37% this year. The growth reflects SistersIN's belief that opportunity should not be determined by background or postcode.
For the businesses and professionals who volunteered as mentors, the experience also proved valuable. Almost two thirds (62%) said they came away with a better understanding of Generation Z's ambitions and the workforce of tomorrow, while a further 61% built new community connections through the programme. The majority (90%) of mentors said they would volunteer again.
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Peter Dobbin, SistersIN Chairman, said: "Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not always evenly distributed. SistersIN exists to help change that by ensuring young women from every background and every part of Northern Ireland can access the mentoring, networks and experiences that help them thrive.
"This year's participants have shown what happens when young women are given the confidence to lead. They have created projects that have made a real difference in their schools and communities, while developing the skills, resilience and ambition that will serve them throughout their lives. Northern Ireland's future leaders are already here, and they are ready to make their mark."
Founded in Northern Ireland in 2022, SistersIN was created with a clear ambition: to help close the leadership gender gap by supporting young women at a formative stage of their lives. In four years it has grown from a local initiative into one of Northern Ireland's leading youth leadership programmes, built on mentoring, community impact and the belief that every young woman should have access to the skills, confidence and networks needed to lead.
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