About the programme
The SEPI Core Programme brings together students and educators from across Northern Ireland, the Border Counties, Cork, and Galway to build meaningful cross-community and cross-border relationships. It promotes dialogue, collaboration, and innovative thinking, empowering young people to take the lead on shared challenges and sustainable solutions.
How it works
At the heart of the SEPI Core Programme is the belief that building relationships across communities is essential to creating a more peaceful, inclusive, and sustainable future.
Over its four-year span, the Core Programme will engage with 100 schools and 4,000 students across the island of Ireland, fostering connection, understanding, and joint action.
Through the programme, students:
- Join cross-community, cross-border teams with peers.
- Participate in online learning modules that build understanding of sustainability, climate, and collaboration.
- Take part in in-person days, working with local businesses to tackle real-life environmental issues.
- Receive mentoring from industry experts to develop their ideas.
- Present their solutions to a panel of judges, with awards recognising innovation and impact.
- Alongside developing skills in teamwork, decision-making, and leadership, young people build friendships and mutual respect.
How to Get Involved
Recruitment for the SEPI Core Programme is now open for the 2025/26 school year. If you are a school in Northern Ireland, the Border Counties, Cork, or Galway and would like to get involved, you can express your interest by completing the form below
Alternatively, if you would like to learn more about the programme before applying, please feel free to get in touch with us via email at
Our Impact
Proof of our performance is always important to us. Here are the impact results of our Shared Education for Positive Innovation (SEPI) Youth Project 2025-2026.
Last year 1,100 students across 75 schools in NI and the border regions took part in our programme. It connected them with educators on a range of important topics such as peace building and climate change.
Real world issues where young peoples’ input can make a lasting difference. We’ve seen, stronger relationships built, a real focus on climate action, innovative thinking in action and skills development.
Impact is also felt in the ideas young people bring to life and the cross-community connections they form along the way, the moments that can be harder to measure but matter just as much.
The project is supported by the PEACEPLUS programme, which is managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).
