Case study
PEACEPLUS Aspire
Providers & members
Learning together. Building friendships.
PEACEPLUS ASPIRE brings pre-school children from different backgrounds together to play, learn and build friendships. Early Years leads the pre-school element of the project, connecting settings across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland through Shared Education.
Key facts
- Who it’s for
- Pre-school settings, with their children, families and educators
- Where
- Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland
- Project dates
- 2024 to May 2029
- Funding
- €34.5m (£29m) from PEACEPLUS, managed by SEUPB
Funded by
About PEACEPLUS ASPIRE
Shared experiences that bring children and communities together
Shared Education gives children from different communities and backgrounds opportunities to learn together regularly. In pre-school settings, those connections can begin with something familiar: playing, creating and exploring together.
ASPIRE stands for Advancing Shared Partnerships through Inclusive Relationships in Education. A successor of Sharing from the Start, the project aims to support peace, reconciliation and inclusion through relationships between children, families, educators and communities. ASPIRE connects pre-school settings across Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland in partnerships of difference. The project began in 2024 and will conclude in 2029.
For children
Opportunities to make friends, discover new experiences and learn alongside children from other settings.
For families
Shared activities and workshops that help families connect across communities.
For educators
Opportunities to exchange ideas, develop practice and build relationships with colleagues in partner settings.
For parents, guardians and wider communities
Opportunities to know and learn more about the ethos, work and activity of Shared Education and respecting diversity.
Why PEACEPLUS ASPIRE?
PEACEPLUS ASPIRE aims to benefit children, families, educators and wider communities. As well as delivering sessions for the children, the project will include workshops for family members - helping to build stronger connections between people of different backgrounds.
Partner settings also greatly benefit from working together, sharing their skills and expertise throughout the project. Staff from different settings often form close working relationships and friendships through Shared Education projects.
Shared Education also has an important role in bringing wider communities together - promoting good relations, respect for diversity and community cohesion. Through community-based Shared Education sessions, children can also become more confident being out and about in their local communities.
Taking part
What does PEACEPLUS ASPIRE involve for your setting?
Participating pre-schools work together to plan shared learning experiences, support their teams and build a sustained partnership.
1. Build a partnership
Work with a setting whose community differs from your own in religion, ethnicity, socio-economic background or needs.
2. Plan shared learning
Plan and record 30 hours of Shared Education for each participating child, per academic year.
3. Learn with other educators
Take part in professional development, training and workshops.
4. Make a lasting commitment
Commit to participation throughout the project, developing your partnership through shared activity and learning.
Interested in taking part?
Contact our pre-school ASPIRE team to discuss your setting, ask about partnership opportunities and understand the next steps.
Are you a parent or carer?
Speak to your child’s pre-school about its involvement in ASPIRE and opportunities for your family to take part.
Hear from a PEACEPLUS ASPIRE participant
An exciting multi-year, Shared Education initiative bringing children, along with families and communities from different backgrounds together to learn and foster peace. This project is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) and will receive €34.5m (£29m) in funding. Early Years lead the pre-school element of the project. We don’t want differences to be a burden or a hindrance. We want it to be celebrated.
Stories and activities
See Shared Education in action
Discover how participating settings bring children together through play, creativity and shared experiences.
Case study
Creativity and Connection Celebrated at Shared Education Pre-school Art Exhibition
Read more
ASPIRE newsletter
Latest issue: PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Newsletter - April to June 2026
Virtual art gallery
PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Poster Activity
The PEACEPLUS ASPIRE End of Year Two Poster is a vibrant collage featuring artwork created by children from settings across the project, based on the theme “What have you enjoyed about playing with your new friends?” We would like to thank all the children for their wonderful contributions and all the settings for supporting and submitting them.
Please also enjoy our virtual art gallery, where you can view each individual piece. Together, they showcase the children’s creativity, voices and the meaningful shared experiences that have made this year so special.
Related programme
Respecting Diversity Programme
The Respecting Diversity Programme is a strategically important early years intervention, designed to help settings embed inclusive, rights-based care and education for children aged 3-4 across Northern Ireland and Ireland. Building on the legacy of the Media Initiative for Children, the programme provides a practical model for strengthening children’s positive identity, empathy, emotional wellbeing, belonging and respect for diversity from the earliest stages of learning.
Key approaches
The Respecting Diversity Programme is underpinned by the following key approaches:
A Child Rights Approach and Child Rights Based Programming
Ecological Model
Persona Dolls Approach
Developmental Relationship Based Intervention Principles
A Participatory Evaluation Approach
Programme design and training
Three-day training workshop for educators and practitioners
Refresher support
Reflective practice support
Who is it for?
All settings and provision types, delivering learning and care for toddlers and pre-school age children.
Support and resources
Support for your ASPIRE partnership
Early Years specialists support participating settings with practical guidance, mentoring and professional learning. The programme’s support includes training, peer networks, family workshops, learning events and financial support towards delivering sessions. Contact the team to discuss the arrangements relevant to your partnership.
Project newsletters
Read updates, ideas and examples of Shared Education from across the project.
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Newsletter - April to June 2026
April - June 2026 · 2.68 MB
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Newsletter - April to June 2026 (Irish-language edition)
April - June 2026, as Gaeilge · 2.74 MB
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End of Term Summary - June 2026
June 2026 · 4.42 MB
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End of Term Summary - April 2026
April 2026 · 7.46 MB
Useful resources
- Explore ASPIRE Talks: PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Talks
PEACEPLUS ASPIRE Talks
Hear from educators and guests about shared learning, children’s participation and connections between communities.
- View the ASPIRE communications toolkit: Communications resources for settings (opens in a new tab)
Communications resources for settings
Find guidance and materials to help share your partnership’s activities and achievements. The toolkit is on the Education Authority website.
Partners
Working together to deliver ASPIRE
PEACEPLUS ASPIRE is led by the Education Authority, working with Early Years, Léargas, the National Childhood Network and the Fermanagh Trust. Early Years leads the project’s pre-school element.
Contact
Talk to the ASPIRE team
Have a question about taking part, supporting your partnership or finding programme information? Contact our pre-school ASPIRE team.