To ask the Minister for Social Development what steps his Department is taking to address low literacy and numeracy levels in East Londonderry, as part of a wider strategy to address educational underachievement amongst young people.

My Department’s Urban Regeneration and Community Development Policy Framework sets out the overarching structure and direction for the delivery of all urban regeneration and community development activity in NI. In particular it will tackle area-based deprivation and inequalities in areas such as educational underachievement amongst young people to reduce the gaps between disadvantaged communities and the rest of NI.

The Department, through its Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund, may support projects that are designed to address educational underachievement where a priority need has been identified and where resources are available. The following projects in Coleraine and Limavady are examples of this:

Coleraine Education Community Project

Ballysally Integrated Nurturing Project

Skills Development & Education Programme

Churchlands Community Supporting Families through Learning

Millburn Community Development Worker

Enjoying Learning and Achieving in Limavady, and

DRIVE (Developing Relationships in Vulnerable Environments) Project.