The James Kane Foundation

01/06/2026

An exciting opportunity for young people aged 15 - 17 to get hands-on experience in real-world STEM careers through a series of practical workshops delivered alongside industry partners and specialists by North Down Scouts

Explorer Scouts - STEM Camp!

We’re delighted to launch the North Down Scouts Summer STEM Camp for Explorer Scouts aged 15–17 this summer!

This is an exciting opportunity for young people to get hands-on experience in real-world STEM careers through a series of practical workshops delivered alongside industry partners and specialists.

Activities include:
⚡ Electrical Installation
🌍 Green Technology & Renewable Energy
🛠 Construction & Joinery
💻 Coding & AI
🔐 Cyber Security
🧪 CSI Forensics
🎯 Careers & Employability

The workshops are designed to help young people:
-explore future career pathways
-build confidence and practical skills
-meet people working in industry
-experience STEM in a fun and engaging way

Some sessions have limited availability (20–28 places), so early registration is strongly encouraged.

📅 Dates: July & August
📍 Locations: North Down Scouts / SERC Newtownards (selected sessions)
👥 Open to: Young people aged 15–17

To register interest or secure a place, please email:
📧 [email protected]

Help Required!
We are also looking for 2 adult volunteers for each workshop day to help support the programme. If any leaders or volunteers are available to assist on even just one of the days, we would be incredibly grateful. There’s absolutely no expectation to commit to the full programme — any help at all would make a huge difference!

The James Kane Foundation

29/05/2026

An important initiative to support more young people in their future's, post secondary school. We look forward to sharing more about the project in due course.

AEL are delighted to announce we have been successful in our application to The James Kane Foundation
This funding will allow us to work with post primary schools, across Mid and East Antrim, Newtownabbey and Belfast, enabling us to support those schools who cannot avail of our current Transitions programme.

Further highlighting the need for community based services, that support pupils to make informed decisions about their futures upon leaving school and giving them access to opportunities that:

• Broaden access to inclusive learning and structured work experiences.
• Boost educational attainment and accredited qualifications.
• Cultivate personal, communication and independence skills.

We can wait to begin our partnership with The James Kane Foundation

21/05/2026

Work experience is such an important part of career exploration, confidence building and future employment opportunities for young people. Fantastic to see initiatives like this, and the impact they are having.

19/05/2026

Delighted to support this initiative for a fifth year, and hear about its impact to date.

On 19th May 1779, within Belfast’s Poor House, Belfast merchants Robert Joy and Thomas McCabe proposed teaching the children practical skills and trades in cotton manufacturing, enabling them to gain employment, achieve financial independence, and ultimately break the cycle of poverty once they were ready to leave the Poor House. A few decades later, Mary Ann McCracken had similar ambitions for the children, supporting their education and providing job opportunities through apprenticeship programmes.

That same spirit of opportunity continues through the Mary Ann McCracken Bursary Programme, which today announces its fifth year of support for young people across North Belfast.

Funding for the fifth year of the programme has been secured through support from Belfast Charitable Society , the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation, The James Kane Foundation, Hunter Smyth Fund, LFT Charitable Trust and, for the first time, private sector investment from Fibrus.

Previous recipients of the bursary said

"I cannot understate the importance of these resources and that of the bursary for me."

"I am so grateful to the organisers of the fund for providing the financial support I so desperately needed at the time as I know that otherwise I would not have had these opportunities to improve my life chances. Thank you – the money really was a lifeline for me.”

Fibrus

15/05/2026

*Project Spotlight*

St. Mary's Grammar School, Magherafelt launched 'Coding with Confidence: Empowering Future Female Innovators' earlier this year. This is a three-year initiative designed to inspire a passion for programming among all pupils, with a particular focus on encouraging female participation in digital technology and computer science.

Delivered in collaboration with and Rural Learning Partnership - MRLP and industry partners, the project provides pupils with hands-on coding workshops, mentorship opportunities, coding competitions, career events, and employer engagement activities. Through practical experience with programming languages and digital tools, students will build confidence, strengthen computational thinking skills, and gain insight into the wide range of careers available within the technology sector.

The initiative aims to address the continuing gender imbalance in STEM and digital careers by creating an inclusive and supportive environment where female pupils are encouraged to explore programming and develop technical skills. By connecting students with role models and industry professionals, the programme will help break down barriers that can prevent young women from pursuing careers in technology.

Over the course of the project, pupils will be supported to progress into GCSE and A Level pathways in Software Systems Development and related subjects, opening doors to future study and employment opportunities in the growing digital economy. Through this initiative, St. Mary’s Grammar School is helping to equip the next generation of confident, creative, and tech-savvy innovators for the future.

11/05/2026

**Project Spotlight**

Friends of House School is a group of volunteers, parents and carers who support the school community by organising events, strengthening home–school relationships, and creating opportunities for pupils beyond the classroom.

Mitchell House School, based in Belfast, is a specialist provision for children and young people aged 3 to 19 with profound and multiple physical disabilities and complex medical needs. All 110 pupils have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP), and many require adapted environments to fully access learning.

With support from The James Kane Foundation, Friends of Mitchell House School is developing an inclusive horticulture project that will transform part of the school grounds into a fully accessible therapeutic garden. Designed with raised beds and specialist equipment, the space will enable all pupils, including wheelchair users, to participate in hands-on outdoor learning.

Weekly horticulture sessions will introduce pupils to practical STEM concepts such as plant biology, sustainability and ecosystems. Pupils will grow herbs and vegetables, linking directly to basic cooking and healthy eating activities that promote independence, life skills and an understanding of nutrition.

The garden will also provide a sensory, social environment that supports wellbeing, emotional regulation and teamwork. Importantly, the project offers meaningful, real-world experiences that help prepare pupils for life beyond school, including pathways such as supported volunteering, further education and community engagement.

Funding will support volunteer training and the purchase of essential resources, ensuring the programme is safe, accessible and sustainable. Once established, it will continue to benefit both current pupils and future cohorts.

This project will create an inclusive and engaging outdoor learning environment, helping pupils to build confidence, develop practical skills and experience a sense of achievement through shared activity and participation.

We can't wait to share more about this project in the coming months.

08/05/2026

Project Spotlight

Friends of Cabragh (PTA) is an NI charity established in 2017 by parents of children attending St Mary’s Primary School in Cabragh. The group works in partnership with the school to support projects that enhance educational outcomes and promote the wellbeing of all pupils.

Through a combination of fundraising and grant support, Friends of Cabragh has delivered a range of initiatives over the past seven years. More recently, the focus has turned to addressing a gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) provision within the school.

A pilot afterschool STEM club for Key Stage 2 pupils was so successful, the school now aims to expand STEM learning opportunities to all pupils by introducing a whole-school approach supported by appropriate resources and structured activities.

The project seeks to spark early interest in STEM by helping children make meaningful connections between classroom learning and real-world applications. By introducing age-appropriate, hands-on experiences, pupils will gain a better understanding of STEM-related roles and the opportunities available to them in the future. A key priority is ensuring that these opportunities are inclusive and accessible to all, encouraging both girls and boys to engage with STEM subjects.

The initiative will benefit the school’s current 214 pupils, while investment in durable, reusable equipment will ensure a lasting impact for future cohorts. By embedding STEM learning at primary level, the project also contributes to addressing wider skills gaps across the UK.

With the support of funding from The James Kane Foundation, this initiative will provide a sustainable and engaging STEM programme, equipping children with the confidence, curiosity and foundational skills to support their future learning and career aspirations.

As this project soon comes to a close we look forward to sharing more about this project in the near future.
cabragh

06/05/2026

Delighted to support this initiative and we look forward to seeing it grow from strength to strength, supporting more and more young in their future education.

Integrated Education Fund

The IEF is delighted to announce that we have received three-year funding from The James Kane Foundation for our Lincoln Awards. The Lincoln Awards is a bursary programme that supports disadvantaged young people from Integrated Colleges who have been offered a place on a higher education course. The grant from The James Kane Foundation matches the generous support of the Awards' founding donors, enabling us to significantly expand and develop the programme. Our heartfelt thanks to The James Kane Foundation for making this possible.

The Lincoln Awards are now open for applications – https://www.ief.org.uk/our-work/grants/lincoln-awards/

01/05/2026

The Great STEM Adventure!

SERC, through funding from The James Kane Foundation, have been running CSI Forensics Workshops, helping open pathways into STEM for those who need it most. Over 400 participants have taken part so far, including:
• Adults returning to education after long-term unemployment
• Individuals currently unemployed
• People with SEND
• Young people from disadvantaged communities
• School pupils

During the workshops, participants become forensic investigators, working together to solve a crime using fingerprint analysis, problem-solving, and hands-on activities. Despite the project still having time to run, so far the impact has been profound, with over 70% of participants now considering a STEM related career as a result of taking part.

A spokesperson for SERC commented “We’ve now launched our Cybercrime Workshops as part of the Great STEM Adventure, working with six schools in disadvantaged communities. Pupils will step into the role of MI5 agents—cracking codes, saving a robot, and catching cybercriminals!”

Watch the video, which showcases the project and its achievements so far.

30/04/2026

“At The James Kane Foundation, we are committed to supporting initiatives that create meaningful, long-term impact. SistersIN is a powerful example of this in action, equipping young women with the confidence, transferable skills and support networks they need to thrive.”, Michael Wilson, Chair

SistersIN is celebrating a year of growth and impact, made possible through the continued support of The James Kane Foundation 💜

Over the past year, the programme has reached 60 schools, supporting nearly 800 young women and connecting them with over 750 mentors across Northern Ireland.

Beyond the numbers, this support has helped strengthen the programme, building confidence, leadership skills and ambition in every mentee.

As we look ahead, our focus remains on continuing to grow this impact and create even more opportunities for young women.

A huge thank you to the James Kane Foundation for their ongoing support!

📖 Read more: https://tinyurl.com/yub8udd2