A CHARITY that provides help for vulnerable young people in Fermanagh is facing closure due to the lack of available funding. Breakthru, is a community voluntary organisation offering support people in crisis through services for drug, alcohol, gambling and mental health issues. The charity is facing closure on March 31st unless they can source additional funding to cover the running costs.

While Breakthru is based in Dungannon, the charity provides programmes and support in Fermanagh as Breakthru worker Michaela O’Kane delivers a drug intervention and community education project. The project works with vulnerable young people aged from 10 to 21 years old who have been affected by hidden harm, which is the term used to describe the impact of parental substance misuse on a child, including drugs and alcohol. 

Michaela also works in schools across Fermanagh to raise awareness of hidden harm and make sure children and young people know how and where to access help and support.

A spokesman for the charity explained, “Despite recent successes in funding, the core costs of the organisation are not being met. Unless we can source additional funding to cover the running costs we face closure.”

Local councillor Diana Armstrong has called on the NI Civil Service to provide urgent support to Breakthru. 

“Breakthru carry out excellent and essential work in the community. Sadly, partly I assume as a consequence of the NI Executive not functioning their service is under the risk of closure. There are many vulnerable people who rely on the services and support of Breakthru, it would be a shame if this good work, experience and dedication of this team were not to continue. Following the Westminster legislation that provides senior civil servants with more authority to take decisions it is important that they look at this matter with urgency and hopefully find a way to support this organisation and in turn help many vulnerable people in the community.”