Name: Josh McNally
Age: 19
From: Lisnaskea 
Hobbies and Interests: Basketball, Gaelic football and rap music.
• What are your hopes for your future? 
I hope to be a film director or a film editor as it is something I enjoy dearly and have great interest in, plus it is good pay if you can get to a decent level. I am also interested in becoming a youth worker. I don’t plan on staying at home for this as there isn’t as big of a variety compared to the likes of London or America. I am definitely hoping to go to London or even Edinburgh to study a degree in Media or Youth Work because they have some of the best courses in those areas. Then, when I’m done, I hope to be chilling in America somewhere living the dream and enjoying myself.
• How did you get involved in the Uniting Erne East programme? 
I got involved with the Uniting Erne East programme through two of my friends who had heard of the programme and attended a couple of weeks before me.
• What were you doing in your local area before being involved in this programme? 
I wasn’t doing much in the local area except playing football really. Since becoming involved in the Uniting Erne East programme and becoming a United Champion, I have got involved with the Carrosyl Community Centre Youth Club and I have got a position as a part-time youth leader which I am enjoying. 
• What does being a United Champion mean to you? 
Given that I’m the longest serving United Champion, being in this position means a lot to me. When we are out raising money for different organisations such as the Aisling Centre, the Willowbridge school bus and Cancer Connect. We have raised over £2,000 from our fundraising events. It gives me a sense of accomplishment knowing that we are giving people hope and letting them know that people are thinking of them. 
• What benefits do you think the programme has for the Erne East area? 
I believe that the programme will and has helped the champions become more mature. It gives the general public a sense of satisfaction knowing that they have the kind of services and events that we bring forward. In the past 18 months, we as a group, have hosted a 5km mud run, a special Olympics event in Willowbridge which included a range of inclusive sports and a Multi-Sport Family Fun Day in Fivemiletown Youth Annex which had loads of activities that people would not ordinarily get to try. All of these events were aimed to bring everyone together from all backgrounds and we got to meet people from the community and let them know about the good relations work we are doing. 
For the future in the Erne East community, I’d hope for less exclusion and that people can come out of their comfort zones and try new things that will boost their confidence and help them develop as a person.
• Did you have any pre-conceptions about people from different backgrounds before you became a United Champion? 
Of course I did, everybody has their stereotypes about people. Before I was part of the group I had many pre-conceptions, but now with the way the group is formed and the diversity we have within the group has helped me realise it doesn’t matter, people are still people at the end of the day.
• What would be your key message for good relations? 
Be accepting, forget what you know: the stereotypes, the prejudice thoughts etc and just start anew and get to know everyone from as many different cultures as possible.
The United Champions are a steering group of 16-24 year olds from the Erne East area of Fermanagh who are spreading positive good relations messages through sports and creative activity and are working towards becoming the next generation of community leaders.