Sixth formers at the Erne Integrated College are set to benefit from a new £100,000 bursary scheme launched by comedian Frank Carson.

In the annual scheme, the Carson Bursaries for Integrated Education will provide 10 bursaries of up to £1,000 each for students at Integrated Colleges who wish to use their creative talents to demonstrate 'What integration means to me'.

Frank Carson said it was important to celebrate the impact integrated education was having on the lives of young people.

"What better way to do that than through the creative talents of the young students themselves. After all it is they who are experiencing this special opportunity that so very few of us from Northern Ireland have ever had. I can't wait to see the submissions and then judging the final pieces."

Funding for the bursaries has been provided by Frank's son and business entrepreneur Tony Carson and will be available through The Integrated Education Fund, the charitable foundation which supports the growth and development of integrated education in Northern Ireland.

He said the bursaries aimed to support such creativity and contribute to what was such an important issue for Northern Ireland.

"Dad and I are committed to integrated education. Our experiences of separate schooling in Belfast only served to delay the day we made friends with people from other traditions. We both feel we were deprived of the richness that integration brings. We are all different, so let's celebrate that rather than fear it."

The bursaries will be open to all final sixth year Integrated College students. Application packs and guidelines are available to download at www.ief.org.uk. Applications to take part must be submitted by 24th October and all work must be carried out between 1st January and 30th April 2009. A showcase event, hosted by Frank Carson, is planned for 2009, which will feature the completed projects.