Author Archives: Valerie

The Champions’ Model: A way forward for collaborative working  

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The Champions’ model was set up in Belfast Health and Social Care Trust (BHSCT) in October 2012 as part of the regional Think Family NI initiative. There are approximately 68 Champions in BHSCT spanning social work and nursing. All of these individuals have an interest in the area of parental mental health and give of their time to act as a link person for their team in line with the above objectives.

The aims of the project are:

  • Improve communication across the mental health & children’s services interface
  • Promote collaborative working
  • Improve outcomes for families where there is parental mental ill health.

 

The work of the project was recognised with a Poster Award at a recent international Think Family Symposium in Belfast, which was sponsored by Queen’s University, School of Midwifery & Nursing and HSCB, Think Family NI.  The Champions’ project was one of three recipients out of nineteen contributors.

 

The Symposium also launched the findings from the HSCB commissioned “Study of Health & Social care Professionals Family Focused Practice with Parents who have mental illness, their Children & Families in NI”. Copies of the report are available by clicking here

 

Contact Us:

For further information please contact Mary Donaghy by email at mary.donaghy@hscni.net 

 

Portadown Gets Active celebrates Innovation Award!

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The Portadown Gets Active Programme extended its reached to over 71 children and 43 peer mentors over Easter in April 2018. Activities during the programme included physical activities and sport, baking, growing your own edible garden, Go Fly Your Kite and a Talent Show to round off the programme.  The edible garden will be revisited in the summer programme to enjoy the fruits of the effort by participants.

 

The Portadown Gets Active Programme is a partnership approach to tackling holiday hunger that includes includes physical activity, healthy eating and a continued learning/educational element.

Following on from the Summer 2017, Halloween and Christmas Programme, Oasis Youth Project continued to lead the very successful project in partnership with the Craigavon Locality Planning Group to provide a packed programme for children and young people in the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough.

 

 

Feedback from Young People and Families

  • One young person spoke following the programme and said “I learnt how to be healthy and eat vegetables and fruits, thank you very much”

 

  • A Peer Mentor who supported the delivery of the programme said at the end of the programme that “Every volunteer got to interact with the kids and I’ve gotten so much out of it”.

 

  • Many parents congratulated the programme leads and feedback on how much their children enjoyed the programme. One parent spoke to us during the programme and said “Portadown Gets Active is a fantastic programme. Well done!”

 

Click here to download our report card from the Portadown Gets Active Easter Programme

 

Special Recognition to Our Peer Mentors!

 

During the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council’s Community Awards ceremony on 10 May 2018, the Peer Mentors from Portadown Gets Active won the Innovation Award for their amazing work on the programme. Well done to all the young people who volunteered their time during the programme to support Portadown Gets Active!

 

Contact Us:

To find out more about this workshop and the role of the Newry Locality Planning Group contact:

Darren Curtis, Southern Area Locality Planning Officer by email at darren.curtis@hscni.net or telephone 028 95 363966

 

South Armagh Celebrate International Children’s Day

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On 8 June 2018 the South Armagh Locality Planning Group celebrated International Children’s Day in Newtownhamilton with members of the local community. The event had a particular emphasis on promoting community engagement with the Bulgarian Roma Community in the town. 

Over 150 people attended the event which proved a great success in sharing cultures, food and creating a sense of enjoyment within the town.

Activities for the day included traditional Irish, Bulgarian and Ulster Scots music, healthy food, fruit smoothies, Lego Walk, play sessions and face painting. There was also a Northern Ireland Fire Service demonstration and information stalls promoting the local support services in the area.  A health needs assessment was also carried out with members of the community by Southern HSC Trust. 

 

 

A special recognition has been paid to the planning group for the event and members of the South Armagh Locality Planning Group including the Southern HSC Trust, Sure Start, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, Newtownhamilton Community Association and SPACE.

 

Contact Us:

To find out more about this workshop and the role of the Newry Locality Planning Group contact:

Darren Curtis, Southern Area Locality Planning Officer by email at darren.curtis@hscni.net or telephone 028 95 363966

 

Newry Disability Inclusion Workshop

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The Newry Locality Planning Group hosted a workshop in May for services and organisations in the local area to come together and share good practice on how agencies are shaping their services around children and young people with a disability to ensure the inclusiveness of all children.

 

The Newry Locality Planning Group’s Disability Sub Group hosted a workshop on 24 May at Newry Youth Resource Centre for agencies to further the agenda on how they can best support children and young people with a disability.

The workshop was attended by twenty seven people and a full day’s programme commenced with a speed networking session where 150 new contacts were made by participants.  Participants then learnt of good practice within the Southern HSC Trust area with presentations from the Southern HSC Trust Transition Service, Confederation of Community Groups and Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.  Further good practice was shared by participants to recognise the existing innovative work that is being delivered in the local area.

 

 

The workshop culminated in a brief overview of Outcomes Based Accountability by Nicola Doran of SAIL, which seamlessly transitioned into a Turning the Curve exercise which provided a wide and varied list of actions for the Newry LPG to progress under the theme of disability.

 

Contact Us:

To find out more about this workshop and the role of the Newry Locality Planning Group contact:

Darren Curtis, Southern Area Locality Planning Officer by email at darren.curtis@hscni.net or telephone 028 95 363966

 

Peninsuala Family Fun Day 23 June 2018

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The CYPSP Ards and North Down Locality Planning Group in partnership with the Kircubbin & District Community Association will host a mid summer madness family fun day later this month to bring families from rural communities of the Peninsula together to have fun and find out about local support services in their area.

Activities on the day will include a BBQ, a bouncy castle, face painting, music, lots of team games  and much more. Families will also have the opportunity to have their say in shaping and planning children/family services in the Peninsula.

 

Event Details:

Date: 23 June 2018

Time: 12.00-3.00pm

Venue: Kircubbin Playing Fields 

 

Click here to download the Kircubbin Family Fun Day flyer