Are you a member of one or more of CYPSP’s Locality Groups? If so, we would like to hear your views.
The third biennial LPG members survey is now open! The survey will from part of the regional review of LPGs and will help us evaluate the current process.
The survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete and individual responses will be kept private and confidential.
Survey Link – https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/YY2ZJCR
Closing date: Thursday 15 September 2022
A survey by Plan International UK found that one in ten young women aged between 14 and 21 in the UK cannot afford to buy sanitary products and one in seven struggled to afford them. There are concerns that girls miss days at school and miss out on taking part in many other activities. Sanitary products are the least donated items in foodbanks. This is an issue that has been raised by the Locality Planning Groups in Western Outcomes Group Area, with members concerned that Period Poverty has been increasing due to Covid-19 with increased number of families have been faced with food and fuel poverty too due to being furloughed/made redundant during lockdowns. Therefore the Western Area Outcomes Group committed £15,400 of their 2020/21 funding to helping those who are faced with period poverty.
Tom Cassidy Interim Chair of the Western Area Outcomes Group explained “Period poverty is the lack of access to sanitary products and/or having a poor knowledge of menstruation, often due to financial constraints. This can be caused by a wide range of reasons, but ultimately period poverty can negatively impact on a girl or woman’s ability to lead her life in the way that she wishes to do.
It is important to remember that period products are every bit as essential as other essential items that we take for granted such as hand soap, hand towels and toilet rolls. All of which we can freely access in any public building.
Women and girls can’t opt out of having periods, but we can opt in to highlighting the need for a more equitable system that provides better access for those in need and that’s why we thought it was very important to do something proactively to address the issue of period poverty in the Western area. Many families experience this issue as a type of hidden poverty and it is important to raise awareness of the prevalence of this issue and to reduce stigma in the hope that girls and women experiencing period poverty can reach out for help if it is needed”.
The funding was shared across the six LPGs in the Western area. This enabled a lead organisation in each to purchase products to distribute through the LPG members to anyone who needs them.
Two groups negotiated with local shops and four of the groups worked together to negotiate a reduced price from Savage and Whitten Wholesale.
Rioghnach Murphy Chair of Strabane Locality Planning Group said “The Period Poverty Campaign has been a very successful endeavour and Strabane Sure Start was delighted to support it on behalf of the Strabane LPG. Uptake in the Strabane area has been very high and many have benefitted. We believe that period poverty has no place in the 21st century and that society has a duty to ensure that there are no barriers to education, sport or socialising events because women and girls do not have access to basic sanitary products.”
Fermanagh LPG Chair Mark Rodgers highlighted “The Fermanagh CYPSP Locality Group working along with Group member organisations and Hub Partners have been able to circulate a range of sanitary products across Fermanagh and Tyrone to help address the issues related to period poverty for women and girls across our local area. This scheme has not only provided direct practical support, it has also helped to break down the stigma and taboo associated with periods and Period Poverty”.
Bogside & Brandywell Health Forum and Outer West Family Support Hub both welcomed the distribution of products within the Derry LPG area. Michaela O’Hagan, FACT Coordinator said “Bogside and Brandywell Health Forum would like to thank CYPSP for their kind donation that allowed us to acquire much needed sanitary products. These products were distributed to organisations in Derry who support adolescent and young women, they have reached community centres, youth groups and family HUBS in reinforcing the positive message of the Period of Poverty campaign”. Frances Outer West Hub Coordinator noted “The Outer West Family Support Hub is very grateful for the period products that we received. The products were distributed to schools and youth clubs in the Outer West area of the city. Girls and young women will benefit from the generous donation”.
Bronagh Donnelly, CYPSP Locality Planner, with the Western Area Outcomes Group, for Derry City and Strabane locality, attended the Children’s rights at 30 conference held in St Martins in the Field in London in May 2019. This was looking at the Child Friendly Cities & Communities UNICEF UK programme that works with councils to put children’s rights into practice – which is currently being rolled out throughout the UK including Derry City and Strabane as well as Aberdeen, Barnet, Cardiff, Liverpool and Newcastle.
 UNICEF Child Friendly Cities & Communities Conference, London, 23/05/2019 |
 UNICEF Child Friendly Cities & Communities Conference, London, 23/05/2019
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The programme aims to create cities and communities in the UK where all children – whether they are living in care, using a children’s centre, or simply visiting their local library – have a meaningful say in, and truly benefit from, the local decisions, services and spaces that shape their lives. The programme is part of Child Friendly Cities – a global UNICEF initiative launched in 1996 that reaches close to 30 million children in 40 countries.
In the UK, UNICEF provides training based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and supports councils, their partners, and children and young people, as they work together on an ambitious three-to-five-year journey towards international recognition as a UNICEF Child Friendly City or Community.
For more information please visit: unicef.org.uk/child-friendly-cities
ABOUT THE EVENT
30 years ago the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) was adopted by the UN General Assembly – setting out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children (under 18) everywhere are entitled to. Today, the Convention has been ratified by every country in the world except for the United States, making it the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world.
Children’s rights at 30: A powerful tool for cities & communities will celebrate the UNCRC turning 30, while shining a light on the enormous challenges councils in the UK continue to face as they work to protect the rights of the country’s most vulnerable children.
During the event, keynote speakers set the scene for the day, speaking first on the significance and aspirations of the UNCRC as set out in 1989, followed by the reality of life for children and young people growing up in the UK in 2019.
Speakers and panelists considered how children’s rights – in particular a child rights-based approach – can bring councils and their local partners together to help improve the effectiveness and legitimacy of the local decisions, services and spaces that shape children’s lives. Bronagh was one of the panelists that spoke about Derry City & Strabane’s journey so far in bringing a child rights-based approach to life by sharing practical examples of how local authorities are putting children’s rights into practice.
 UNICEF Child Friendly Cities & Communities Conference, London, 23/05/2019 |
This was an opportunity to showcase the work local authorities/council areas are doing to embed children’s rights in their communities and the impact this has had, as well as advocate for a whole-area approach to working with and for children and young people. They spoke about systems change – how children’s rights help us to look across cities and communities, see how services work together, and understand their impact on children and young people.
Finally young panellists shared how children’s rights have provided them with a platform to be heard and influence change at the local and national level. The event closed with a final panel showcasing innovative and inspiring youth-led solutions to some of the country’s most pressing local challenges.
The Western Outcomes Group in partnership with Derry City and Strabane District Council officially launched their joint partnership Child Friendly Communities Project with UNICEF in July 2018. The event was attended by local young people as well as the Northern Ireland Children and Young People’s Commissioner Koulla Yiasouma and the UNICEF Ambassador, Paul Clark from UTV. The launch saw the beginning of a partnership that will ensure that Derry City and Strabane becomes the first region in Northern Ireland that is a child friendly community based on the UNICEF principals.
To read more about this project click here
Contact Us
For more information about the UNICEF project click here to download a copy of the UNICEF presentation or alternatively contact Bronagh Donnelly, Western Area Locality Planning Officer, WHSCT by email at bronagh.donnelly@westerntrust.hscni.net
The Western Outcomes Group would like to invite practitioners and social partners to the Resilience Documentary Screening in the West. This is an opportunity to build a wider awareness of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and their impact on health and behaviour.
The screening will be followed by a group and panel discussion to explore the ACE agenda to build on the growing momentum within the committed workforce and networks supporting families across the Western Outcomes Area.
Click here to find out more about this event
Screening Documentary Details
14 June 2018
10am-12pm
Lecture Theatre, South West Acute Hospital
(124 Irvinestown Rd, Enniskillen BT74 6DN)
NOTE: This is a FREE event.
How to Register:
Registration is essential. Get in touch with Priscilla Magee, Fermanagh and Omagh Locality Planning Officer, WHSCT by:
Telephone: 078 80723076
Email: priscilla.magee@westerntrust.hscni.net
