Martin Sloane: Belfast Area Outcomes Co-ordinator

Belfast Area Outcomes Group are delighted to announce that Martin Sloane has recently been appointed as Locality Planning Co-ordinator for the Belfast Outcomes Area.  Martin, is widely experienced in delivering partnership development and advocacy work. He has a   significant level of knowledge of both the geography and the community infrastructure across the Belfast Outcomes Area. 

Prior to Martin’s appointment to Locality Planning he was employed by  Belfast Health and Social Care Trust as a Senior Practitioner (Social Work) working exclusively with the Irish Traveller Community.  Martin has a history of building positive relationships and networks across the  voluntary, community and statutory sectors  both at local and regional levels.

Martin took up this new post in January and is looking forward to supporting the development and delivery of local, area-based plans for children, young people and their families.  Martin is committed to striving for better outcomes for all families that reside across the Belfast Outcomes Area and is looking forward to tackling this shared objective in partnership with  community voluntary and statutory partners.

 

 

 

Resilience: the Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope on 13 December

South Belfast LPG hosted a screening of Resilience: the Biology of Stress and the Science of Hope on 13 December. 

This was identified in their current action plan, which highlights the need to raise awareness of ACEs and improve resilience.  46 people attended the screening which was held in the Agapé Centre.  The event included the documentary and a discussion panel of Maurice Leeson; HSCB on behalf of the Regional ACEs Reference Group, Fintan Connelly; Take Ten and Nicola Hannigan; Barnardo’s. 

100% of attendees reported an increase in their knowledge of ACEs and toxic stress with one attendee commenting “…how valuable to see children holistically, understanding and supporting them, rather than blaming and punishing them, could change the world…”

Please see report card here

As part of this action a second screening was held on 16 January hosted Donegall Road Primary School for 30 teachers and schools staff from schools in the area.  This screening included a question and answer session with Mairead Weir, Principal of St. Joseph’s Slate Street West Belfast.

 

Belfast Childcare Partnership Conference: Celebrating Childcare Practice in Belfast

The Belfast Childcare Partnership invite delegates to their upcoming conference that will be held on 26 November 2018 in Belfast City Hall to celebrate childcare practice in Belfast.

Click here to download the Conference Invitation 

Click here to download the Conference Booking Form

 

Registration

Registration is essential as places are limited. If you would like to attend please complete the booking form attached and send it to clover.gabbidon-lyttle@hscni.net by Friday 9 November 2018.

 

The 1+1 Project Bilingual Mental Health Project

A collaborative Stronger Together Initiative for early intervention bilingual Mental Health Support that is being piloted in three areas across N.I:

  • Dungannon (Portuguese / English)
  • Ballymena/Ballymoney (Polish / English)
  • Belfast (Chinese / English)

The project is available to support individuals in the minority ethnic community experiencing depression.

 

What will the project do?

  • Provide Mental Health Services for example; counselling, training, direct group activities etc. These already exist. It will help increase access to them.
  • Provide free interpreting to providers who have a responsibility to deliver their services to everyone regardless of linguistic capability. The Regional Interpreting Service exists. It will help support access to that service.
  • It will help inform shared learning on how to meet that demand in the future by creating more effective and diverse pathways to existing services and more diversity in delivery of those services.

 

Click here to find out more about the project

 

Click here to download a copy of the referral form

 

Family Fund Information & Support Day in Belfast

The Family Fund will host an Information and Support Day for families who have a child with an additional need to meet the staff team and to learn about the support services, grants and information/advice that is available to support families in Northern Ireland.

 

 The Information and Support Day will take place on:

Date: 25 October 2017

Time: 10.00am-2.30pm

Venue: St Mary’s University College, 191 Falls Rd, Belfast BT12 6FE

 

Click here to download a copy of the event’s flyer

 

For more information please go to: www.familyfund.org.uk