Our website has lots of really interesting resources for parents, carers and practitioners!
This month, please take the time to view our 90 second films on different aspects of speech, language and communication. We would really appreciate your feedback!
You can watch them by clicking on the link below.
https://helpkidstalk.co.uk/bite-size-series/
MyBnk is hosting a FREE live webinar lesson to give teens the tools to stay safe in today’s digital world. Join us for The Big Money Ready Lesson on Thursday 26th June!
This 45-minute interactive session will cover:
Online scams
Phishing
In-game scams
Shopping scams
By the end of the lesson, learners will know some of the different types of online scams, be able to recognise key features of online scams, and know actions that can be taken if they have been scammed or are worried they have been scammed.
Event Details:
What: The Big Money Ready Lesson – Financial Scams & Digital Safety
When: Thursday, 26th June 2025
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:45 AM
Where: Online (Microsoft Teams)
Who it’s for: Secondary schools, youth organisations, and young people aged 11–18
Cost: Completely FREE
Our goal is simple: help the next generation become money smart and scam safe. Whether you’re a teacher, youth worker, parent, or someone who supports young people — this is an opportunity to equip them with knowledge that truly protects.
Signup and more info here: https://www.mybnk.org/big-money-lesson/
Image showing 2 people and row of houses. Text – Is there something you’d like to share about your experience with benefits?
The research team which includes six universities from across the UK would really appreciate your help in spreading the word. It explores how benefits vary across all 4 countries of the UK and how this impacts families with dependent children.
As a central part of the project, we’re holding a series of 14 online discussion workshops with parents and carers in receipt of benefits to hear about their experiences and what needs to change. The workshops are open to parents/carers across the UK who receive at least one UK benefit, such as Universal Credit, PIP, or Tax Credits, or who are receiving asylum support.
The discussions will take place in small, friendly online groups where participants can share their personal experiences and ideas for policy change. To thank them for their time, we are offering £50 in Love2Shop vouchers for each 2.5 hour workshop they attend, with the opportunity to take part in up to two workshops on different topics relating to social security (e.g. employment support, free school meals, welfare mitigations).
Uisce from the research team would be delighted to arrange a Zoom call if you’d like to discuss this further and can be reached on 07552 285828 or safety-nets-project@york.ac.uk
Image with text and QR code
Graphic with text – You are invited to the first ever Omagh Youth Network Event
You are cordially invited to play Organisational Networking Passport!
The aim of the evening as well as to drink tea and catch up with other youth minded people, is to bolster youth work practice in the Omagh and wider area through the opportunity to network and learn from each other.
Everyone is welcome as it is an opportunity for statutory, voluntary or community youth groups / organisations / individuals and uniform, music or sports groups / organisations / individuals/ teams to come together and either showcase the good practice that they are providing for local young people up to the age of 25 years or meet, mingle, chat and learn from those people who are supporting our young people.
The ask is to spread this invite to all your family, friends or work colleagues and either volunteer yourself or group to present practice which may have worked for your young people which we can learn from (copy). Examples of practice areas we are all struggling with are below.
If you do not want to present, still turn up and have a cup of tea/coffee with us and chat to those brave souls who are volunteering to showcase their work and whoever can mark of the most groups/ organisations they have spoken to wins.
If you are happy (brave enough) to showcase, please get in touch with me (Priscilla) at 078 80723076 and I will book you in. Thanks to EA Youth Service for hosting this event and Youth Action for their organisational input.
Suggested Showcase List Where We Would Love To Learn About Your Good Practice:
Pictured at the roundtable event are (from left), Lorna Ballard, Louise Kearney, Siobhan O’Neill, Donna Downey and Bronwyn Campbell.
Mental Health Champion for Northern Ireland, Professor Siobhan O’Neill, recently visited Ebrington, Derry~Londonderry, to hear first-hand how Family Support Hubs are supporting local people.
Organised by the Western Health and Social Care Trust and chaired by Action for Children, a roundtable discussion on Thursday 8 May was designed to showcase the work of the eight Family Support Hubs from across the Western Trust.
Donna Downey (Western Trust) and Bronwyn Campbell (Strategic Planning and Performance Group, Department of Health) introduced the background and context of Family Support Hubs. Essentially, a Family Support Hub is multi-agency network of statutory, community and voluntary organisations that provide or signpost to early intervention services. Hubs are a part of the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership (CYPSP).
Each of the Hubs gave a short presentation on their area, including the challenges they face and as examples of success stories they are proud of.
Attendees then had an opportunity to hear from Ms O’Neill herself. She said she was ‘really struck’ by the ‘passion and commitment’ of the Hubs’ staff and was moved by the case studies they shared with her. 
She echoed the presenters’ concerns about the rates of poverty in Northern Ireland and how that underpins so many aspects of people’s lives, including their mental health.
Ms O’Neill also answered a number of questions, including how to make government understand the needs of people on the ground.
She said: “There’s this misguided idea that if we could just get more people back to work then there would be more money in the economy and everything would be fine – that’s just wrong.
“What we really need first and foremost is a healthy population that are fit and well. The cost of poor mental health is £3.4 billion annually here. We’re fighting a battle against short-termism – early intervention, parenting support, Sure Starts and so on is where money needs to be going.”
Other questions included Ms O’Neill’s position on linking and utilising key pieces of legislation, including a Mental Health Strategy and an Anti-Poverty Strategy for Northern Ireland. She agreed that policies and strategies need to be aligned and actually implemented, and she said she would be seeking a meeting with the Department of Health to raise a number of the issues that were highlighted at the event.
Speaking after the event, Donna Downey (WHSCT) said: “It was a pleasure to meet with Siobhan O’Neill and share the innovative work the Family Hubs. It is an opportunity to acknowledge the professionalism and commitment of all of the staff who work collaboratively with families every day.”
Louise Kearney (Action for Children) added: “In the North-West the statutory and community and voluntary sectors work ‘hand in glove’ to make sure that vulnerable children, young people and families are supported and given the chance to thrive.
“Mental health underpins so much of the work we do so we’re delighted that Ms O’Neill has been able to hear about the challenges we face, and also learn about the stellar work that’s happening. Family Support Hub model has potential for further growth and development to support more people in local communities.”
