Planned Interventions - News stories

Mental Health focus of YEHA’s Planned Interventions Programme

TEO and the Department of Education (DE) officials visited Youth Education Health and Advice (YEHA) to see first-hand the excellent work being funded through TEO’s Planned Interventions Programme (PIP).

Niamh Murray placement student and Donna Hull went to meet with YEHA to observe their Planned Interventions Programme. On their arrival they were met by project leader Tommy who gave a tour of the YEHA center, which facilitates a therapeutic environment with outdoor space. Tommy explained these spaces are critical in supporting how YEHA deliver their programs. YEHA has provided a safe space for young people in North Belfast since 2007. YEHA’s PIP project worked on a schools-based support program which offered weekly one to one sessions for young people who required support with issues affecting their mental health and wellbeing.

This project involved 25 young people aged 12-18 who engaged in counselling, skills development, peer support groups, life coaching and mentoring at the relevant age-appropriate level. The group work included specialist autism spectrum disorder (ASD) programmes to support the needs of some of the young people participating. The group sessions had a strong mental health and well-being focus and the project included peer mentoring and educational workshops discussing topics such as:

• the harmful effects of drugs and alcohol,
• smoking/vapes,
• technology awareness,
• emotional and physical well-being, and
• safe relationships.

Everyone came together on Fridays to have barbeques or take part in fun activities which allowed for a community environment to be created.

The young people also delivered a social action project on the site of a local primary school which is becoming a Special Educational Needs (SEN) school. Some of the participants had a special connection to this project as they had previously attended that primary school and were keen to get involved in cleaning up and decorating the outdoor space.

Participants also had the opportunity to travel out of Belfast during a peak time of community tension to attend a residential trip to Ardaluin House, Newcastle.

The project delivered further benefits to the young people such as leadership skills development and improved confidence. YEHA delivery model allows the young people to become volunteers within the organisation to help inspire others. They also brought one young person to PWC to help inspire them about future careers and what was possible for them as they had an interest in working in finance.

One of the project leaders, Tommy said this about the programme: “We are very grateful for the funding that we received from the Planned Interventions fund as it really helped to bring life to our summer programme. Through taking part in the group work, activities and the residential the young people were able to make memories that they will hold on to for years to come and this would not have been possible without this funding.”

One young person said:

"Going to YEHA is one of the only places in which I can fully be myself, and all the workers there support everyone."

Chris Gardener – Director of Good Relations and T:BUC Division in TEO commented. ‘This project is an excellent example of the wider benefits our good relations projects can have on individuals and the wider community. It is heartening to see the project has allowed the young people to grow more confident and this will hopefully continue to benefit all involved well into the future. Congratulations to all involved.’

Fitness First for R-CITY’s Young Women

Donna Hull from The Executive Office (TEO) visited a cross community group of young women reaching across an interface to build new  friendships and explore healthy living. This Planned Interventions project was funded by The Executive Office as part of the wider Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC) Strategy.

R-CITY’s ‘Young Women's Summer Interface Health Project’ focused on the health and wellbeing of their young people living in an interface area. Donna met with a group of 8 young women on a sunny August afternoon who had just returned from a long walk. They were in the process of making a well-deserved healthy alternative lunch of fruit and pizza bagels. The music was turned off and the young people, along with the leaders Megan and Shonagh, reflected on the PIP project and the impact it had on all of them.

The group, which included young people from both communities, met twice a week for a project which heavily promoted personal wellbeing. They explained that they would attend a gym across an interface area and a personal trainer provided advice and guidance on how to use the equipment. The R-CITY leaders would ensure that the participants all came back to their hub in the Spectrum Centre, Shankill Road for a healthy bite to eat. Food security is important as not all young people have access to healthy meals at home during the school break. The focus on health and fitness helps to develop lifelong skills and habits, empowering the young people to make positive choices in their lives.

The young people explained that over the course of the programme they had built trust and were able to discuss their different backgrounds. One of the participants said that before the programme started, she might not have travelled into certain areas but now it was “normal” and she felt “safe” as it was now an everyday thing. The leaders discussed how the young women had friends across the interface and were now planning joint 18^th birthday parties. They noted how they were lucky to be involved in this project as the group was oversubscribed.

The participants had the following comments to share:

“The fitness programme has made me more confident in myself and my body image.  I really enjoyed the training and working with the group over the summer meeting new friends.” – young participant.

“The fitness programme helped me make friends from different communities who share the same interests and hobbies with me, we now are able to go out walking together outside of the group to keep fit and stay friends.”

“If this programme didn’t run over the summer, I would feel isolated and probably be waking up at 4pm because there would be nothing to do” – young participant.

In 2023/24, there are 70 groups delivering Planned Interventions Programmes within their communities, administered by the Education Authority.

“Projects like this help build life skills and raise the self-esteem of the young people involved. It is great to see the friendships which the participants from different backgrounds have made through encouraging each other to be healthier. These projects are also critical to improving community relations in areas where there is potential for heightened community tensions.

The positive impact that the Programme has had on this group of young women is invaluable. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of their youth leaders in continually encouraging and supporting these young women to make positive life choices.” – Donna Hull

Dervock Youth Network Planned Interventions Programme 2023/24

The Planned Interventions Programme (PIP) aims to engage the ‘most at risk’ young people between the ages of 9 to 25 years in positive experiences and opportunities. The Programme is delivered annually as part of the Executive’s ‘Together: Building a United Community (T:BUC)’ Strategy.

The Executive Office (TEO) funded 69 projects a total of £400k under PIP in 2023/24. One such project was ‘Makin’ it REAL’, which began delivery in January 2024. The project was delivered by Dervock Youth Network in partnership with the ‘Community Association’ and other groups within the village. The project focused on encouraging local young people to discuss contentious issues relating to their lives.

Examples of the issues which the participants discussed in depth with facilitators were internet safety and how young people can protect themselves from online predators. Drug awareness, including education and impact, was also discussed. Young people were invited to Dervock Orange Hall to examine and study the Drug Case to learn about the effect of drugs and enable them to make positive, informed choices.

Parents and children examine the content of the Drug Case on display in Dervock Orange Hall

The module “empowering kids to make sensible decisions for later in life” addressed the issue of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) and how it impacts everyone in the village, particularly the elderly and vulnerable in the community. The young people were encouraged to reflect on how their actions can affect others and can have repercussions on future job applications and opportunities.

However, it was not all work for the participants. Within the programme was an essential module ‘Team Building’ activities, where the young people had the opportunity to try Go Karting in ‘Railway Karting’ Moneymore. After a ‘pit-stop’ in McDonald’s,  they also had fun joining in outdoor Laser Tag at the ‘Jungle NI’ developing new skills including group and personal capacity building.

Dervock Youth Network presented with their certificate of Achievement

The leaders evaluated the effectiveness of the project and in the exit survey the final question was:

“Do you feel that participation on the programme has made you less likely to engage in negative behaviour in your community?”

The response was an unambiguous ‘YES’ (100%), outlining the success the programme has had on those targeted young people in the community. Projects like ‘Makin’ it REAL’ can really empower young people to learn more about themselves and the local community, while having fun and making new friends. The latest available outcomes from PIP indicate that 9 out of 10 young people feel more confident after completing the Programme.