BELONG A family support programme promoting

a sense of belonging for black & minority ethnic children through:

• Cultural Confidence & Competence

• Anti-Bullying & Anti-Racial Bullying

• Education

BELONG Beginnings

• Southern Area Children & Young People’s Committee

• Working Group on the Rights and Needs of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Children and Young People

• Improving outcomes for BME Children and Young People through early intervention

Underpinning Concepts

• Interagency Approach

• Early Intervention

• Ecological Model (NI Family Support & Whole Child)

• Explicit focus on Children’s Rights

BELONG Believes…

“Unless we put children &

young people, and in particular those that have been historically excluded, at the centre of our service, our development goals will continue to evade us.”

A Need to BELONG

• Harter’s Scale of Self-Perception

• Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale

• Adapted version of Anderson, Butcher & Conroy’s ‘Belonging to an After School Programme’

• Olweus Bullying Scale

• Resilience Scale (Wagnild & Young)

Children’s Perspectives

What helps? What hinders?

•Friends/supportive community

•Family/parents

•Play (including Sports/Arts)

•Education/school/ teachers

•Self-esteem/confidence

•Money

•Discrimination/racism/ sectarianism

•Drugs/alcohol/smoking/ health

•Criticism/low self-esteem

•Bullying/peer pressure

•Violence/abuse

Social Determinants of Health & Well-being among Young People

• Communication with parents

• Peer friendships and contact

• School Experiences

= Need for programmes to involve multiple social contexts

“A Bit of Peace”

Promoting a sense of belonging

Reduce Bullying

Build

Resilience

Increase

Participation

Work with Children

• Hear My Voice – rights based creative arts programme addressing cultural confidence; diversity awareness; anti-bullying; action

• We R U – youth participation programme with ‘majority’ and ‘minority’ groups working in parallel towards integrated activity

• Additional Educational Support

Work with Parents

• Workshops on Anti-Bullying and Parental Advocacy

• Rights-based Information, practical support & guidance on education, bullying, participation

• Ongoing engagement and consultation

• Education & Learning Support

Work with Schools, Youth & Community Groups

• Training on: children’s rights; racial bullying awareness; cultural competence; inclusive practice; diversity awareness

• Teaching Resources: anti-bullying; assessing external learning & skills

• BELONG Charter project for youth & community groups

Strategic Work

• Representation on CYPSP bodies

• Children’s Rights Implementation Group at NICCY

• NI Anti-Bullying Forum membership

• Input to OFMDFM for UNCRC monitoring and reporting processes

• Partnership work with Parenting NI

• AP Grantee Network

BELONG

BELONG Programme Office

Community Support Centre

64 Main Street, Coalisland

BT71 4NB

www.belongni.org

deirdre@belongni.org

Tel:028 87741960