Claire said “It’s been so good! I am delighted to have worked with you to build collaboration and together make a difference in this community. Fantastic to be around wonderful children, young people and parents as well as dedicated community workers, school staff and statutory services – I have loved working with you all. An opportunity now to use the learning from THRiVE to extend the impact for many other children and young people across NI through RAISE. Thank you all for your craic and hard work and massive commitment to helping kids thrive. Keep up the good work”

We wish Claire every success in leading the RAISE Programme (Department of Education).

Featured in picture

Paul Johnston (Monkstown Boxing Club ), Claire Humphrey, Hugh Nelson (NHSCT and  Co-Chair for THRiVE)

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“If I make a mistake my BOOST teacher will help me understand it and learn from my mistakes”(P5 pupil)

“I believe getting the opportunity to join your child in school shows them that you are interested in what they are learning, that you can help them and that you are willing to take time out to help at schools and at home” (Parent)

“The children returned from BOOST sessions excited to show off their work. It was easy to see strategies being taught in BOOST then being used independently in the classroom setting” (P5 teacher)

Click the link to the 23/24 BOOST Impact Report to read more. 23 24 BOOST Impact Report

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THRiVE and their Learning Partner Stranmillis University College at Learning Events held in 2023 were asked to share their learning on key themes – collective impact, voice and influence, implementation,  evidence and learning and collaborative investment. Throughout the conference we invited delegates to consider how individuals, organisations and systems can better collaborate in order to improve the lives and outcomes of children, young people and their wider communities. The conference explored place-based collaboration, drawing on three key themes (place, people, and processes).

PLACE Throughout the conference, the idea that ‘Place Matters’ will be central.  It is proposed that place-based change in communities entrenched in complex and intergenerational inequality (social, educational, health etc.) is made possible by harnessing the collective impact of all agencies (statutory and non) and stakeholders (including children, young people, parents) via equitable collaborative infrastructures.

PEOPLE Building on the concept of PLACE, it is imperative that the PEOPLE within the place are central to the change processes.  The conference pointed to the importance of bottom-up community driven and co-designed agendas, with the voice and influence of young people (and community stakeholders more broadly) central to place-based change agendas.  The conference unpacked HOW to achieve this, with a focus on the relational aspects of this work, the importance of considering power dynamics, trust, competition, and the necessity for challenging mindsets and ‘silo’ mentalities.

PROCESS Finally, within and around both PLACE and PEOPLE are the processes and wider systems that facilitate and inhibit impact and change.  For example, strategies and policies (e.g., NI Children’s Services Co-operation Act 2015) and administrative/governance systems, finance systems and funding models that underpin statutory and non-statutory service provision.  Additionally, within the processes, the conference will point to the necessity for impact and implementation infrastructures, that is, the space, data and evidence to learn about HOW processes are implemented, as well as WHAT DIFFERENCE they have made.

Day One: The conference opened with two local young people talking about the issues that matter to young people in this area and how important it is to listen and act on the young peoples perspectives on decisions that directly affect their lives.

Chris Quinn, the NI Children’s Commissioner spoke of the Children’s Services Co-operation Act NI 2015 which mandates collaboration across government and the pooling of resources to improve outcomes for children and young people. Chris welcomed the participation of local young people and stressed the importance of engaging with them within the context of the rights of the child (UNCRC).

Delegates heard from Claire Humphrey, Dr Karen Orr and Prof Noel Purdy who introduced the key themes and shared their learning from THRiVE. Prof Purdy presented on the alignment of place-based collaboration with policy, including Fair Start.

Whitehouse PS choir inspired us with songs about working together and reminded delegates, with bright beaming singing and smiles, that ‘When we work together, we get things done’

Professor Allison Metz shared her expertise on Implementation science and practice, explaining to delegates the importance of not only thinking about interventions (what we do) but also implementation (how we do it). She spoke of the importance of advancing equity by paying attention to power balances and ensuring the lived experience of people in communities is central. The evidence clearly demonstrates the importance of taking time to foster trusted relationships in effective collaborations.

Day Two : The conference was opened on the second day by two local Parent Champions Mary Dripps and Lorna Allison who told of a recent parent survey the Parent Champions group carried out highlighting key areas of concern to parents and the types of supports they need. They explained what Parent Champions do, how they work together for the good of children and families in the area and the importance of parents voice in THRiVE.

We were delighted to be joined by Junior Ministers Pam Cameron and Aisling Reilly. They met with three P5 pupils involved in the BOOST programme (an educational intervention funded by THRiVE) and other THRiVE partners. They both spoke to the conference about the importance of collaborating and the work ongoing within the Executive on children’s issues.

Justice Minister Naomi Long praised the three girls from Abbotts Cross PS, who spoke to her of their aspirations for the future and the value of the BOOST programme for their literacy and numeracy. Minister Long made the links between the young adults involved with the criminal justice system and their early childhood experiences and stressed the importance of early intervention.

Other Ministers – Paul Givan, Education; Mike Nesbitt, Health; and Gordon Lyons, Communities, via video shared their support for the place-based collaboration model and the need for government and other sectors to work together.

Jo Blundell from Place Matters presented online about the support for place-based work their organisation offers. They told of the place-based change movement globally and gave examples from the Tamarak Institute in Canada of the impact of this approach in reducing poverty. Jo shared from their experience the importance of funding for place and system level activity and learning.

Finance Minister Caoimhe Archibold shared via video the Department of Finance support for cross-departmental programmes and encouraged the development of bids within the existing legislative framework. She expressed her interest in learning more about the outworkings of this conference.

Dorrinnia Carville, NI Comptroller General, talked of the recent NI Audit Office report on the creation of an NI Anti-Poverty Strategy and re-iterated the need for a comprehensive cross- governmental approach to addressing the impact of poverty on children’s outcomes, as well as the need for efficient use of the stretched NI budget in collaborative ways.

Hugh Nelson Co-Chair THRiVE led a panel discussion with Collaborative Investors from THRiVE – representatives from the Education Authority, The Executive Office, Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council, and the Executive Programme on Criminality and Organised Crime shared their experience of pooling budgets and the permissions and governance required to make this effective.

The conference got on the move to hear from other place-based collaborations – list them and heard of the recently formed Co-ordinating Organisations Network which recognises the importance of the backbone support needed for collective impact. Delegates had a café conversation with two different collaborations and learnt about important principles to make collaborations effective.

Dr Karen Orr and Claire Humphrey called the conference to a close with the Conference Calls to Action – asking for visibility of place-based approaches in the Programme for Government, equitable engagement of those who live and work in communities and investment in the systems needed for place-based change – funding, impact and implementation.

Useful links for further reading on the issues discussed at the THRiVE Collaborating for Impact Conference below

THRiVE Conference Deck – Day One 4th June 2024

THRiVE Conference Deck- Day Two 5th June

Place Matters | Place-based change

Liberating Structures – Introduction

The CES Guide to Implementation | Implementation (effectiveservices.org)

Implementation Science and Practice

Policy Alignment Prof N. Purdy

The Role of Implementation Practice in Advancing Equity – Prof Metz

THRiVECollab4Impact- learning partnership

THRiVE Conference – Conference Call to Action slide

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Until now, the likes of The Bridge Youth Centre, Monkstown Village Initiatives, Rathcoole Football Club (in conjunction with Listening Ear), Rathcoole Youth Centre and Monkstown Boxing Club have been working independently with their own young people but it was always intended that individual groups would be brought together to share their experiences, learn from each other and plan how THRiVE might best listen to the voice of children and young people moving forward.

So, early on Saturday 20^th April 24 young people and their youth leaders gathered at the Dunanney Centre before heading north to the Manor House Residential Centre in Moneymore.

Having quickly found their rooms and settled in, the group were transported to The Jungle NI where, after a delicious lunch they set about completing the 3-hour Team Building ‘Crystal Challenge.’

Returning to the Manor House after another meal at The Lazy Lama the focus shifted to group work sessions across the rest of Saturday evening and Sunday morning. Facilitated by Jim Peacock, Senior Voice and Influence Worker for Barnardo’s NI, and Claire Humphrey, Project Co-ordinator, THRIVE Newtownabbey, the young people on sharing their experiences of the process so far, before looking forward: coming up with ideas for developing the capacity of individual groups to work together and how this might impact within THRiVE and across Newtownabbey.

Thanks to Eurospar Rathcoole for donating the items for our lunch on the Sunday, and Belfast Mini-Coaches for getting us safely to and from the residential.

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“Shoot for the moon and you might land on a star”.

THRiVE:
To aspire;
‘Do well’
Find out who YOU are.

Every child,
every young person,
every adult
Everyone!
WE CAN…
learn things that will help
As we grow…

Open your eyes
Look around.
Take notice.
Breathe in the air!
“WE CAN… be connected, healthy and well!”

For each is important;
they increase our chances…
that things go well as we make advances…
through life;
taking risks,
learning lessons,
making choices…
Building our confidence to
Speak up
Speak out,
‘Raise our voices’

WE CAN…
influence this place
We’ve no need to roam
All that far from the streets …
We grow up in,
which shape us…
The place we call ‘home.’

Bright futures.
Hope.
WE CAN… go anywhere.
With determination
and drive…
Making the best of our lives.

Be proud.
Stand together.
A community…
Home!

Remember,
This journey
We don’t make on our own,
(Though sometimes we may feel
No-one else gets our tone).
The truth is
That help and support
Is always there.
Family,
Friends,
Teachers
And more…
They all keep an eye out
Ready to help,
Guide,
or step in.
Help us to grow:
Working together –
A community wins!

“Shoot for the moon…
You might land on a star…”
Remember,
THRiVE
WE CAN… ASPIRE;
WE CAN… ‘do well’
Celebrate who WE are!

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For regular updates on the work of THRiVE Newtownabbey you can follow us on social media: 

Facebook

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The report highlights the positive impact THRiVE has had in the lives of children and young people and their families, over the latest reporting period and is split into the four main core priority areas: Aspiration, Attainment, Well-being, and Collaboration.

You can download a copy of the Impact report below:

THRiVE Impact Report 2022-23

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Alternatively, you can scan the QR code below: 

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 Seven award winners were present with their families and friends having been nominated by their schools and community groups. They were joined by a range of people from across the spectrum that is THRiVE Newtownabbey – Funders, Youth & Community workers, School Principals’ and other staff, Parent Champions and more were welcomed on their arrival to the red carpet by a Butler and a TV reporter!

From the outset it was clear that this was not going to be your average awards ceremony!

As guests assembled, everything they experienced – from Magician’s to Photobooths, A sensory space, and a balloon arch, as well as ‘We Can’ themed refreshments, had been arranged by a young people’s planning group drawn together from the Bridge Youth Centre, Monkstown and Monkstown Boxing Club.

This group of young people confidently shared their opinions to shape a night that will be remembered for a very long time by everyone who was there to enjoy it!  

Once the pre-ceremony entertainment was concluded, at the Butler’s invitation, everyone moved into the main hall where Alicia and Kailey, two of the young people from the planning group expertly guided everyone through the main presentation part of the evening. 

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Councillor Julie Gilmour, who presented the Award winners with their prizes said of the event: 

If you could bottle the positivity and fizz and excitement of the We Can Awards, it would really be something amazing. 

I was delighted to be there on the night and felt very privileged to present such a group of inspirational and positive young people with their awards. I look forward to “watching this space” and seeing what happens next for them.

Thanks to all of the parents, teachers and youth workers who all go above and beyond every day to support these young people and also to the young people who ran the evening, who planned and organised and presented an awesome event.

Anna, one of the young people who took part in the Young People’s planning group said: 

Meeting together to help plan and deliver the We Can Awards was such a fun and rewarding experience. The THRiVE team were so encouraging in every meeting, with everyone feeling welcome to contribute their ideas – no matter what they were! We all learnt a lot as we went through the process of planning and confirming exactly what was happening on the night and  I can’t wait to see what WE CAN do next. Who knows, maybe we will be involved in planning the Awards again next year!

THRiVE Project Co-ordinator, Claire Humphrey said: 

The WE CAN Awards was a celebration of the achievements of fantastic children and young people. And of all the partners involved in the THRiVE collaboration. It was wonderful to work with an amazing group of young people who both designed, organised and hosted the event. And really special to hear the stories of why teachers and community workers had nominated the seven children and young people for awards – super examples of learning, being well and being connected. Delighted in all their achievements and of the support of their families too. A fantastic night to celebrate thriving children, young people, families And the collective effort of all those working in and with this community.

Our seven Award recipients this year were:

We Can Learn: Thom McGlade (St. James’s Primary School), and Ella-Mae Doole (Abbey Community College)

We Can Be Healthy And Well: Parker Lamont (Rathcoole Primary School), and Brooke Thompson (Monkstown Boxing Club)

We Can Be Connected: Kenzie Harbinson (King’s Park Primary School), Carly Richmond (NACN), and Taras Lypovetski (King’s Park Primary School)

You can watch the nominators videos for each of our fantastic 2023 We Can Award Winners below.

We Can… Learn

Thom McGlade…

Ella-Mae Doole…

We Can… Be healthy and well
Parker Lamont…

Brooke Thompson…

We Can… Be connected

Kenzie Harbinson…

Carly Richmond…

Taras Lypovetski…

As well as a bespoke ‘We Can Award’ created by NACN and a certificate, each Award winner received a Madlug rucksack donated by Dave Linton and his team at Madlug, Each bag contained a range of items donated by local businesses such as Abbey Centre,  Airtastic, Apache Pizza, Whiteabbey, CDE Global, Eurospar Rathcoole, McDonalds (Glengormley), Glengormley Sportsbowl, Movie House Cinemas (Glengormley), Smurfit Kappa, and Smyths Toys Superstores. 

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Seven trustees spent Friday 13th October 2023 visiting some of the organisations engaged with THRiVE Newtownabbey and had the opportunity to hear from and ask questions to a range of partners involved in all aspects of the project.

Beginning at Monkstown Boxing Club, the Trustees and assembled guests were welcomed by Michelle Harris, Assistant Director, Children’s Services, Barnardo’s NI and Hilary Johnston, Chairperson of the THRiVE Project Board.  Project Co-ordinator Claire Humphrey then set the scene for the rest of the morning by giving an overview of the project.

Subsequent speakers included Dr Karen Orr and Professor Noel Purdy, who between them spoke about the value of a Learning Partnership approach and shared some of the findings which have come from work that The Centre for Research in Educational Underachievement (CREU) at Stranmillis University College has been undertaking looking into local perceptions of and understanding about the work of THRiVE Newtownabbey as well as commenting on how THRiVE Newtownabbey is influencing policy.

Dawn Blain, Principal of Whitehouse Primary School shared some thoughts on the benefits of collaboration and the value of partnering with other local schools while John McConnell Deputy Principal of the Department of Education’s Tackling Educational Disadvantage Team spoke about how experiences and learning from THRiVE Newtownabbey has informed a number of other programmes.

After lunch and a tour of the Boxing club, during which the Trustees heard about the In Your Corner’ Education Programme, a partnership between the Club and Abbey Community College, the Trustee’s made the short journey to Abbots Cross Primary School, hearing about the WE CAN… Aspiration Campaign on the way!

Having been welcomed by Principal Joanne Griffiths, there they also heard from Joe Davies, P1 teacher at Rathcoole Primary School, Roisin O’Neill, Manager of Newtownabbey Family Connections and Lorna Thompson, one of our THRiVE Parent Champions about the remaining aspects of the various programmes and projects which make up the collaboration which is THRiVE Newtownabbey.

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