REACH is part of the Education Authority Youth Service. All staff are qualified and experienced youth workers.
REACH Youth Workers facilitate programmes directly with young people in groups, using youth work methodologies to support young people’s emotional health and wellbeing. These groups happen in school time, twilight or in the evenings depending on when young people are available. We work with children and young people aged 6-19 from Primary, Post Primary and Special Schools.
REACH support is provided and funded jointly by the Department for Education and Department of Health’s Emotional Health and Wellbeing Framework. It is available to all schools in Northern Ireland.
Accessing the Reach Programme
Schools submit a support request form to REACH detailing what the wellbeing needs of young people are. A REACH team leader will follow up with a telephone call and agree what programmes are most suitable to meet those needs.
Online Support Request Form
Support Available
Teachers
Teacher workshops can be facilitated in schools. They are designed to provide teachers with tools and resources to support young people. Practical materials and session plans are available at these workshops.
Parents and Carers
REACH works with young people directly and encourages parents and carers of young people in early support to engage with their youth worker to discuss what themes, topics and strategies are working, so that parents can carry them on in the home. We also deliver one off parent/carer engagement workshops on specific themes.
REACH Programmes
REACH delivers a suite of programmes that we have crafted to suit the needs of children and young people. Programmes are balanced and progressive focusing on the key themes of:
- Self-Perceptions/Self awareness
- Motivation
- Self-control/self-regulation
- Social skills
- Resilience and coping
When a support request for REACH is received, a member of the team will make contact to discuss the detail of programmes and what is best to meet specific needs.
REACH Champions Programme
REACH Champions are young people who are trained to support their peers within school and know how to signpost for further help.
The Champions’ Programme puts young people’s views to the fore through a series of workshops across a 20-week period covering leadership, emotional health and wellbeing, preparing a social action project and delivering it within schools.
Universal Promotion of Emotional Health and Wellbeing
The REACH Programme aims to provide whole school support for all pupils with a focus on preventing or reducing emotional health and wellbeing issues. To be effective in meeting the needs of pupils, the REACH programme also provides wrap around support with pupils’ teachers and parents. There are seven key elements to this:
- Mental health check in - Capacity training to teachers to develop Resilient Schools. Providing and sharing training with teachers around mindfulness and positive peer cultures.
- Taking Action - Curriculum programmes, age appropriate to enable pupils reach their potential based on the youth work curriculum. This can include delivery of outdoor learning programmes onsite at your school or off site at one of our specialist EA Outdoor Learning Centres.
- Building Confidence - Individual work, providing one to one support for pupils, based on assessed need
- Positive Peer Culture Groups - providing opportunities for pupils to gain confidence in their engagement and interaction with others; based on Egan’s Social Inclusion Model of Practice leading to greater peer support for emotional health and wellbeing
- Support for parents - it’s good to talk; workshops and one to one sessions provided focusing on supporting parents to support their young person outside of school and rising awareness of emotional health and wellbeing issues for young people.
- Summer Health Camps and Wellbeing Retreats - providing residential experiences for pupils to engage in healthy eating programmes; multi-activity outdoor learning programmes focused on mindfulness.
- Youth Voice – facilitating young people’s voices within the school community to help co-design and co-deliver positive emotional health and wellbeing practices to support their needs.
REACH Outcomes for Pupils
Based on the Five Key Aspects of Social and Emotional Capability (Early Intervention Foundation 2015), the REACH programme for pupils will lead to improved Self-awareness, Motivation, Self-control, Social Connections and Resilience & Coping skills.
In addition to this, the youth work outcomes for these programmes include;
- Improved health and wellbeing
- Enhanced personal capabilities
- Development of thinking skills, life skills and work skills
- Improved relationships with others
- Increased participative action
Frequently Asked Questions
Does REACH provide this support on site at my School?
Yes, REACH is provided on site at your school. There is opportunity in agreement with schools to provide some of these services in our nearby youth centres if appropriate. REACH will also provide, if appropriate and in agreement with your school, out of school hours programmes and opportunities such as Residential (overnight) programmes at one of our Outdoor Learning Centres which can take place during the school week or weekends.
How does ‘Youth Voice’ work within my school?
Each school is different, but the REACH Youth Work team will support existing structures such as a school’s youth council or support the establishment of a group of young people within school to explore how your school can develop emotional health and wellbeing within the school community.
What are the Safeguarding Arrangements in place for the Delivery of the REACH Programme in my School?
All REACH staff are trained as Designated Child Protection Officers. Should an issues or disclosure happen within the delivery programmes onsite at your school, the REACH staff member will follow the procedures for your school. For any offsite activities which may be delivered, the REACH team will follow a dual reporting process, which will be both the school process and the Education Authority Youth Service process.
The Education Authority operates offsite activities in line with the Education Visits Policy, however as offsite activities are linked to your school, the REACH team will follow your schools Education Visits Practice. Additional governance support for Risk Assessments and planning will be provided to the REACH team from within the Education Authority Youth Service for any planned offsite activities as an additional safeguard.
Reach Contact Details
For more information regarding the REACH Programme you can contact us directly via:
- Email: [email protected]
- Tel: 028 9598 5667
- Programme Manager: Stephen Quigley (Youth Advisor – Specialist Outreach)