Category Archives: Events

Single Parents Day

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We are proud to be celebrating Single Parents Day on Monday 21st March 2022 and standing with Single Parents

We’ll be sharing valuable resources across all of our social media, so keep an eye out. Single Parents’ Day is a chance to raise awareness of the struggles and hardship faced by many single parents, but more than that, it is an opportunity to celebrate their incredible strength, love and resilience.

​Single Parents’ Day is a day for everyone to stand with single parents and show them how amazing they are. A day for single parents to reflect on all they have achieved and overcome, and for the world to show them how valued they are.
We’re partnering with Gingerbread, One Family Ireland and One Parent Family Scotland to celebrate Single Parents Day. Check out what they’re up to during the week too!

Don’t forget that if you’re in need of additional assistance you can always call our support line – we are here for you!

Support Line: 0808 8010 722
Available Monday – Thursday 9:30 am – 3:30 pm and Friday 9:30 – 12:30 pm

We would love to hear your personal stories to help us celebrate Single Parents Day and #StandWithSingleParents! If you would like to share your own story or that of an amazing single parent you know, get in touch!

Follow the #StandWithSingleParents #SingleParentsDay2022 hashtags to see what we get up to during the week. 

Email claref@parentingni.org to share your story

Parenting NI Celebrate 40th Anniversary in Strabane

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John Crowe, Co-ordinator of the Professional Chef Diploma and Hospitality Lecturer at North West Regional College presents the 40th birthday cake created by students of the college to Cahir Murray and Muriel Bailey of Parenting NI.

Local parenting support charity celebrate special anniversary marking 40 years of supporting parents in Northern Ireland.

Forty years ago Parenting NI (formerly Parents Advice Centre) was established by a group of dedicated volunteers to support parents in Northern Ireland. The charity has continued to grow over the years, delivering a range of high quality services which have been specifically developed and tailored to meet the needs of parents.

Parenting NI continue to advocate for parents and the need for more support for families in order to ensure the best outcomes for children. The charity say that given the number of challenges many families are facing throughout Northern Ireland there is a continued demand for support services for parents.

Muriel Bailey, Director for Family Support Services, said

“Research Parenting NI carried out last year found that 82% of survey participants said they do not feel parents get enough support. Parents’ answers indicated that they felt that society was not very supportive of those in a parenting role; so during our 40th year celebrations, and upcoming Parenting Week, we want to highlight the important role parents play in their children’s lives and celebrating the wonderful job parents do on a daily basis. Parenting isn’t always easy, and all too often we can focus on the times when things ‘go wrong’ so we want to focus on the positives and celebrate parenting.

We were delighted to hold a celebration event in The Parlor with Strabane Community Project on Friday 11th October with parents in the area. We are incredibly grateful to North West Regional College, who got their students involved in baking a birthday cake for us to enjoy with parents at the event.”

John Crowe, Co-ordinator of the Professional Chef’s Diploma at North West Regional College, said:

“Our Level 3 Hospitality students were honoured to be given the opportunity to create this cake and I have been extremely impressed with the hard work they have put in, to not only design the cake but also in creating it to such a high standard.

“The college is delighted to support Parenting NI as they mark this major milestone in their history.”

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Michaela Boyle praised the work of Parenting NI in providing support and advice to parents. “As a parent myself I know how challenging it can be. I’m glad that this event offered parents the opportunity to not only find out about support services that are available, but also provided a chance to meet up with other parents, share experiences and celebrate all that is good about being a parent,” she said.

You can find out more information about Parenting NI and the services they offer at www.parentingni.org or call the Support Line for free on 0808 8010 722.

Want to Know More about Career Options for your Children?

Events

Don’t miss the chance to find out about the career options available for your children, at Skills Northern Ireland – an extraordinary free careers and skills event!

Where and when?
18 & 19 October 2017 at the Titanic Exhibition Centre, Belfast
Daytime opening: 9.30am – 3pm
Evening opening: 5pm – 7pm (only on the 18 October)

Skills Northern Ireland, sponsored by NIE Networks and supported by Barclays and NI Water, offers young people the opportunity to discover careers in a unique and practical way. With many exhibitors from colleges, universities and various industries, there is no better place to realise your full potential and explore what to do after leaving school.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the event’s various features, including:

  • The Skills Theatre that showcases local talent and can include dance, drama, music, cookery, hair dressing and floristry
  • Get Skilled stand offering activities in robotics, computing, automotive, theatrical make-up, IT, product design and much more
  • The Skills Showcase, sponsored by Belfast Met, our inflatable dome showcasing the incredible works of those who have produced creations for their work or training

The event promises to be even more inspirational and interactive than last year’s inaugural event, with over 50 exhibitors already signed up to provide exciting and hands-on activities for your children to experience the world of work.

Attendees will also be able to view current jobs, work experience and apprenticeship vacancies featured on our Live Opportunities Board, sponsored by the event’s media partner, Belfast Telegraph and NI JobFinder.

Go Pyjamarama at Quayside Walk

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Pajamarama 30th July Calling all parents and families in Derry~Londonderry! We want you to get involved with our awareness raising and fundraising event on the Quayside next month!

Dress up in your favourite PJ’s, onesies, nighties and slippers and take part in the first ever Pyjamarama event on Saturday 30th July at 1pm – from Sainsbury’s Cafe Strand Road.

The walk will follow the Quayside route down to River side – and then back again – approx 2 miles in total.  Participants can run, walk, scoot, hop, skip, jog, wheel, cycle or stroll – any mode possible as long as they join us to help raise funds and awareness of Parenting NI. There will be lots going on to entertain little ones with facepainting and balloon making and refreshments will be provided for all at the Sainsbury’s cafe after the event.

We would love to see you all there! Interested? Visit the Get Involved page and fill in the events booking form.

Abseil the Europa Parenting NI!

Families are the compass that guide us. They are the inspiration to reach great heights…

This September you can reach great heights for families across Northern Ireland.

Abseil the Europa!

Have you a head for heights or fancy conquering a fear? Set yourself a challenge and test your nerve by getting involved in Parenting NI’s first ever abseil event!

Join us on Sunday 25th of September and raise funds to help Parenting NI continue to provide much needed services for parents across Northern Ireland.

Abseil

Stay tuned for more news about exciting fundraising activities from Parenting NI in the near future!

Play Your Part, Share A Heart

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Today is Safer Internet Day which sees thousands of organisations and people across the UK get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people.

This years theme is “Play Your Part for a Better Internet”. The UK Safer Internet Centre are encouraging everyone to play their part by sharing a heart today. Using the heart, a universal sign for love, to promote respect and kindness online this Safer Internet Day.

We’ve used #ShareAHeart to write some positive messages for parents. Take a look at the gallery below.

If you would like support around internet safety and your child’s internet use please get in touch and call us on 0808 8010 722.

Information for Parents and Carers

FREE Wellbeing Programmes

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At the start of a new year we often make resolutions, promising to do something that will make this year that will improve on the previous year.

This January why not attend one of the Family Wellness Project FREE Wellbeing Programmes and set yourself up for a happy, healthy 2016. If you live in the Western or the Southern Trust areas you could benefit from attending any of the programmes on offer.

Aware NI, a Family Wellness Project partner, well being delivering a number of programmes this month. The programmes include Mood Matters and Living Life to the Full. These programmes will help you to manage your feelings, maintain and regain good mental health, and build resilience to deal with life’s challenges.

Mindfulness has proven to be a popular programme and will also be running in January. Research has shown that Mindfulness has significant benefits for health and well-being. Clinical evidence also says that Mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety for those with the illness of depression. It enables people to learn the skills that prevent the recurrence of depression.

If you are interested in getting involved and taking part in any of the programmes contact Rachel Cashel on 07773221967 or email Rachel.Cashel@mindwisenv.org.

Find a Programme  Learn More

Parents & Teachers E-Safety Advisory Group

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website

The safety of children and young people when using the internet and electronic technology (e-safety) is a major concern for parents, guardians, carers, practitioners and broader society.  The Northern Ireland Executive recognises the concern and has funded the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland to develop an E-safety Strategy for Northern Ireland and an accompanying Action Plan which will endeavour to enable the safe use of digital and internet technology by children and young people in Northern Ireland.

ncbThe National Children’s Bureau (NCB) are leading on this project and are currently contacting a range of schools in Northern Ireland to support them in carrying out this project.

They are looking for Parents and Teachers to join an advisory group to:

  •  Support the development of this project by providing advice on key aspects of project design and delivery.
  • Meet 3 times over the course of the project (the work is to be completed by February 2017.)

Travel costs to and from meeting; Food and refreshments; and £20 gift voucher for each participant will be offered.

To express your interest in joining this group please contact Gill Hassard, NCB Senior Participation Officer: ghassard@ncb.org.uk or Tel: 02890 875006 by Wednesday 16th December.

 The first meeting will take place on Wednesday 13th January 2016, 6.30-8pm at Belfast Central Mission, 5 Glengall St, Belfast, County Antrim BT12 5AD.

Terms of reference for the group, subsequent meeting dates and venues to be agreed by group members at the first meeting.

Suzanne Zeedyk Tour of the West – Film Screening

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WP_002754Back in October we met Suzanne Zeedyk with the Fermanagh Parents Voice Group as part of her Tour of the West during Parents’ Week.  The tour was organised and funded by the Western Area Outcomes Group, as part of their priority for enhancing emotional wellbeing for children, young people and families.

Parents really enjoyed this event; due to it’s success and requests for more information around attachment and attunement, there will be an opportunity to see a film screening of Suzanne Zeedyk’s Master Class on “Strengthening Attachment and Attunement in Families”. This presentation will be of great interest to anyone who is interested in the area of fostering, adoption or children/young people at risk of insecure attachment.

Generation Now: Connecting Families – A recording of “Strengthening Attachment and Attunement in Families” from the event on Wednesday 21st October

Date :  Wednesday 2nd December 2015
Venue: Lecture Theatre, South West Acute Hospital (SWAH), Enniskillen
Time: 10am – 12pm

Numbers are limited to 100 and allocation of places will be made on a first come first served basis.

If you would like to attend please complete the booking form by clicking on the button below and return to Priscilla Magee.

   Booking Form