EastSide Learning marks a decade supporting Children and Young people in east Belfast

EastSide Learning marks a decade supporting children and young people in east Belfast

EastSide Learning, a pivotal educational project within EastSide Partnership (a regeneration charity), which supports children and young people to develop their abilities and reach their potential whatever their background, has marked a decade of learning in east Belfast.  

Since 2014, it has served as an independent voice for education, promoting partnership working between schools and communities; providing strategic support and coordinating interventions. To mark their decade of learning, the organisation presented a 10 Year Impact Report revealing its growth, collaborations, partnerships, and key achievements.

An Education Framework, developed in partnership with key stakeholders, which has led their place-based approach to education for the past 10 years has focused on five priority areas: Building aspirations & improving achievement; Early Years Development; Supporting smoother transitions; Valuing all education pathways & enriching learning; Collaboration, coordination & working in partnership.

EastSide Learning activity is aligned to the aspirations outlined in several key strands of the Programme for Government.

Highlights of EastSide Learning key achievements include:

• EastSide Early Learning Community which brings together a wide range of people working in the sector who are invested in ensuring children have the best possible future.
• EastSide Early Years Network which provides peer support, investment and the development of an Early Years Good Relations Charter.
• Creating conditions for better partnership working, collaboration and a whole community approach to learning with 780 staff trained in various courses and £75k added value funding.
• 1010 pupils facilitated in a GCSE programme including classes and interventions.
• Count on Dads; a numeracy programme for east Belfast dads to support their child with their numeracy homework.
• ABC afterschool club developed and delivered by teachers and classroom assistants with expertise in pupil support to improve, reading, confidence and emotional literacy.

The decade of work hasn’t been without challenges from funding, pressure on education staff to deliver and be involved in change, rising levels of poverty and additional needs. Despite these obstacles, Eastside Learning is committed to ensuring the continuity of its programmes and maintaining strong connections with families, children, young people, the community and key partners.

Looking to the next decade, EastSide Learning will continue to provide strategic support and co-ordination for informed and effective interventions to improve outcomes for children and their parents. It will continue working together in collaboration with key partners to help and support every child and young person in east Belfast to develop their abilities, reach their potential and experience success.  In addition, they hope to continue to build their network of volunteers of retired teachers.

Education Minister Paul Givan said:
“All children deserve the best start in life and as a society, we must work to ensure there are opportunities for every child, from every family and from every background. EastSide Learning’s community-based approach to reducing educational underachievement by supporting children, young people and their families to reach their potential has played an important role in ensuring that local children seize every opportunity offered to them. EastSide’s wider community capacity building and coordination work has been key to building important networks and developing the skills of the professionals and volunteers who are supporting our children in east Belfast. I want to thank them for the work they have done in east Belfast over the last 10 years and wish them every success in delivering its priorities moving forward.”

Laura Feeney, Chair of EastSide Learning said:
“We’re incredibly proud of what EastSide Learning has achieved over the past 10 years. Enabling our children and young people to have access to rich learning environments in school, in the community and in the home can lead to strong education outcomes that are crucial to help us achieve our vision of ‘A Thriving, Connected and Welcoming’ neighbourhood.  None of this would have been possible without the support of our people; families, children, young people, partners, local community and our dedicated staff. As we look toward the next decade, we are excited to continue working in partnership with others to drive positive change in east Belfast, creating new pathways for education, and ensuring a bright future for everyone in our community.”

EastSide Learning manager, Stuart Douglas added:
“Relationships are at the heart of all the key successes and achievements of EastSide Learning over the past 10 years. The strong connections built between local organisations, the east Belfast community, and educational settings are essential in ensuring that children and young people feel successful, happy and empowered throughout their educational journey. I’m excited to continue prioritising these relationships, supporting our children and young people as they thrive and reach their full potential.”

A copy of the report can be found here.