It was also important to locate an appropriate area to trial the Together 4 All approach. Research found Lurgan, Brownlow, Aghagallon and Bleary to be a microcosm of Northern Ireland in terms of need, demography and socio-economic mix. This region is home to substantial communities of Protestant/Unionists and Catholic/Nationalists as well as a growing population of individuals from an ethnic minority background including Chinese, Asian, Irish Traveller, Portuguese and Eastern European. The perfect location to trial a model with potential to translate not only nationally, but indeed internationally.
It was very important for us to work closely with the community, as we recognise that the success of the strategy is dependant on their participation to assist in planning of future support services for children, young people and families in the area. In light of this a Planning Group was formed with members from statutory agencies, voluntary sectors and the community, to represent the voice of the local people in the area that could be replicated across Northern Ireland.
The planning stage drew on the work of Professor Paul Connolly’s “Too Young To Notice” research and the EPPNI study. Together 4 All also undertook an epidemiology study at this time entitled The Wellbeing of Children which helped to inform our strategy and identify evidence based models that could be applied to practice. From this research Together 4 All created a model tailored to the community.
Following the strategy development an Expert Advisory Committee was established to provide advice and support throughout the development and implementation of the project. This committee includes Professor Mark Dynarski (Mathematica), Professor Alan Smith (University of Ulster), Professor Daniel Perkins (The Pennsylvania State University), Professor Stephen Small (Center for Excellence in Family Studies), Michael Lavery (Acting Chairperson - Together 4 All) and Paul Edwards (Acting Chief Executive Officer - Together 4 All).
The resulting strategy has since been rolled out in the local area, following significant funding and support from Atlantic Philanthropies, and stands as a model of Good Practice with adaptable global relevance for all.
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