Youth Included Safe Book Launch

The group is facilitated by the SELB Youth Workers at Cookstown Youth Resource Centre.

The programme offers young people with and without disabilities the opportunity to come together, have fun, have new experiences, to learn new skills and gain confidence.

This year the project explored the issues around internet safety and using the internet in a positive way.

The young people identified the issues and used a multi media approach and industry standard equipment to produce 'Safe Book', a DVD which follows the story of four young people and their experiences of the internet.

The DVD will enable all young people and parents to be more aware of how to use the internet safely and appropriately, but it also shows how the internet can be used effectively as a means of communication.

The project was fun and interactive but also offered young people the opportunity to increase their learning.

The learning shared was acknowledged during a recent inspection by the department of education whose report states; 'The youth included programme allows for young people with and without disabilities to set and agree the aims for their own programme. The young people worked well together and thought the outstanding facilitation of the staff, the production of a DVD on internet safety was relevant to their needs and abilities of the young people present. The young people achieved beyond the planned outcomes and very good social interaction was observed between those with different needs and expectations.

There was positive working relationships formed among the young people, the peer mentors and the young people resulted in outstanding work’.

The staff team who worked with the youth included project would like to thank and acknowledge all the young people who took part, the parents who supported the project and the disability forum, Transition Team, NI Health and Social Care Trust, SELB Youth Service, Barnardos and Cookstown District Council who have supported the project over the year.

If you would like to know more about this project or view the DVD please contact Colette Murray at Cookstown Resource Centre on 028 867 57168.