PAKT

Highlights

• With exceptional support and rallying of PAKT teams across the country, PAKT services were re invented over the course of five days to adapt to the pandemic.

• Parent, family and young people support has been sustained throughout lockdown and non lock down periods of the year across Greater Dublin and Greater Cork.

• The piloting in County Cork of a highly successful online parenting programme in May involved over 200 parents.

• Our Youth Advisory Groups have been sustained and are now consulted by the YMCA Movement North and South as we have learned to truly consult young people of every age.

• Our Soulworks Youth Choir was awarded a 2,000 Euros prize for Community endeavour by the South Dublin County Council.

• A model of training and supporting Parent Mentors has been releasing a new, highly effective and affordable resource for assisting parents in a climate of vastly increasing need and diminishing state finances.

Concrete Measurements

Averaging some 15 online club events weekly across all the PAKT regions.

All families had at least two 'garden visits' for delivery of activity packs for children and families, tips on coping in lockdown, crafts, baking activities etc

Weekly phone /text contact with families in crises with home visits where possible across all regions.

Special family support newsletters issued in the Cork region.

Two-week Summer Programme in Celbridge.

The new 'Next Step' Programme commenced for young people transitioning from Primary to Secondary school in Celbridge.

Restructuring and work reviews for key staff has helped to make for more effective delivery of PAKT nationally.

ONE2ONE Mentoring support maintained for 60% of young participants from March to June and fully recommenced to 80% in the autumn.

Feedback from parents indicated that "Isolation" and "fear" was experienced by many parents during the Pandemic and the weekly direct contacts impacted positively by bringing connectivity, hope and a sense of normal to many.

Selection of Quotes from our Parental feedback across Greater Cork and Greater Dublin.

"Thank you, the online parenting course was a fantastic course with great content, amazing work by all...at a time when it was crucial in everyone's lives".

“I am so grateful for the Bridge group for my son as he loves the group and it suits him so well! It was the only thing he had going on during lockdown...”

“The online groups made a big difference as my daughter does not have brothers or sisters, so the connection was great. The variety and ideas kept them thinking.”

“A huge thank you from my husband and myself, because the online groups did make a huge difference to our daughter, and you were so kind to drop out the art pack at the very start of Covid 19. Every week was something different and exciting.”

“It was lovely to break up the day during the lockdown. He was in great form after all the online groups”

"My daughter had high levels of stress about secondary school but she said that after the session (with the first year mentor) with the Bridge she felt less afraid and calmer in herself! The zoom calls with the Bridge have been really important to her. The Bridge has meant a lot to us

Quotes from Young People:

“I loved the online groups as I got to see my friends”

“The online groups made a difference during lockdown because it made Wednesdays fun and I had something to look forward to”

“If we didn’t have online sessions we wouldn’t have been able to keep in touch and see each.

other. I really really liked this”

Underlying Value Statement or Philosophy

PAKT differs from many youth work interventions or children’s activities in that the whole family and not just the child is involved. PAKT promotes positive parenting attributes that are associated with resilient young people, including relationships characterised by warmth and boundary setting . Parents, who are seen as our partners, are encouraged to be active in the programme both through volunteering in children’s activities, and in assisting in managing the programme.

New Horizons 2021

While PAKT continues its long tradition of offering long term family support to our most needy referred families, it has also over recent years developed mechanisms which allow for immediate and more short term response to crises need within families. We have successfully adapted our ability to accept "short sharp " referrals which benefit families and children over a relatively short time commitment. Across all the regions staff are trained in the Meitheal Methodology and this adaptability is appreciated by local organisational networks as well as our various funders. With limited financial resources and increasing levels of need, our funders have come to rely on PAKT to respond quickly and positively with short term as well as longer term responses. PAKT Staff across the country we have doubled their acceptance of Meitheal referrals from TUSLA and these are now in double figures annually.

'PAKT never says no" was uttered this Autumn by a significant local organisation. This is indicative of a flexibility within YMCA PAKT which will assist our service to thrive into the future.