The Moving Forward, Moving On project is Funded by the UK Government.

1. What is Moving Forward, Moving On?
2. How does Moving Forward, Moving work?
3. Latest jobs and training opportunities

Extern’s Moving Forward, Moving On project works with people who are not in education, training or employment and/or have a history of offending behaviour.

It is a research and evidence-based model of working with people, which provides support and the tools they need to make a successful start in the world.

Based close to Belfast city centre, the mentoring support service works with people from across the city, including those who may have previously been through alternative education projects, such as Extern’s Pathways Project.

Ensuring the service users have employability skills is also an important part of the project’s work, and it offers accredited qualifications, as well as group work and one-to-one sessions in areas such as:

• job hunting skills
• money management and
• personal development

Participants are also able to join senior or junior youth forums, which meet weekly, and a young mums club is also run for those who wish to meet other young parents.

The project also has a presence in two hostels for people who are homeless in Belfast to help further its reach and influence.

Referrals to the programme can be made from alternative education projects, statutory agencies, and organisations including social services, the PSNI or the Youth Justice Agency. Self-referrals are also possible.

The project has supported 1050 people since 2013

How MFMO works …

Since 2013 Extern has been providing transitional mentoring support, where we provide 'wraparound' support services to people who face a variety of complex and interconnected issues.

Many of these issues require a diverse range of support.

There are three key elements involved in the Transitional Mentoring Support we offer:

1) Emotional Support

Aim: Mentors build up a relationship with each person based on trust and respect, enabling them to turn to the mentor when they need to be listened to without judgement.

2) Informed Advice & Guidance

Aim: Mentors provide advice not only in relation to education, training & employment, but also on a range of other support services, including: housing, addiction & counselling.

This provides participants with informed advice and guidance on which services they should go to, who is best to talk to, and what they need to say.

3) Hand-holding

Aim: For those participants who are vulnerable and/or lack the confidence to avail of different services and need more than just advice, mentors go with them to access services and help them fill in relevant forms.

They call participants before and after appointments to remind them, and also encourage them to go and check on progress before planning next steps together.

For participants with a history of offending behaviour, a fourth element is included:

4) Desistance Programmes

Aim: Through individual personal development plans, using the ‘Keep & Stay’ interventive tool and through the ‘Choices’ 12 week group work programme, participants are given every possible opportunity to address their offending behaviour and be supported to live lives free from further offending.

For those with a high level of offending, up to, and including custodial sentencing, the ‘Keep’ element identifies how to manage the presenting offending behaviour in the immediate, whilst the ‘Stay’ element begins to address the underlying causal reasons for the behaviour.

For those with low level offending, the Choices programme equips them with the knowledge and skills to make positive lifestyle choices and become active citizens within their own communities.

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SUPPORTING: Young People & Families

HOW DO I ACCESS THIS SERVICE? Referrals can be made by individuals themselves, by parents/carers, or any other agency

CONTACT:
Catriona Clifford (Project Manager)
Moving Forward, Moving On
Unit 5, Nelson Trade Centre,
Nelson Street,
Belfast
BT15 1BH

Tel: 028 9027 8189
Email: [email protected] 

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A year of transforming lives