MY LACES is a partnership project between the Western Trust, Ulster University and local Primary Schools.
The project is unique in that it offers 10 young, looked after children the opportunity to be mentored by social work students at Magee Campus each Wednesday after school.
The project is distinctive in that it matches the children with student social workers for a three year period and is targeted at earlier intervention in primary school from Primary Five to Primary Seven.
The programme aims to provide consistent educational support through early intervention to those deemed most vulnerable, and to those who may not be able to avail of this in a normal home environment. It also provides an excellent enhanced employability resource to our students and establishes links/networks in which training programmes could be developed and delivered.
The project aims to assist children to make a positive transition from primary to post primary school.
At the same time as assisting Looked After Children, the Project offers a unique opportunity for student Social Workers to develop their skills whilst in college and in partnership with Trust’s Looked After Service.
The project won the 2018 NI Social Work Learning and Development Award, as well as being finalist of The Times Higher Education Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Local Community and Irish Higher Education Awards 2017/18.