Happy Days (Newry)

Public benefits

Happy Days Playgroup is a voluntary, non-profit making organisation. It is run by a parent’s management committee to facilitate the needs of the local community with regard to providing high quality early years care and education to children aged from 0-5 years old. Our service’s aim is to support children and their families in starting their

journey of learning in a fun and educational environment. We want to help engage children’s natural curiosity and make them eager to learn which will benefit them in their future. The direct benefits from our “child –centred” service who will receive the most out of this purpose include: children have increase confidence and self-esteem, children are more aware of the multi-cultural environment we now live in; children integrate into main stream education with ease and are excited to learn more. The Parents are more involved in meeting their child’s learning needs and provide support when needed through education and play. Support for parents, by other parents, whose child is struggling to settle. We aim to ensure our children leave us installed with a healthy sense of well-being and resilience which are two qualities which will have a positive impact on a successful future for the children we care for. The benefits of our services is evident in the growth of the children we nurture on a daily basis both psychologically and physically; children develop their own personality and they become confident and happy in themselves. The children benefit by playing with other children from different countries and cultures encouraging diversity and acceptance of others and their beliefs, in a safe environment. Our services encourage verbal and written feedback and we have obtained positive feedback from children, parents, health professionals e.g. Doctors, Health Visitors, Speech therapists, Educational Psychologists who have commented on how well the children have benefited from our one-on-one approach. In addition we have been highly commended through Inspection reports from Social Services, Early Years and the Education Board commenting on how the children have developed and our ability to meet children’s individual needs. Our happy vibrant atmosphere and our highly trained and experienced staff support the development of young children has been continuously acknowledged by our peers. We have an open door policy whereby parents are able to come and speak to us about any concerns they have about their child’s development and we have formal meetings and records whereby we discuss their child’s development. We believe that no harm will arise from the purposes of our charity. The beneficiaries of this charity are people within the Newry and Mourne area. All together we cater for 150 families each year on an ongoing basis. It is our goal to continue to be of service to our community for many years to come. The only private benefits received from this purpose are to ensure that the service can operate and that the benefit is provided to our beneficiaries. Where some parents are not able to afford this benefit, provisions and support is provided to ensure all, especially those from disadvantage backgrounds, have access to this benefit.

What your organisation does

Happy Days is a Playgroup based in Newry which has 2 sessions. The morning session caters for 26 children aged 4 and the afternoon caters for children aged 3.