FSCN - Full Service Community Network, Belfast

Our Mission

The FSCN aims to raise educational attainment by working in partnership to address the educational needs of children, their families and the local community of Upper Springfield and Greater Falls.

Our Vision

‘Educational advantage for all’

Background to Full Service Community Network

Full Service Community Network (FSCN) is a project funded by the Department of Education’s (DE) ‘Tackling Educational Disadvantage’ Team via the Catholic Council for Maintained Schools (CCMS) which has managerial responsibility for the project.

FSCN provides a range of educational support services for children, young people, families, schools and the wider community of Upper Springfield and Greater Falls areas (2 of the most economically and socially deprived wards in the North of Ireland) with the core aim of working in partnership with schools to help raise standards in addressing low and under achievement.

Our focus for 2017/18 as directed by DE was on ‘providing interventions that will lead to improved educational outcomes by reducing barriers to learning and providing additional support to help improve the life chances of disadvantaged children and young people’.

Since 2008 we have supported the learning needs of an average 1000 children and young people per year. In partnership with Relate NI we provide counselling services to 13 primary schools with an average of 500 individuals per year. We also support the West Belfast Partnership Board’s Easter School for year 12 students studying for GCSE English and Maths, currently contributing £20k per annum towards the delivery of the school.

We provide a range of services to support 29 local nursery, primary and post -primary schools including:

FSCN facilitates connections in the interests of children, young people and communities.

We deliver specific educational services aimed at overcoming barriers to learning which complement educational services in the area.

We help identify further barriers, gaps in provision and work with key stakeholders to facilitate improved delivery where possible through shared knowledge and understanding.

We work with and through a range of agencies to discuss issues, agree priorities for narrowing the gap in attainment levels and where possible we endeavour to maximise opportunities and resources available within both formal and informal sectors to encourage parental involvement in education.

We enhance skills, capabilities and attitudes of young people, increase self confidence and self-esteem, promote resilience and respect for others, which can lead to narrowing the gap in achievement levels, raising aspirations, and enhancing employability.

We deliver quality teaching and learning in partnership with local schools within the Upper Springfield and Greater Falls schools clusters.

FSCN works with the Education Authority’s(EA) Inclusion and Diversity officers, Schools, Community and Voluntary organisations to help provide and facilitate much needed support to Newcomer children their teachers and families.