Sky’s the limit as company’s North Wales region rewards Action for Children unsung heroes

Action for Children staff from the North Wales arm of their Skills Plus service, that works to improve the emotional and well-being of care experienced young people as they negotiate the many challenges they face in their lives, have been recognised as unsung heroes of the pandemic by Sky TV.

The company’s North Wales regional team were impressed by the passion and commitment of the service and were keen to contribute a range of tech goodies including mobile phones and tablets to the Christmas Eve boxes the service were putting together for the ten young people Skills Plus supports.

Katy Alger, young person’s practitioner for Skills Plus in North Wales, said: ‘We are absolutely blown away by Sky’s recognition and generosity. It means the world to us to be seen as unsung heroes as the young people we support are front and centre of everything we do. This is a particularly vulnerable group of people that have come under even more pressure during the pandemic.

‘As they face Christmas without their families, this amazing gesture from Sky will be a great boost as we enter the festive period. We’re so grateful for the wonderful Christmas spirit they have shown, it will make a huge difference to our young people at a very difficult time.’

Sky’s regional manager, Michael Cole, said, ‘Katy reached out to us for some help with their Christmas Eve box initiative. She was incredibly passionate about helping the young people they support feel nurtured and thought of at a time that can be lonely without family. I’m very grateful to our staff who have enabled me to source Sky goodies and tech that we can donate to ensure the Christmas Eve boxes really do make a difference in someone’s life.

‘I’ve been blown away by Katy’s enthusiasm, passion and energy in the things she does. She truly wants to make a difference to the lives of these young people. I’m really chuffed we’ve been able to support and ultimately give back to yet another unsung hero of the pandemic.’

Building on the success of its Skills for Living programme for Care Experienced Young People (CEYP) in Wales, Action for Children has remodelled the service and launched Skills Plus. The service offers several pathways of support for CEYP aged 14-24 and provides support tailored to their individual needs.

The team provide a therapeutic intervention based on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) to improve the emotional and social well-being of young people who experience significant distress and relationship difficulties and struggle to maintain consistency in their lives. There is also a focus on working to give young people the practical and life skills to enable them to transition into happy, healthy adults.